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Tsubakimoto’s Material Handling System: A Case Study on High-Speed Sorting
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Material Handling Automation
- Picking, Sorting & Positioning
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Tsubakimoto Chain Co., a global machinery manufacturer based in Japan, was faced with the challenge of creating a registration and identification database capable of tracking and sorting up to 10,000 items per hour on their high-speed conveyor belt sorting systems. The company needed a solution that could meet their millisecond-level response times for database reads and writes. The challenge was not only to find a database that could handle the high volume of items but also to ensure that it could maintain its speed and efficiency over time. The company also needed a solution that could seamlessly integrate with their existing systems and processes.
About The Customer
Tsubakimoto Chain Co. is a global machinery manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 1917, the company has expanded its business globally on four core pillars: chains, precision machinery, automotive parts, and material handling systems. The company operates 81 group companies in 26 countries worldwide, with a total number of employees of 8,818 as of March 31st, 2019. The company's net sales are about ¥238,515 million annually. One of Tsubakimoto Chain’s core businesses are “Mate-Han” systems utilizing the chain technology that is the origin of their company name. These systems refer to efficient operations and structures for the movement and transport of objects at manufacturing and logistics sites.
The Solution
In response to this challenge, Tsubakimoto tested several different databases and ultimately selected Btrieve, later reselecting PSQL (its successor), and now Zen. These databases were chosen for their ability to meet the company's millisecond-level response times for database reads and writes. The company has been using Actian Zen for 25 years to support their real-time, embedded OEM data management requirements. As the competition has continued to change, they have continued to re-evaluate and reselect Actian Zen. The company has found that Actian Zen offers superior processing speed compared to other databases, making it the ideal solution for their high-speed sorting systems.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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