A Photographic History of DaifukuProviding the Operation Management System for the Rokko Liner
The Rokko Island Line, more commonly known as the Rokko Liner, opened in February 1990 and connects Rokko Island, Kobe City’s second artificial island, to JR Sumiyoshi Station in the eastern part of central Kobe. Paltec, a Daifuku Group company, worked together with Kobe Steel, Ltd. to develop and deliver the operation management system of the Rokko Liner, the core that makes the unmanned system—the third of its kind in Japan—possible.
Constructed by Kobe City and Kobe New Transit Co., Ltd., the Rokko Liner connects JR Sumiyoshi Station with the terminal Marine Park Station 4.5 km away. With a travel time of about 10 minutes, the line provides easy transport to and from the island. The operation management system connects the line to a central computer for complete control of train operation and management. The system operates the train as a person would, controlling speed adjustments and arrival and departure operations. The system also ensures train and passenger safety by efficiently monitoring for malfunctions and handling any emergencies that arise. Other specific actions controlled by the system include operation of the line’s tracks, such as point switching and exiting procedures, operation performance analysis, and the broadcast and display of station information inside the trains.
Paltec’s strength in software development led to many of its employees transferring to Daifuku when the companies merged in 1991. Those strengths have been applied in various Daifuku businesses, including the company’s manufacturing and distribution systems and semiconductor and LCD production line systems.
- *This article is based on content from an in-house Daifuku Group newsletter.