Nichirei Foods Automates Operations with ARB Technology

Nichirei Foods wanted to fully automate handling and sorting of cartons of frozen ready-to-eat meals in its new plant in Funabashi, Japan. The new plant, however, had limited space available. The application would have to fit inside a small, narrow area before the robotic palletizer.

After evaluating Nichirei Foods’s decision criteria and available space, Intralox proposed a layout utilizing Activated Roller Belt (ARB) technology to uniquely solve the company’s key goals. Intralox’s ARB technology effectively handles a wide range of product sizes and types within a small footprint. ARB 90-Degree Transfers orient and position products accurately every time without complex controls and obtrusive moving parts, and easily merge products from multiple lines. Sortation systems with ARB technology provide gentle and precise sorting of items, even at high rates.

Impressed with Intralox’s footprint-conscious proposal, Nichirei Foods installed an ARB 90-Degree Transfer S400 to merge three production lines in one narrow path and a Dual-Stacked Activated Roller Belt (DARB) Sorter S4500 to lead products to the robotic palletizer. Eighteen months after installation, both pieces of equipment are running well.