History
My name is Bill Jasin and I have over 30 years experience working on laser guided machine control systems. I started working for Southern Laser Inc. in 1988. While there I learn to work on many pieces of equipment manufactured by Laser Alignment Inc (LAI). In the beginning it was AutoPanels, 360 Sensors and LB–4 Dual Grade Lasers. At Southern Laser Inc we had a division of the company called Laser Leveling Inc. Laser Leveling Inc developed box blades for the land leveling industry. Mainly for the leveling of farmland, house pads, golf tees and Tennis Courts. These early machine control systems were 3 light systems. How these systems work is pretty straightforward. A laser with a rotating beam (typically an LB-4) is set up to provide a reference plane. Grade can be entered into the laser to control water runoff. The 360 Degree Sensor picks up the laser beam and determines the error. The 360 Sensor communicates with the AutoPanel by way of a sensor cable. The AutoPanel has the ability to control the box blade elevation. The blade elevation can be controlled manually with a raise and lower switch or automatically by putting the panel in automatic mode. When in auto the blade elevation is automatically adjusted to keep the 360 Sensor in the laser beam. A valve cable delivers the send control signals from AutoPanel to the hydraulic valve. The valve uses the machines hydraulic pressure to control the blade elevation.
As time went on these systems became Increasingly more sophisticated. The 3 light system was replaced with a 5 light system. A 5 Light AutoPanel (40800-01) controlled by a 5 light 360 Sensor (42900-01). The 5 light system promised the ability for finer control but ultimately did not deliver because it could still only drive a single speed valve. Engineers at Laser Leveling developed a digital proportion valve to use on the box blades. Despite the new valve and new information available from the 5 light system there was still a disconnect. In order to connect the two I designed and built the Pilot Enhanced PCB to allow the new Pilot Valve to be controlled by the new information available from the 5 light system. Now armed with the Pilot Enhance system the promise of the 5 light system could be realized. Operators could adjust the speed of their blade on the Fly by adjusting the speed control knob on the 5 Light Panel. On top of that the speed slows down as it approaches on grade to prevent overshooting. The pilot board was installed in many a 5 Light AutoPanel then Laser Leveling Inc partnered with Laser Alignment Inc to produce a private label version of the 5 Light AutoPanel called Laser Leveling Pilot Enhanced (40800-02). This combination was extremely successful. But like most good things the manufacturer eventually stop making the 5 light system and eventually it stopped being supported. That is where I come in. I’ve spent most of my life working on the 5 light system from Laser Alignment Inc. I started Jasin Technical Systems to support the Laser Alignment Inc 5 light system. I can effect repairs on the 5 Light AutoPanel, Constant Accuracy Band Receiver (CAB Sensor), control valve and LB-4 laser. I can also make any of the cables used in this system. The Laser Alignment 5 light system is still preferred by many tennis court companies.
As the Laser Alignment 5 light system was on the way out Southern Laser started to sell another system manufactured by Apache Technologies. The Apache panel and Bullseye sensor offered many advantages over Laser Alignment 5 light system but lacked the dynamic speed control. Apache was eventually purchased by Trimble under the Spectra precision brand name. Spectra Precision part numbers for the control panel vary depending upon features. Some examples are the CB25 CB26, CB30 and CB52. Bullseye receivers became LR50s after a while Trimble stoped selling the Apache system under the Spectra Precision name and now manufactures it only for a private label Futtura. I am a distributor for the Futtura brand and can replace any of the system components for Apache and Spectra Precision in this product line. Just as with the Laser Alignment brand equipment I can repair components and replace any of the cabling.