Nikon DTM-350 User manual

Electronic Total Stations
Model DTM-350
Model DTM-330
Instruction Manual

i
Thank you for purchasing the Nikon products. This
instruction manual was written for the users of the
Electronic Total Station DTM-350/330. To ensure
correct usage read this manual carefully before
operating the instrument.
Also read the Instruction Manual provided with the
Battery Charger and any other equipments used
together with the DTM-350/330.
Warning and Caution Symbols in This Manual
Though Nikon products are designed to provide
you utmost safety during use, incorrect usage or
disregard of the instructions can cause personal
injury or property damage. For your safety, read the
instruction manual carefully and thoroughly before
usage. Do not discard this manual but keep it near
the product for easy reference.
Inside this instruction manual, safety instructions are
indicated with the symbols shown below. Be sure to
follow the instructions marked with these symbols for
your safety.
WARNING
Disregarding instructions marked with this
symbol may lead to death or serious injury.
CAUTION
Disregarding instructions marked with this
symbol may lead to injury or property damage.

ii
WARNING AND CAUTION Read This Section Before Use!
WARNING
Never see the sun through the telescope. Doing so may cause
the loss of your eyesight.
The DTM-350/330 does not feature explosion-protected
construction. Do not use in coal mines, in areas contaminated
with coal dust, or near other flammable substances.
Never disassemble, modify or repair the instrument. Doing so
may cause fire, electric shock or burn.
Use only the specified charger Q-75U/E for charging the battery
pack BC-65. Charging by the other types of chargers than
specified may cause fire or rupture. (BC-65 can not be charged
by using the charger Q-7U/E or Q7C.)
While recharging the battery pack, do not cover the charger with
any blanket or clothing which can cause overheating. Make sure
the charger is able to dissipate heat adequately. Especially, do not
block its air holes while recharging. If so, the gas will remain in the
battery pack and may cause rupture.
Avoid recharging in humid or dusty places, in direct sunlight, and
near heaters. Do not recharge when wet. Doing so may cause
electric shock, overheating or fire.
Although the battery pack BC-65 is equipped with an auto-reset
circuit breaker, care should be taken not to short the contacts.
Shorting may cause fire or burn.
Never burn or heat the battery. Doing so may cause rupture or
injury.
When storing the battery pack or charger, guard against a short
circuit by putting the insulating tape on the contact point or by
doing some other methods. Failure to do so may result in a short
circuit, causing a fire, burn or instrument damage.
The battery BC-65 is not designed to be waterproof by itself. Do
not wet the battery with removed from the instrument. Doing so
may cause fire or burn.

iii
WARNING AND CAUTION Read This Section Before Use!
CAUTION
The top of the tripod ferrule is very sharp and may injure your
body. Be careful in handling or carrying the tripod.
Check the shoulder strap and its clasp before carrying the tripod
or the instrument encased in the carrying case. Damaged strap or
imperfect clasping may cause an accident of falling.
Before setting up the tripod, check below to make sure no one’s
hands or feet are in the way. Failure to do so may result in injury if
hands or feet should be pierced by the legs of the tripod.
Fasten firmly the thumb screws of the tripod legs after mounting
the instrument on the tripod. If not, the tripod may collapse,
resulting in injury or instrument damage.
Be sure to fasten the clamp screw on the tripod securely after
installing the instrument on the tripod. Failure to do this may
cause the instrument to fall, resulting in injury or instrument
damage.
Fasten securely the leveling base clamp knob. If the knob is not
securely fastened, the leveling base may fall when you grasp the
carrying handle, resulting in injury or instrument damage.
Do not stack up the plastic carrying case and do not use it as a
stool. Plastic carrying case is slippery and unstable. Doing things
like this may cause an accident and result in personal injury or
instrument damage.
Do not swing or throw the plumb bob. It may hit and injure the
other person.
Be sure to read the instructions of Quick Charger Q-75U/E before
starting charging operation.

iv
MAINTENANCE Read This Section Before Use!
Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun or the heat of a closed
vehicle. Efficiency could be adversely affected.
If the instrument has been used in wet conditions, incline the
instrument so as to remove the water drops out of the concave
parts on the instrument. Wipe off any moisture on the instrument
and dry it completely before replacing it in its carrying case. The
instrument contains many sensitive electronic assemblies which
have been well protected against dust and moisture. However,
should dust or moisture be introduced into the instrument, severe
damage could result.
Sudden changes in temperature may cloud the lenses and
drastically reduce the measurable distance, or initiate an electrical
system failure. Should this occur, leave the instrument in a warm
location with the case closed until the temperature of the
instrument returns to room temperature.
Avoid storing the instrument in hot humid locations. Especially, the
battery pack should be stored in a dry location at a temperature of
less than 30°C. Higher temperature and excessive humidity may
result in growth of mold on the lenses and deterioration of the
electronic assemblies, leading to instrument failure.
Store the battery pack with the battery discharged.
When storing the instrument in areas subject to extremely low
temperature, leave the carrying case open.
Do not overtighten any of the clamp screws.
When adjusting the vertical and upper plate tangent screws or the
leveling screws, stay as close as possible to the center of the
screw’s range, as indicated by a line on the screw.
Use a clockwise rotation of the tangent screws for final
adjustment.
If the leveling base is to be left unused for an extended period,
lock-down the leveling base clamp knob and tighten its safety
screw.

v
MAINTENANCE Read This Section Before Use!
Do not use organic solvents (such as ether or paint thinner) to
clean the non-metallic parts such as the keyboard, and the
painted or printed surfaces. Doing so could result in discoloration
or in the peeling of printed characters. Clean only with a soft cloth
or tissue lightly moistened with water or mild detergent.
Optical lenses may be cleaned by lightly wiping them with a soft
cloth or lens tissue moistened with alcohol.
Do not release the reticle plate
cover, and do not subject it to
undue force, as this cover has
been appropriately mounted.
Doing so could adversely affect
the watertight structure of the
unit.
Before attaching the battery pack, first make sure that the surface
where the battery pack attaches is clear of foreign matter, and
then press the battery pack into place until the battery mounting
button rises up to the battery pack top surface. If the battery pack
is not attached securely, it could adversely affect the watertight
structure of the unit.
Press the cap for data output/external power input connector until
it clicks into place. If this cap is not attached securely, it could
adversely affect the watertight structure of the unit.
Do not leave the carrying case exposed to rain for an extended
period of time, though it is designed to be watertight. If you
expose the carrying case to rain because of unavoidable
circumstances, place it with its “Nikon” nameplate upward.
The BC-65 battery pack holds Ni-MH inside. Be sure to follow the
laws or rules of your municipal waste system when disposing of it.
Reticle plate cover

vi
Contents
Warning and Caution Symbols in This Manual................... i
Read This Section Before Use!............................................ ii
WARNING AND CAUTION......................................................................ii
MAINTENANCE......................................................................................iv
1. NOMENCLATURE .......................................................... 1-1
2. PREPARATION............................................................... 2-1
2-1 Unpacking and Packing the Instrument.......................................2-1
2-2 Recharging and Connecting the BC-65 Battery Pack..................2-2
2-3 Setting up the Tripod....................................................................2-6
2-4 Centering......................................................................................2-7
2-5 Leveling........................................................................................2-9
2-6 Sighting ......................................................................................2-10
2-7 Assembling the Prism Reflector.................................................2-11
2-8 Face-left/Face-right Measurement.............................................2-13
3. OPERATION ................................................................... 3-1
3-1 Display and Key Functions...........................................................3-1
3-2 Pre-Start.......................................................................................3-5
3-3 Getting Started...........................................................................3-14
3-4 Applications................................................................................3-30
4. CHECKING AND ADJUSTMENT.................................... 4-1
4-1 Plate Level....................................................................................4-1
4-2 Circular Level...............................................................................4-1
4-3 Optical Plummet...........................................................................4-2
4-4 Zero Point Errors of Vertical Scale
and Horizontal Angle Corrections................................................4-3
4-5 Instrument Constant.....................................................................4-6

vii
1
2
3
4
5
8
7
6
5. SPECIFICATIONS........................................................... 5-1
5-1 Main Body ....................................................................................5-1
5-2 Standard Components.................................................................5-4
5-3 External Device Connection Connector.......................................5-4
6. SYSTEM DIAGRAM........................................................ 6-1
7. COMMUNICATIONS....................................................... 7-1
7-1 Upload Coordinate Data..............................................................7-1
7-2 Uploading Code List....................................................................7-3
7-3 Downloading Data.......................................................................7-5
8. ERROR MESSAGES AND ACTIONS............................. 8-1

1-1
1
NOMENCLATURE
1. NOMENCLATURE
Carrying handle
Telescope
focusing ring
Telescope
eyepiece
Diopter ring
Reticle plate
cover
Plate level
Display
Face-left keyboard
Refer to p.3-1, p.3-2
and p.3-3 for the key
arrangement and its
major function.
Leveling base
clamp knob
Battery mounting
button
Battery pack
BC-65
Vertical clamp
Vertical tangent
screw
Upper plate
clamp
Upper plate
tangent screw

1-2
1
NOMENCLATURE
Optical sight
(Finder)
Objective
Face-right
keyboard
Leveling base
Circular level
Horizontal axis
indication mark
Optical plummet
Data output/
External
power input
connecto
r
Input voltage
DC 7.2 – 11V
Leveling screw

1
NOMENCLATURE

2-1
2
PREPARATION
2.PREPARATION
2-1 Unpacking and Packing the Instrument
yHandle gently the instrument to guard against shocks or excessive
vibration.
yEncase the instrument with the battery pack attached.
Unpacking
Hold the carrying-handle and take the
instrument out of the case. The instrument is
placed in its carrying case as shown in the
figure.
Packing
Direct the telescope downward and align the
storage mark (t) on the upper plate and the
mark (t) on the leveling base clamp knob.
Fasten lightly the clamp knobs and then
replace the instrument in its case.
)

2-2
2
PREPARATION
2-2 Recharging and Connecting
the BC-65 Battery Pack
WARNING
Use only the specified charger Q-75U/E for charging the battery
pack BC-65. Charging by the other types of chargers than
specified may cause fire or rupture. (BC-65 can not be charged by
using the charger Q-7U/E or Q-7C.)
While recharging the battery pack, do not cover the charger with
any blanket or clothing which can cause overheating. Make sure
the charger is able to dissipate heat adequately. Especially, do not
block its air holes while recharging. If so, the gas will remain in the
battery pack and may cause rupture.
Avoid recharging in humid or dusty places, in direct sunlight, and
near heaters. Do not recharge when wet. Doing so may cause
electric shock, overheating or fire.
Although the battery pack BC-65 is equipped with an auto-reset
circuit breaker, care should be taken not to short the contacts.
Shorting may cause fire or burn.
Never burn or heat the battery. Doing so may cause rupture or
injury.
When storing the battery pack or charger, guard against a short
circuit by putting the insulating tape on the contact point or by
doing some other methods. Failure to do so may result in a short
circuit, causing a fire, burn or instrument damage.
The battery BC-65 is not designed to be waterproof by itself. Do
not wet the battery with removed from the instrument. Doing so
may cause fire or burn.
CAUTION
Be sure to read the instructions of Quick Charger Q-75U/E before
starting charging operation.

2-3
2
PREPARATION
yRecharge the battery pack indoors within an ambient temperature
range 0°C to +40°C. Charging outside this temperature range will
trigger a protective circuit which prevents normal recharging.
yKeep the charging plug clean to prevent misoperation.
yIf the charging indicator blinks whenever charging starts, there is an
error in the battery pack. Stop using the battery pack and contact your
dealer or a Nikon representative.
yIf the battery pack is recharged within the specified ambient
temperature range and the charging indicator stays lit for 4 hours or
longer, something is wrong. Contact your dealer or a Nikon
representative. (If an ambient temperature lowers than 0°C while
recharging the battery, the charger’s temperature sensor will stop the
charging operation. In such a case, it is normal for the charging
indicator to stay lit for 4 hours or longer. If the ambient temperature
increases to above 0°C, the quick charge operation will restart and the
charging will be completed within 3 hours.)
yAfter recharging the battery pack, do not recharge it again before using
or discharging it. This is to prevent the battery pack’s performance
from degrading.
yDuring the quick charging or discharging operation, the battery pack
and quick charger will become warm. This is normal.
yTemperatures of less than approx. -20°C will reduce the battery
capacity. This will result in a shortened working life compared to
operation at a normal temperature.
yThe battery pack left disused for a long period might not be fully
recharged. In such a case, charge and discharge the battery pack
several times to restore its full recharging potential.
yBC-65 can be charged by using the charger Q-70U/E or Q-70C, but
not be fully charged.
)

2-4
2
PREPARATION
Recharging Procedure
(1) Insert the power plug of charger into
an AC outlet.
(2) Connect the charging plug to the
battery pack’s charging connector.
(3) Quick charging will then start
automatically. Check that the
charging indicator lights.
(4) When charging is completed, the
charging indicator goes out.
Discharging Procedure
(1) Insert the power plug into an AC outlet.
(2) Connect the charging plug to the battery pack’s charging connector.
(3) Press the discharge starting switch to start discharging. Check that the
discharging indicator will light.
(4) When discharging is completed, the discharging indicator goes out and quick
charging starts automatically. During charging, the charging indicator lights.
yTo stop discharging before completion, press the discharge starting
switch again. The discharging will stop and quick charging will start
automatically. During quick charging the charging indicator lights.
yDischarging the battery pack once every 10 recharging cycles is
effective.
Discharging Operation
The battery pack is designed for repetitive recharging and use. However, if
the battery pack is recharged while it still has enough power to operate the
surveying instrument, the battery power will last for shorter periods.
(Memory effect) In such a case, discharging the battery pack first can
refresh its capacity for normal performance.
)
Charging
indicator
Disharging
indicator
Disharging
starting
switch
Air holes
To AC outlet

2-5
2
PREPARATION
Attaching the BC-65
yBe sure to turn off the [PWR] key before attaching or detaching the
BC-65.
yAvoid touching the battery pack BC-65 contacts.
yBefore attaching the battery pack, first make sure that the surface
where the battery pack attaches is clear of foreign matter, and then
press the battery pack into place until the battery mounting button rises
up to the battery pack top surface. If the battery pack is not attached
securely, it could adversely affect the watertight structure of the unit.
(1) Align the two projections at the bottom
of the battery pack with the concave
parts of the instrument main body.
(2) Attach the battery pack by pushing in
while holding the instrument.
(3) Make sure that the battery mounting
button is released.
Detaching the BC-65
(1) Depress the battery mounting button while holding the battery pack.
yAn external battery (optional accessory) is available for use with the
DTM-350/330. When the external battery is connected and the battery
pack BC-65 is mounted on the instrument, its electrical source will
automatically be switched to the one with the higher battery power.
yRead also the instruction manual supplied with the external battery.
)
)
1
2

2-6
2
PREPARATION
2-3 Setting up the Tripod
CAUTION
The top of the tripod ferrule is very sharp and may injure your
body. Be careful in handling or carrying the tripod.
(1) Open the tripod legs sufficiently enough for the instrument to be stable.
(2) Assure that the station point is located directly beneath the center hole in the
tripod head.
(3) Firmly press the tripod ferrules into the ground.
(4) Level the top surface of the tripod head.
yPrecise level is necessary when the plumb bob is used for the next
section “centering”.
(5) Fasten firmly the thumb screws on the tripod legs.
(6) Place the instrument on the tripod head. Insert the tripod mounting screw into
the center hole of the instrument base plate and tighten.
yDo not carry the instrument while it is attached to a tripod.
)
)

2-7
2
PREPARATION
2-4 Centering
“Centering” refers to the precise alignment of the instrument’s central axis over the
station point. This can be accomplished in two ways, through the use of a plumb
bob, or the optical plummet.
Using Plumb Bob
(1) Place the instrument on the tripod head. Insert the tripod mounting screw into
the center hole of the instrument’s base plate and tighten.
(2) Hang the plumb line on the hook of the tripod mounting screw and adjust the
length of the plumb line to the position the tip of the plumb bob at the height
approximately level with the station point.
(3) Slightly loosen the tripod mounting screw. Supporting the outer side of the
leveling base with both hands, carefully slide the instrument about on the
tripod head until the tip of the plumb bob is perfectly positioned over the
center of the station point.
yConfirm precise alignment by viewing from two directions at right
angles to each other.
)

2-8
2
PREPARATION
Using Optical Plummet
yCarry out the “CHECKING AND ADJUSTMENT of Optical
Plummet” (p.4-2) when the centering operation is performed at a
position higher than the station point.
yFor high accuracy, carry out the “CHECKINGAND ADJUSTMENT
of Optical Plummet” (p.4-2) before the centering operation.
(1) Place the instrument on the tripod head.
Insert the tripod mounting screw into the
center hole of the instrument’s base plate
and tighten.
(2) Looking through the optical plummet,
align the station point image with the
center mark of the reticle by turning
the leveling screws.
(3) While supporting the tripod head with one
hand, loosen the tripod leg clamps and
adjust the lengths of the legs to center the
air bubble in the circular level. Then tighten
the tripod leg clamps.
(4) Using the plate level proceed to the leveling
procedures described in the next section
“Leveling”.
(5) Looking through the optical plummet,
reconfirm that the station point image is still
centered in the reticle mark .
(6) If the slight displacement is detected, loosen
the tripod mounting screw and correct the
instrument’s positioning with direct
movement (not rotational). If the
displacement is major, repeat Steps from (2).
)

2-9
2
PREPARATION
2-5 Leveling
“Leveling” refers to the precise vertical alignment of the instrument’s vertical axis.
The procedure for leveling by means of the plate level is described below.
(1) Loosen the upper plate clamp. Rotate the
alidade to position the plate level to a point
parallel with any two of the leveling screws
B and C (See Figure).
(2) Using these two screws, move the bubble to
the center of the level.
(3) Rotate the alidade approximately 90° and
again move the bubble to the center of the
level by turning the leveling screw A, as
shown in Figure.
(4) Repeat Steps (1) through (3) to center the
bubble in both positions shown by the
Figures.
(5) Furthermore, rotate the alidade 180°. If the
bubble in the plate level remains centered,
leveling is complete.
(6) If the bubble moves off center, refer to p.4-1
“CHECKING AND ADJUSTMENT of Plate
Level” and adjust the plate level.
CB
A
1
CB
A
2