The Tuchschmid and the Neuweiler company are about to develop the machine NETHS-EASY in co-operation with the Institute for mechatronic systems IMS. NETHS-EASY allows the relocation of standard ISO-containers between course and road for the combinated goods traffic.

The correct positioning of the crane mechanism, which is so far done by hand using a joystick, ought to be replaced by an automatic solution. This diploma work examines the possibility of the use of a laser scanner to recognize the standardized characteristics of the containers. Subsequently, the exact 3D-coordinates, where the containers are to be seized, have to be calculated.

The laser scanner made by the SICK company provides a pulsating, groping laser beam whitch allows the scanning of half planes without change of position. Thus the lifting car, in order to get picture information, must be moved to defined distances (scanning). In practice this will happen ?on the fly?.

The diploma work contains the verification of the suggested sensor configuration, the determination of the optimal scanner position, the programming of communication, the programming of the object recognition as well as the expenditure of the determined object position.

First measurements on the plant ran promisingly. It can be said that the prospects for a perfect function in imminent future are very good. Improvement potential exists with the possible maximum driving speed as well as with the optimization of the object recognition.