Automation of Sauce Packet Transfer in Delimo's Noodle Side Dish Line with PickPacker Robot
AI robotics developer Closer Inc. (CEO: Shota Higuchi, Headquarters: Tsukuba, Ibaraki, hereinafter referred to as "Closer") has developed the "PickPacker," a small packet transfer robot equipped with industry-leading* technology for high-speed picking of irregularly shaped items in bulk. This robot has been introduced into the noodle side dish production line operated by Delimo Inc.
This initiative is part of the "Innovative Robot R&D and Infrastructure Development Project" (Food Sector) for the fiscal year 2024, spearheaded by the Japan Ready-Made Meal Association (Chiyoda, Tokyo; President: Koichiro Hirai). It also contributes to the development and on-site implementation of the industry's first "Integrated Robot System for Noodle Side Dish Serving Processes."
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Project Overview
This project is one of the initiatives selected under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Innovative Robot R&D and Infrastructure Development Project" for fiscal year 2024, led by the Japan Ready-Made Meal Association. The goal is to create a robot-friendly environment that allows ready-made meal manufacturers, including small and medium-sized enterprises, to introduce robotic systems at an affordable cost and automate the serving process.
As a leading technology vendor, Closer has collaborated with other industry vendors to develop and implement the industry's first*² fully roboticized "Integrated Robot System for Noodle Side Dish Serving Processes." Closer specifically handled the sauce packet transfer process by deploying the small packet transfer robot.
Integrated Robot System for Noodle Side Dish Serving Process Implemented at Delimo Inc.
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/mono/robot/250318_seikahoukokukai.html
Japan Ready-Made Meal Association Press Release:
About PickPacker Small Packet Transfer Robot
Implementation Case Video: Delimo Inc.
Achieving Industry’s Fastest* Irregular Bulk Picking
In the food industry, particularly in ready-made meal factories, serving tasks involving irregularly shaped food items—such as those with individual variations or changing forms—remain challenging to automate, resulting in continued reliance on manual labor. The noodle soup base targeted in this project is one such irregular item, traditionally handled manually.
For practical implementation of irregular bulk picking in production environments, the system must be compact enough for seamless integration into existing production lines, provide high precision comparable to human handling, and maintain production capacity (speed) at human-equivalent levels. These factors often present trade-offs, requiring advanced technology to enhance overall performance.
Closer has successfully balanced these elements, achieving the industry’s fastest irregular bulk picking at a constant rate of 1,200 servings per hour.*
Technological Elements Enabling This System by Closer
3D Vision AI
Closer has developed a 3D Vision AI specialized for recognizing irregularly shaped small packets, achieving both high-speed and high-precision recognition. This technology can also be applied to detecting other irregularly shaped objects.
Advanced Robot Control
By tightly integrating 3D Vision AI and various sensors, Closer has implemented real-time computation-based advanced robot control technology, enabling high-speed packet transfer. This seamless system integration and robotic control are made possible by Closer’s proprietary robot software platform (OS).
For this development, Closer collaborated with Seiko Epson Corporation, ensuring smooth connectivity between Closer’s robot software platform (OS) and the robotic arm, achieving advanced robotic control.
Future Prospects
Following this deployment, Closer will continue research and development efforts to further miniaturize, enhance the precision, and accelerate the performance of PickPacker. Additionally, this robot will be showcased at "FOOMA JAPAN 2025," scheduled for June 2025, where a live demonstration will be presented.
* Based on Closer’s research regarding multi-layer bulk picking of irregularly shaped items such as noodle soup packets.
*² Based on research by the Japan Ready-Made Meal Association.
Company Overview
Closer Inc. is an AI robotics company originating from the University of Tsukuba, driven by its vision: "Making Robots an Everyday Choice." The company focuses on research, development, and deployment of robotic solutions that complement the workforce in industries where automation is challenging, such as the food industry and small to mid-sized production lines.
Company Name: Closer Inc.
CEO: Shota Higuchi
Founded: November 29, 2021
Headquarters:Room 202, Industry-Academia Liaison Collaboration Research Center
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Website: https://close-r.com/
Contact: info@close-r.com
