Using lasers for ground markings

[InnoTechNI]

Hi folks

I am very new to the laser game and thought I would be best to ask some experts on here for a current project I have been given.

Are there any lasers or light emmiting devices which could be used for marking out an area to highlight boundaries and zones at ground level? We currently have a client who has an exciting idea if this is possible.

The specific request given to us was that the boundary light would be white in colour, and approximately 8cm in width. The span of the laser can be anything from 10m to 40m. Specifically I would need to know, what type of laser would I need, the colour options available, the width of the beam, the distance of the beam and also a rough cost of such a system.

Any help you could give me would be reatly appreciated.

Many thanks for taking the time to help out

Dwayne

 

[AUS]

Hi Dwayne,
Sounds interesting, I think you would be looking at a laser projector, probably a reasonably powerful one that can mix various laser colours into white.

Colours other than white would be simpler / cheaper, although this is a requirement by the sounds of it? Best "bang for buck" would probably be a 445nm blue laser.

8cm spread over 40m is a fairly wide beam so you will need some power. I suppose the area illuminated would have to change depending upon location?

If you are lighting up the perrimeter of a 40m square area you would want the device to be elevated a reasonable amount or it will be reflecting off vegetation and uneven ground and "smearing" the lines.

The ones here experienced with laser projectors and light shows would be the best ones to talk to.

I hope you find the information you are looking for.

Andrew

 

[InnoTechNI]

Thats an excellent starting point Andrew, and thank you for that information. I had a concept of this type in mind but was just unsure what type of laser to go for. I look forward to hearing additional suggestions from other members too!

Dwayne

 

[JKoby123]

Hi Dwayne,
Sounds interesting, I think you would be looking at a laser projector, probably a reasonably powerful one that can mix various laser colours into white.

Colours other than white would be simpler / cheaper, although this is a requirement by the sounds of it? Best "bang for buck" would probably be a 445nm blue laser.

8cm spread over 40m is a fairly wide beam so you will need some power. I suppose the area illuminated would have to change depending upon location?

If you are lighting up the perrimeter of a 40m square area you would want the device to be elevated a reasonable amount or it will be reflecting off vegetation and uneven ground and "smearing" the lines.

The ones here experienced with laser projectors and light shows would be the best ones to talk to.

I hope you find the information you are looking for.

Andrew

He's got it. And I want to echo his question: Is white a requirement? If not, then 445nm blue is my suggestion.

It also depends how bright you want these boundaries. Personally, I'm inclined to think that green would be awesome. And it'll be quite bright.

Can you give us more information about exactly what you're trying to do?

 

[InnoTechNI]

The markings will be used for temporary markings at outdoor festivals and events, to mark boundaries for stall holders and exhibitors during the installation stage and removed when everything has been completed. The client has some large customers who have requested a device of this nature as current health and safety regulations are very strict with regards to exits, corridors, distances etc. A device of this nature would save time and confusion as boundaries would be clearly marked for everyone to see and be easily adhered to.

He has requested white as he feels this would contrast best with the ground upon which is is being projected.

Hopefully this explains a bit better how it will be used and others can now pitch in their ideas!

Many thanks

Dwayne

 

[AUS]

Hi All, sorry been away for a whil and was kind of hoping someone else would pick up the ball on this. Problem you are going to have with high power lasers is eye safety, especially if people are working around them.

It also depends on the size of the venue, if you are trying to mark out a huge field it may be a bit much for one laser.

I also didn't think of parallax, a square mark from a laser at 10 feet maybe OK but one at 50 feet is going to be distorted unless this is taken care of.

Still, a laser projector on a pole or something may work. Especially if you are marking out straight lines. You could always do what the surveyors do and use a laser shone in a straight line to guide where to place marker pegs or something?

 

[Digital]

The markings will be used for temporary markings at outdoor festivals and events, to mark boundaries for stall holders and exhibitors during the installation stage and removed when everything has been completed. The client has some large customers who have requested a device of this nature as current health and safety regulations are very strict with regards to exits, corridors, distances etc. A device of this nature would save time and confusion as boundaries would be clearly marked for everyone to see and be easily adhered to.

He has requested white as he feels this would contrast best with the ground upon which is is being projected.

Hopefully this explains a bit better how it will be used and others can now pitch in their ideas!

Many thanks

Dwayne

You're better off using bio-degradable spray paint. Any -single- laser device will be made useless in the outside sun unless it was extremely powerful and then would be very dangerous to peoples eyes even in a laser show device.
Also do to the distance you're talking about you'd need the laser to be extremely high in the air as to not get "blocked" by people once they started to set up their areas.

The only viable option I could see is if you had for instance an indoor convention center and you had laser show machines hung from the rafters at certain distances spaced apart and each machine would be designated a area to mark.
The indoor setting would allow a safe level of power and if you had enough of them then they shouldn't get blocked by vendors tents/displays.

The only real way I could see it working outside is if you had little laser show machines on poles that you stuck in the ground. Lets say you had a square booth to mark, you'd stick them in the ground a few feet off the ground and it would mark 2 sides of the box, then put another pole catty corner to the first one and it would mark the other 2 sides. Then along walk ways and such you can have the same type of system but it marks a line on either side of the pole and not in a L shape.
You could have someone build you a laser that makes 10 foot lines, 20 foot lines, 10 foot boxes, 20 foot boxes, etc and then set them up based upon the distance needed. Possibly even have a way of dialing in the distance depending on the budget.
That approach would take MANY lasers and would be extremely expensive though.

I was bored and made an -extremely- crude drawing for you