Below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) sorted by category. Please contact us with any additional question, comment, or suggestion.

Expertise:

Can RenaiSys provide technical service and support for my SD2000 or SD3000 system?

Yes. One of our members has been installing, moving, and maintaining these systems since they were introduced.

Maintenance:

The system does not initialize. What should I do?

Turn the system (including all computers) off. The following procedures are meant for you to try on you own risk. We shall not be held liable for the correctness of the procedure nor any damage to the system, loss of data, incidental damage or anything else. If at any point during the following procedure anything unexplained happens, please contact us or an other organization with the necessary expertise.

Manually position the carriages in the middle of their traveling ranges. Check that all cables are undamaged and properly connected. It often helps to disconnect cables and check the plugs and sockets. After that, reconnect the cables again. In addition, reseat the circuit boards by pulling them out about an inch or two centimeters and pushing them back in, to make sure that they are seated firmly.

Turn on the power to the instrument. Do the lights come on? If not, check circuit breakers and fuses. If they are ok, a power supply could be broken. To verify this, you would need a voltmeter and the knowledge how to operate the instrument. Warning, not everyone should be allowed to work inside the instrument due to the presence of electrical danger!

If the lights are on, do you notice anything unusual (for example a dark display, noise, or smoke) at this point? If everything looks good so far, continue with the initialization by turning on the computer and entering the initialization command if needed. Watch the carriages very carefully. You might need to restart at the beginning of the procedure a couple times. Do all carriages start moving? Do they move in the proper direction? Do they move at the same speed? Once they hit the limits, do they reverse direction? Do they stop in the middle (even for a very short moment)? Do they move into the opposite limit? If one of the carriages moved into an opposite limit, stop monitoring, because anything from here on usually makes no sense and is only confusing.

If no carriage behaves any different than the others, a common problem could be suspected. Double check the power sources. One of the circuit boards, a computer problem, connection problem, or a software problem could be the culprit.

If one carriage behaves differently than the other three, a problem could be suspected with the one carriage system. Swapping cables to the drive systems could reveal a change.

After a successful repair, the components need to be returned to their original location. Adjustments might be needed. A diagnostics program should be used to test the system. Calibration might be needed as well before it is used again in a production environment.

What does RenaiSys do during a preventative maintenance visit?

Below is a copy of our checklist:

1. Check with operator about backup, expectations, and known problems
2. If software maintenance is included, check on backup and install updates
3. Initialize system and run diagnostics program for instrument and its peripherals
4. Check optics (oculars, doves, zooms, base in/out, and measuring marks)
5. Check illuminations
6. Check Digitizer, Printer, and other connected peripherals
7. Repair any reported problem
8. Remove covers
9. Check moving cables
10. Check and if needed tighten screws and nuts
11. Clean and lubricate bearings and running surfaces
12. Clean optics, image carriers, and covers
13. Check power supply and electronics
14. Install covers
15. Clean work area, monitor, keyboard, and other external components
16. Initialize system and run diagnostics program for instrument and its peripherals
17. Check calibration and if needed recalibrate instrument
18. Ask operator to readjust optics, illuminations, peripherals, check calibration, and to resume work
19. Write service report
20. Review report with operator to ensure correctness, completeness, and satisfaction

Relocation:

How much does it cost to move the system?

To answer this question as accurately as possible, we would have to ask six additional questions:
1. Where is the system currently located?
2. Where is the new location going to be?
3. How about access at the two locations (are the doors as wide as the complete system, is everything on the first floor, do we have to use elevators or stairs)?
4. Should we include the help needed to lift the heavy items?
5. Should we include the transportation and packing materials?
6. Should we include insurance?

First, if you plan on moving the system within a building without having to de-assemble anything and without the need to tilt it, you might consider doing this without our presence. While keeping it leveled, the system can be carefully lifted and moved. After the move, we recommend to check the level and adjust the legs if needed. In addition, diagnostics programs make it possible to check the functions and the calibration of the instrument.

If our presence is requested, we typically apply the current time and materials rates. For a general estimate, we would calculate with one day (8 hours) work to dismantle the system and with two days to assemble, adjust, and calibrate the system. Depending on your answers to the questions, if you add travel cost and all the other costs, you end up with the total estimated cost for the move.

We have estimated costs for $2'000 and more. For a quotation that fits your requirements, please consider the questions and contact us.

Spare Parts:

Can you furnish the spare parts?

RenaiSys sells spare parts only if needed as part of a service. We focus on service and support. If part of a service, we forward any product (equipment, software, parts, ...) at the same cost and condition as they are sold to us. We stock no products. With good relations to the manufacturers, we use original parts when needed.

For SD parts, we suggest you contact Vickie Acord at Leica (Vickie.Acord@gi.leica-geosystems.com) with the serial number of the instrument, part numbers if known, and the description of the parts.

What are the most commonly used spare parts?

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