Client: Visy Packaging

Location: Melbourne

Project: Birdseye vision for improved safety & recording systems to store video footage

Visy use articulated loaders to move product at their Pulp & Paper facility, as these large loaders manoeuvre well in tight places. However, working in restricted zones can translate to restricted vision and blind spots for drivers or machinery operators.

 

To assist with driver vision, Truck Rear Vision installed Provision 360° Birdseye Systems with 4 cameras mounted on the articulated loaders; forward and side cameras mounted on the perimeter of the cabin roof and a rear camera mounted on the end of the bonnet, provided an unobstructed view. 360-degree vision systems work best when fitted to a square shape, like a truck and when mounted high or at the outer edge of a vehicle for a clear view of the vehicle surrounds. This can be difficult to achieve when fitting construction equipment, however our team of technicians have over 25 years of experience working with a wide range of vehicles. To reduce pre-delivery times, we fitted these articulated loaders onsite, at the JCB dealership.

 

Visy are conducting a trial with the Birdseye system to measure improved workplace safety. The loaders are working continuously in an environment that may, at times have reduced visibility. These cameras provide a 3-metre perspective of front, rear and both side views of the vehicle to highlight obstacles. The operator is provided with a real-time surround view of objects and pedestrians around the vehicle, with an LCD monitor combining all four views onto a single screen. The 360° system reduces blind spots to facilitate safer vehicle movement and the Visy trial integrates a Vacron SD Card Recorder to store video footage on an SD memory card.

 

Customising the two systems on the articulated loaders delivers increased safety measures and provides an operator training tool. Incidents are recorded and reviewed for potential productivity improvements or adjustments to workplace safety procedures. The video footage may also be used to highlight potential incidents and provide continuous improvement training for vehicle operators.

Client: Holmwood Highgate

Location: Airport

Project: Installation of 5 Camera 360° Birdseye System on Aeroplane Refueller

 

Aviation refuelling vehicles operate in tight spaces on a busy tarmac, surrounded by people and equipment. As they transfer flammable liquid, workplace safety is a high priority.

 

Birdseye systems offer the driver a 360-degree real time view around their vehicle, to detect obstacles in blind spots and provide enhanced viewing when manoeuvring in a busy environment.

 

The Continental ASL360/ProViu Birdseye camera system was selected for this installation with five specialty cameras. Each features a unique 187° fish-eye lens with superior image quality to encompass the entire view that you cannot achieve with standard rear vision mirrors.

 

The addition of a 5^th camera mounted facing upwards is specific for the refuelling task. The camera is programmed to operate when a light is turned on, to highlight the underside of the aircraft wing. This enables the driver to position the truck accurately, by lining the correct height work platform with the plane’s refuelling point.

 

TRVS can customise combinations of cameras and views to suit the specific needs of each vehicle and application. On this installation, our technicians worked with the vehicle manufacturer to achieve the best result. The manufacturer routed cables and mounted the cameras while they were assembling the body of the Aeroplane Refuelling Vehicle. TRVS then programmed and calibrated the system at the manufacturer’s factory.

 

The objective of this installation was to reduce the risk of accidents on the tarmac. At the time of refuelling, the area around a plane is generally busy. With baggage movement, refuelling, catering loading and passengers boarding all at the same time, to optimise the plane’s turnaround time. The truck driver needs to manoeuvre the vehicle under the wing and out again, without coming in contact with the plane fuselage or other services.

 

Although the driver conducts a safety ‘walk around’ the vehicle prior to exiting the area, it’s an ever-changing environment and things can change before the driver moves the truck. The Birdseye camera system transmits an image on the dash-mounted monitor that encompasses the entire perimeter of the vehicle. This delivers superior driver vision and improves workplace safety.

We’re seeking a suitably qualified Field Service Technician to join our team.

 

This position would suit a qualified motor mechanic / auto electrician or vehicle installer who has experience with heavy equipment such as forklifts, trucks, buses and earthmoving equipment.  As we are located in Dandenong, this position would suit someone living in the South or South East suburbs.

 

You will need to:

Be able to work unsupervised

Possess a good understanding of auto electrics

Have proven welding capabilities

Be willing to accept accountability and responsibility

Display good communication and organisational skills

Have strong customer service focus

Demonstrate a solid track record of performance

Be an Australian resident

 

With customers located throughout Melbourne metro and regional centres, a current driver’s license is required as a fully equipped service vehicle is provided. A forklift and/or heavy vehicle license is advantageous.

 

Benefits include:

Being part of a family owned company

Friendly team atmosphere

Uniforms, overalls & safety equipment provided

Permanent position for the right applicant after qualifying period

 

A rewarding salary package will be offered to the right applicant based on skills and experience.

 

If you tick all the boxes above and are ready for your next challenge, send your resume to service@truckrearvision.com.au

Fully Customised Vision Solution for Forklifts

Industry: Materials Handling
Vehicles: Forklifts
Vision Solution: Custom designed multi-camera installation

Objective of Installation:
To provide forklift operators with a clear vision of the four gabbing jaws on a forklift attachment, used to pick orders. When picking and packing stacks of wire mesh for delivery, forklift drivers were operating with impaired vision. This resulted in a high rate of damaged product, which affected the sale ability of stock, leading to stock write-downs and margin erosion.

A multi-camera system was required; one that was adaptable enough to operate within a confined space and within the mechanisms of a forklift mast. The installation of a vision solution provided the customer with productivity gains and delivered cost benefits.

Design Considerations:
Each forklift has an attachment to the forklift mast that holds 4 gabbing jaws. Operators need to accurately line these jaws up with the grab points on a stack of wire mesh. Without a camera system the operator cannot clearly see all 4 grab points at the same time.

Essential considerations for this project included the available mounting locations for cameras, a requirement for mirror and true image perspectives and narrow camera angles. A large 10.2” monitor provided the operator with a split screen view of the 4 camera angles. Cameras positioned for rear perspectives, transfer a mirror image to the monitor for easier operating of jaws to the left and right. While a close-up perspective of the gabbing jaws allows simpler alignment of the 4 jaws with the grab points on mesh stacks.

Build Considerations:
The forklifts are multi-purpose and the attachment holding the 4 gabbing jaws needs to be removed when not in use. This required a simple connection point for camera cables, between the forklift mast and the gabbing jaw attachment. The connection needed to be robust, to withstand regularly handling.

The forklift mast is removed when the forklift is transported to other locations. This required an additional connection point between the fork and the mast. Due to the number of connection points and the support requirements for a 4-camera system, simplicity was key to the cabling set-up; for ease of use and servicing.

Rather than working with 4 camera cables, Truck Rear Vision Systems customised the wiring to allow two cameras to share wiring within a single cable. Only two cables were then required on the telescoping mast of the forklifts. This worked well with the limited space of the mast.

The connection from the forklift mast to the gabbing jaws’ attachment utilized heavy duty suzi coil, as used to connect prime movers and semi-trailers in the heavy transport industry. The plugs and sockets are robust, easy to handle for fitting or removing the attachment and offered enough connections to suit the installation.

Installation:
The camera system was fitted when the forklift was at the OEM’s dealer, prior to delivery to the customer. Each component of the system was installed separately, for easy assembly on site.

The 10.2” monitor was installed on the fork truck with associated wiring and cable connections. Then the hybrid 2-cable system was fitted through the mast, with special attention paid to setting and adjusting the cable tension. The objective was to provide enough tension for the cable to remain taught and out of the way, as the mast telescopes, while not over tensioning the cable and damaging the integrity of any wiring. TRVS has a special, heavy duty cable manufactured to specification, to ensure longevity in such applications.

Cameras are then mounted on the attachment. They are fitted and adjusted using a test monitor to check, compare and secure the relative camera views. This ensures the system plugs directly into the monitor once the forklift is assembled on site and is ready to operate.

To ensure hassle free assembly on site or when the forklift is dismantled for transport, all cables are labelled for easy identification. This allows anyone to connect the system quickly and easily. Attention to detail during the design and installation stages resulted in hassle-free on site assembly and an operating system that did not require additional fine tuning.

The TRVS’ specialty is custom vision solutions with very specific fit-for-purpose requirements. To discuss your business requirements, contact us admin@truckrearvision.com.au 

Improved Safety & Performance with Mobile Digital Video Recorders

Business: Logistics Transport Firm
Industry: Agricultural
Transported Product: Harvested Crops
Vehicles: B-Double Trucks
Location: Northern Queensland

Objective of Installation:
This logistics fleet transports harvested produce from the farmer to the food processor. Deliveries are time sensitive. Jobs require sizable volumes of raw produce to be loaded and transferred, for processing. The fleet uses large B-Double trucks and the narrow, winding roads of this northern Queensland region are shared with tourist traffic.

Due to the truck size, road conditions and a load of consumables, this logistics firm wanted a vehicle-based recording system that would enhance road safety and offer opportunities to improve productivity.

Requirements of the Fleet Vision System:
The fleet required a camera system that offered recording functionality for an ongoing reviewing process. The system needed to support 4 camera perspectives in and around the vehicle.

The recorded views cover the front and side views of the vehicle along with a view of the driver, in the cabin. The in-vehicle camera records driver behavior and allows fleet management to monitor issues in relation to fatigue or distraction. The video footage also embeds data for time, date, speed, G-forces and location.

200Product Specifications:
Vehicles run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during peak harvest, so the fleet chose Vacron recorders with 500GB memory to capture video from the 4 camera locations. The Vacron system offers in excess of 21 days of stored data, before overwriting the footage.

This provides ample time for incidents and/or complaints to be reviewed and reported.

Safety Benefits:
All fleet vehicles carry a contact phone number for the Food Processor and a truck identification number. The logistics firm can access the recorded footage for a specific vehicle number and review driver behavior if complaints are received. This footage can verify whether a complaint is justified, management can then take corrective action and report the outcomes to their customer.

This transport business found that using in-vehicle recording devices increases driver accountability, allows fleet management to monitor compliance with company safety procedures and provides proof of innocence if a roadside complaint is unwarranted.

Productivity Benefits:
The driver camera is an integral tool in determining why incidents occur and provides opportunities to both improve performance and reduce potential safety risks. Recordings can reveal possible distraction or fatigue and the footage is a great support tool to use when driver counselling or further training is required.

When complaints are unwarranted and the complainant insists on taking the matter further, the video footage is used to provide indisputable proof of the fleet driver’s safe driving behavior. In some cases the video showed clearly that a member of the public’s own driving behavior had placed themselves, the truck driver and other road users at considerable risk.

As the video footage provides examples of real-time, industry specific incidents, this business uses it as a driver training tool, to improve operating procedures and to develop new driver policies.

Policies & Positive Outcomes:
With the installation of fleet cameras and recording devices, operational policies were created to protect the privacy of drivers. Establishing protocols around what triggers the viewing of a recordings, alleviated driver concerns of being continually monitored.

Recorded information gives fleet management easy access to data; to assess a complaint from the public, a roadside incident or as a support tool if the fleet is seeking compensation from others. Recordings provide many advantages, including opportunities to improve business productivity, to increase vehicle safety, enhance driver performance and provide a rapid resolution to incidents.

As fleet owners need to safeguard their business against the new Chain of Responsibility laws, the in-vehicle recording systems provide a way to improve driver accountability and performance.

The safety and productivity benefits offered by fleet focused Mobile Digital Video Recorders, delivers a fast return on investment and Truck Rear Vision Systems can tailor a solution that will suit the needs of your vehicles and industry requirements.