SYSTEM

Visy TopView for Reach Stackers and Top Loaders

Record every lift with box ID, wherever your equipment moves.

Solutions and products Container Handling Visy TopView for Reach Stackers and Top Loaders
Know what you move – on every lift, in every lane with robust box ID capture.

Visy TopView is a spreader-mounted OCR camera system for reach stackers and top loaders that automatically reads container IDs the moment your equipment locks onto a box. Recognition is triggered immediately after the twistlocks attach, so a verified container identity is available for your operators before the move is even complete.

The recognized ID is shared in real time with the Position Detection System (PDS) and Terminal Operating System (TOS), ensuring every pick is digitized, validated, and reflected in yard inventory and stack location – regardless of whether the move starts from truck, train, or stack.

The system is equipped with multiple cameras, one in both ends and one that captures image from the container side. Multi-shot approach ensures high recognition rate by selecting event picture with the highest confidence – and if the code can’t be reliably read from either end – no result is sent rather than risking a false match.

Learn more about TopView in the article Equip Your Container Handler with AI-Powered Spreader Cameras

Features

Box ID recognition from the left container end
A camera mounted on the spreader reads the container code from the left end of the roof the moment the twistlocks lock onto the box. This top-end read is one of two roof-facing captures TopView takes on every pick, feeding into the system’s multi-stage validation before a result is sent.

Box ID recognition from the right container end
A second roof-facing camera covers the opposite end of the container, so the code is captured regardless of which way the box is oriented in the lane or stack.

Box ID recognition from the side

A third camera reads the container’s long side, running as its own imaging subsystem alongside the two roof cameras. The system merges the side read with the top reads using operationally proven logic, so a code that’s worn on the roof can still be confirmed from the side – all within seconds of the lock-on.
This side capture is also crucial in snowy conditions: when the roof markings are covered in snow, the side picture becomes the only usable read.

Imaging hardware
Cameras, illuminators, and the control cabinet are all mounted directly on the reach stacker or top loader spreader. The multi-camera setup gives built-in redundancy – if one camera is affected, the others keep the system operational. The hardware is selected and configured to match the specific spreader model and site conditions.

Compatible with every reach stacker and top loader make and model, TopView turns your whole fleet into smart devices.

Every reach stacker deployment is configured to fit your operations.

Hardware & System
TopView’s recognition components – three cameras, illuminators, and control cabinet – mount directly on the reach stacker or top loader spreader and are built to withstand the g-forces and outdoor conditions of daily yard work. No change to the spreader’s existing cabling is required, but TopView specific will be installed.
Multi-camera redundancy keeps the system operational even if a single camera is affected, and camera/illuminator count is matched to the specific spreader model and operational requirements.
Software & Applications
TopView runs on Visy’s in-house OCR software, trained on a large, varied dataset to deliver high recognition accuracy independent of time of day or weather. The system’s container detector logic identifies which specific box is being handled – even with several readable codes visible close together – and withholds a result rather than guessing if a code isn’t reliably readable from either end. Recognition results and images are accessible in real time through the Visy Crane Gate user application or results sent through an API.
Integrations
Recognized container IDs are shared in real time with the Position Detection System (PDS) and Terminal Operating System (TOS), keeping yard inventory current and triggering exception handling the moment a picked container doesn’t match the work order. Interfacing with third-party systems is flexible by design – most commonly via XML over TCP/IP, though JSON and other formats and protocols are supported – so integration reaches your TOS with minimal disruption to existing structures.
Configurations & Options
TopView is a standardized system that we adapt for compatibility with each project’s specific reach stacker or top loader model, spreader type, and operational requirements. This modular approach allows mountings, camera selection, and camera positioning to be custom-configured per piece of equipment, ensuring a precise fit without redesigning the system itself.

Why operate with TopView

  • Eliminate errors in container stacking and loading
  • Reduce the risk of inaccurate yard inventory
  • Improve safety by removing people from hazardous environments
  • Enable automated checks against the TOS work order before the spreader attaches
  • Increase performance and improve KPIs with better CHE cycle times

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