The newly-launched Hilti PD 40 and PD 42 laser range meters are a breakthrough for hand-held range meters, offering 1 mm accuracy, which makes them the first of their kind in the world, according to Hilti, the Liechtenstein-headquartered leader in systems and solutions for the professional construction sector.

Exceptionally easy to operate, these ruggedly-built tools are indispensable for a whole range of jobs while being extremely robust and time-saving, according to a spokesman for the company.
“Handy and sturdy, these tools are the most accurate of their kind. Featuring a clear display and straightforward operation, the new Hilti range meters put distances of up to 200 m at your fingertips. They allow most measuring jobs to be completed easily by a single person and measurements from otherwise inaccessible points can be taken quickly, saved or used in calculations,” says Sam Winkler, trade segment manager at the Hilti’s regional office for the Middle East and South Asia region.
No matter whether positioning track for drywall partitions, measuring up for fitting windows or creating plans of various kinds, professionals in all trades will find that these innovative tools provide a quick and reliable basis for virtually all on-site measuring tasks, he says.
“Even outdoors in the bright ambient sunlight conditions that are prevalent in our region, the PD40 and PD42 perform up to 100m without a target plate, and up to 200 m with one of Hilti’s handy target plate accessories. When it comes to difficult-to-reach places, a further ingenious accessory – the PDA171 measuring extension – will make seemingly-impossible measurements possible. Detection of this accessory is automatic, so no mistakes can be made,” Winkler points out.
The Hilti PD 42 range meter features additional advanced measuring functions for demanding calculations. The minimum/maximum function, for example, can be used to check parallels and right angles while the Pythagoras formula allows indirect measurement. A whole range of further advanced geometric functions is available at the touch of a button. This ingenious multifunctional tool comes into its own in outdoor applications such as general construction or steel erection. Targeting of the laser remains easy, even in bright sunlight, with the aid of the built-in optical sight. Setting up formwork, calculating volumes for pouring concrete or aligning steel beams precisely parallel – these are just a few examples of the jobs that can be carried out quickly, easily and extremely accurately with the PD 42, he says.
To ensure reliability and accuracy in accordance with standards and statutory requirements, Hilti recommends that its Calibration Service team checks the laser-measuring tools regularly. A calibration certificate certifies conformance with the required specifications. The laser tool is checked and calibrated, certified and returned to the customer, complete with a certificate to ensure that it is working precisely and reliably, he says.
Like all Hilti tools, Hilti range meters come complete with the Hilti Lifetime Service, which the company provides for the entire life of the product. This comprehensive, top-class service is free of charge for the first year from date of purchase – covering repair or replacement of defective parts (including parts subject to wear and tear) – after which Hilti continues to prove the quality of its products by setting a repair cost limit – for the entire life of the product, which is a unique benefit in this field, Winkler concludes.