Total Station Calibration Checklist Before Sending for Service – What to Prepare Malaysia

Sending a total station for calibration should be more than simply placing the instrument on a service counter and saying:

“Please calibrate this.”

The more useful information the service centre receives, the easier it is to understand the instrument's condition and identify problems that may not appear during a basic inspection.

This is especially important when the total station has symptoms such as:

• Wrong coordinates

• Distance discrepancy

• Angle discrepancy

• Repeated levelling problems

• Compensator errors

• EDM failure

• Laser plummet movement

• Stiff tangent screws

• Drop damage

• Water exposure

Before sending your total station for calibration or repair in Malaysia, use this checklist.

1. Record the Brand and Model

Start with the basic instrument information.

For example:

Brand: Topcon
Model: GM-105

or the applicable instrument being sent.

Different models can have different:

• Specifications

• Calibration procedures

• EDM systems

• Compensator systems

• Parts

• Software

• Accessories

The exact model matters.

2. Record the Serial Number

The serial number identifies the individual instrument.

This is particularly important for companies that own several units of the same model.

For example:

Company owns 5 identical Total Stations

Without serial-number control, it becomes easy to confuse:

• Calibration records

• Repair history

• Certificates

• Equipment assignments

The serial number should form part of your equipment register.

3. Explain Why You Are Sending It

There is a major difference between:

“Annual routine calibration.”

and:

“Instrument fell from tripod yesterday.”

Tell the service centre the reason.

Typical reasons include:

• Routine calibration

• Annual QA requirement

• Before major project

• After drop

• After repair

• Accuracy complaint

• EDM problem

• Compensator error

• Levelling problem

• Water damage

• Long-term storage

This helps determine the appropriate inspection scope.

4. Describe the Actual Problem

Avoid descriptions such as:

“Not accurate.”

That is too broad.

Instead, describe what you observed.

For example:

“Distance to our known reference is approximately 20 mm longer than expected.”

or:

“The electronic level changes significantly when we rotate the instrument 180°.”

or:

“Laser plummet moves away from the station point during rotation.”

or:

“EDM can measure at 20 m but frequently fails around 100 m.”

Specific symptoms provide much better diagnostic information.

5. Tell the Service Centre If the Instrument Was Dropped

This is extremely important.

Do not hide a drop because:

“It still works.”

A total station can still:

• Switch on

• Display angles

• Measure distance

• Store points

after an impact while certain alignments have changed.

If dropped, explain:

• Approximate height

• Whether it was mounted on tripod

• Whether it was inside carrying case

• Surface it hit

• Which side received impact

• Symptoms noticed afterwards

Even approximate information can help.

6. Report Water or Rain Exposure

If the instrument has been exposed to significant rain or water, tell the service centre.

Mention whether you observed:

• Internal condensation

• Fogging

• Keypad problem

• Display problem

• Power problem

• Corrosion

• EDM problem

Water-related faults can develop progressively.

An instrument that appears normal immediately after getting wet may develop problems later.

7. Check the Instrument Before Sending It

If practical, perform a basic external inspection.

Look for:

• Cracks

• Loose parts

• Damaged lens

• Missing covers

• Corrosion

• Damaged display

• Damaged keypad

• Loose battery

Record anything unusual.

This also creates a condition record before transportation.

8. Take Photos Before Shipping

If the total station is being sent by courier, consider photographing:

• Instrument

• Serial number

• Carrying case

• Accessories being sent

• External condition

This can help maintain an equipment record.

For companies managing many instruments, this is a useful administrative practice.

9. Should You Send the Tribrach?

In many cases, yes—especially if the problem involves setup, levelling or centering.

The tribrach is part of the total station system.

Possible tribrach problems include:

• Loose levelling screws

• Mechanical play

• Poor locking

• Instability

• Centering problems

If you send only the instrument while leaving a faulty tribrach on site, the total station may return from calibration and the field problem may continue.

Total Station Accurate but Tribrach Faulty

Consider this situation:

Total Station = Good

Tribrach = Loose

The survey crew may still experience:

• Loss of level

• Centering movement

• Setup instability

They may incorrectly conclude:

“Calibration didn't solve the problem.”

The actual problem was the accessory.

10. Should You Send the Prism?

For routine calibration, ask the service centre what equipment they require.

But if your complaint specifically involves EDM distance, provide information about the prism being used.

Useful information includes:

• Prism brand/model

• Prism type

• Prism constant

• Standard prism or mini prism

• Measurement distance

If practical and requested, bringing the normal working prism can help diagnose system-related issues.

11. Record the Prism Constant

This is one of the first things to check when distance measurements appear systematically wrong.

Common prism constants may include values such as:

• 0 mm

• -30 mm

• -34 mm

and other manufacturer-specific values.

The value must match the actual prism and the convention used by the instrument.

Do not assume all prisms use the same constant.

12. Check Prism Mode vs Reflectorless Mode

If the EDM problem occurs only in one mode, tell the service centre.

For example:

Prism mode works normally.

Reflectorless mode cannot measure reliably.

This is valuable diagnostic information.

Similarly:

Reflectorless works but prism measurement fails

is a different symptom from:

Neither mode works.

13. Bring the Battery for Power Problems

If the complaint involves:

• Cannot power on

• Sudden shutdown

• Battery drains quickly

• Instrument restarts during EDM

bring the battery used when the problem occurs.

Otherwise, the technician may test the total station using another battery and never reproduce the fault.

14. Bring the Charger When Charging Is the Problem

If the battery does not charge, the possible problem may be:

• Battery

• Charger

• Cable

• Contacts

• Power supply

Sending only the total station may not help identify the actual charging problem.

For power-related faults, bringing:

Total Station + Battery + Charger

can make diagnosis more complete.

15. Back Up Important Survey Data

Before repair or servicing, back up important data whenever possible.

This may include:

• Jobs

• Coordinates

• Control points

• Codes

• Survey observations

Some repairs may require:

• Reset

• Software work

• Memory-related servicing

Do not rely on the service centre as your only data backup.

16. Record Important Instrument Settings

Before sending the instrument, consider recording settings relevant to your workflow.

Examples may include:

• Units

• Prism constant

• Communication settings

• Coordinate settings

• Job configuration

You can photograph important screens where appropriate.

After servicing, verify the instrument configuration before returning to fieldwork.

17. Do Not Randomly Adjust Calibration Parameters First

If an instrument shows an accuracy problem, avoid changing internal adjustment values simply to make one field check appear correct.

Random adjustment can:

• Hide the original symptom

• Introduce new errors

• Make diagnosis harder

First identify whether the problem comes from:

Operator

↓

Setup

↓

Accessory

↓

Instrument

Then perform the appropriate corrective action.

18. Do Not Open the Total Station Yourself

A total station contains precision:

• Optical

• Mechanical

• Electronic

systems.

Opening the housing can introduce:

• Dust

• Moisture

• Alignment changes

• Cable damage

• Seal problems

Internal repair should be performed using appropriate procedures and equipment.

19. Tell the Service Centre About Previous Repairs

If known, provide relevant repair history.

For example:

“EDM board repaired last year.”

“Telescope was repaired after a drop.”

“Compensator previously adjusted.”

Repair history can help technicians understand recurring problems.

20. Bring the Previous Calibration Certificate

If available, the previous certificate can be useful for equipment history.

It may show:

• Instrument identification

• Previous calibration date

• Calibration scope

• Earlier results

Over multiple calibration cycles, records can help identify whether an instrument's performance remains stable or repeatedly requires attention.

21. Check Your Client's Calibration Requirements

Before sending the instrument, determine whether your project or customer requires a particular:

• Certificate format

• Calibration scope

• Traceability requirement

• Accreditation requirement

• Calibration interval

Do this before calibration.

Do not wait until the certificate is issued to discover that the client requires something different.

Calibration Certificate vs Calibration Sticker

A sticker is useful for quick equipment identification.

It may indicate information such as:

• Calibration date

• Due date

• Equipment ID

But the sticker is not a substitute for the complete calibration record or certificate required by your quality system.

Keep the documentation properly.

22. Ask What Will Be Checked

The scope of total station calibration may vary.

Depending on the service and instrument, relevant areas can include:

• Horizontal angle

• Vertical angle

• EDM

• Compensator

• Telescope/collimation

• Plummet

• Levelling system

Do not assume every service provider or every calibration package checks exactly the same items.

Confirm the scope if it matters to your project.

23. Calibration Is Not the Same as Repair

This distinction is important.

Calibration

Determines measurement performance against suitable references and procedures.

Adjustment

Corrects certain deviations where appropriate.

Repair

Fixes defective or damaged components.

If the instrument has:

• Broken tangent screw

• Damaged LCD

• Failed EDM

• Water damage

• Mechanical fault

it may require repair before meaningful calibration can be completed.

24. Ask for Inspection Before Expensive Repair

For an older total station, it can make sense to diagnose the instrument before approving a major repair.

The decision may depend on:

• Instrument age

• Condition

• Parts availability

• Repair cost

• Replacement cost

• Importance as primary/backup unit

A good workflow is:

Inspect

↓

Identify Fault

↓

Quote / Decide

↓

Repair if Approved

↓

Verify / Calibrate as Appropriate

25. Pack the Instrument Properly

If sending by courier, protect the total station carefully.

Use its proper carrying case where appropriate.

Make sure:

• Instrument is seated correctly

• Case closes normally

• Accessories cannot strike instrument

• Case is externally protected

• Package cannot move freely inside carton

Do not simply wrap a precision total station in a thin layer of bubble wrap and place it loosely in a large box.

26. Identify Every Accessory Sent

Create a simple list.

For example:

Equipment Sent

• 1 × Total Station

• 1 × Tribrach

• 2 × Battery

• 1 × Charger

• 1 × Carrying Case

This reduces confusion when equipment is returned.

27. Record Serial Numbers Where Applicable

For companies with many batteries, tribrachs or other accessories, internal identification can help.

A simple asset-management system makes it easier to track:

• Which accessory belongs to which instrument

• Which item has recurring problems

• Which equipment was sent for service

What Information Should You Give the Service Centre?

A useful service request could look like this:

Brand: Topcon
Model: [Model]
Serial Number: [Serial Number]

Problem: Distance appears approximately 15 mm longer than our known reference at around 100 m.

Measurement Mode: Prism

Prism Constant: -30 mm

Drop History: No known drop

Water Exposure: None known

Last Calibration: [Date]

Accessories Sent: Total Station + Tribrach + Battery

This is much more useful than:

“Please check accuracy.”

Total Station Calibration Preparation Checklist

Before sending the instrument:

□ Brand/model recorded

□ Serial number recorded

□ Problem clearly described

□ Drop history reported

□ Water exposure reported

□ Photos taken if shipping

□ Survey data backed up

□ Important settings recorded

□ Previous certificate available

□ Client requirements checked

□ Tribrach included if relevant

□ Prism information provided for EDM issue

□ Battery included for power issue

□ Charger included for charging issue

□ Accessories listed

□ Instrument packed securely

After Calibration – What Should You Do?

When the total station returns, do not immediately send it to site without checking it.

Confirm:

• Correct instrument returned

• Serial number

• Accessories

• Calibration documentation

• Instrument settings

• Battery operation

• Display/keypad

• General physical condition

Then perform an appropriate field verification before critical work.

Check Against Known Control

Before beginning an important project, verify the total station against suitable known control according to your survey procedures.

This helps confirm:

Calibration

Transport

Setup

Field configuration

are all working together correctly.

Keep a Total Station Service History

For each total station, maintain a simple record:

Over several years, this becomes valuable.

You may discover that one instrument:

• Requires repeated adjustment

• Has recurring EDM problems

• Has suffered several drops

• Costs increasingly more to maintain

This helps with replacement decisions.

Total Station Calibration & Repair Malaysia

MTM Precision provides total station inspection, calibration, servicing and repair in Malaysia.

Common service enquiries include:

• Total station not accurate

• Wrong distance

• Wrong horizontal angle

• Wrong vertical angle

• Compensator error

• Total station cannot stay level

• Optical plummet problem

• Laser plummet problem

• EDM cannot measure

• Telescope/collimation problem

• Tangent screw problem

• Display/keypad problem

• Drop damage

• Water damage

• Fungus and moisture

Service support includes surveying instruments from brands commonly used in Malaysia such as Topcon, Nikon, Leica, Trimble and Pentax, subject to model, condition, required service scope and parts availability.

When contacting MTM Precision, the most useful first message is:

Brand + Model + Problem + Photo/Error Message

For measurement problems, add:

Test Distance + Prism Type + Prism Constant + Observed Difference

This can make the initial diagnosis much more efficient.

Contact MTM Precision

MTM Precision Sdn. Bhd.
Showroom & Service Centre
No. 29-1 & 29-2, Jalan Bandar 18,
Pusat Bandar Puchong,
47160 Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

🌐 Website: www.mtmpre.com.my
📧 Email: mtmpre@yahoo.com
📱 WhatsApp: +6016-660 7346