Pipe laying is essential work for a broad range of purposes including irrigation, stormwater, sewerage, drainage, water supply, and across a broad range of heavy industries including mining, power generation and more.




Pipe laying can be time consuming and disruptive work. It involves significant excavation work and heavy lifting machinery while also relying on precise measurements to ensure the correct alignment and grade.

Correct alignment and grade are necessary to ensure the pipes can be properly fitted and joined together securely and without the risk of leaks. The correct grade of the pipe (i.e. the amount of rise or fall over the length of the pipe) is also essential for gravity flow pipes to ensure flow and to prevent blockages.

If the grade or alignment are off by even a few degrees you can end up with serious problems. The pipes may not fit together properly and you may require additional excavation work, which can be costly and time consuming.

Generally, calculating the grade is the job of the surveyor. This is specialty work that requires precise measurements and calculations. Grade is calculated by rise or fall divided by run and usually requires a professional surveyor’s laser level and an appropriate level of expertise.




However, with a pipe laser, much of this work is done for you. Pipe lasers help with grade calculations in sewer, wastewater and other linear pipe runs. They provide ease of operation and computerised self-calibration that can speed pipe laying.

Rather than relying on manual calculations, a pipe laser can be used to indicate the correct grade and alignment quickly and easily, without the need for messy manual valuations.

With most lasers, all you need to do is set the laser in one end of the vertical or horizontal pipe and the laser target at the other end. You then input the grade information and start working. The laser can also be set up on top of the pipe and in open trenches. Most good pipe lasers are self-levelling to ensure precise calculations.




Pipe lasers are designed to ensure precise accuracy over time and temperature and can project a clear beam up to several hundred metres. They are built tough to handle difficult worksite conditions. Quality models are 100% sealed, waterproof and dustproof and feature a tough metal casing to protect from shock and vibration.

Pipe lasers are designed to help with specific pipe installation challenges, including long linear runs of supply or waste pipe. They don’t eliminate the need for skilled personnel to ensure that the overall installation is true and correct, but they can make a large difference in overall project costs and accuracy and can let pipe installation personnel perform their own measurements easily on smaller projects.