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Filetfabrikken continue to grow with the I-Cut 130 PortionCutter
JBT Marel’s full offering of hardware, software, and service are helping processor Filetfabrikken bring Norwegian salmon to the global market.
marel.com
Application Area: High-Speed Food Portioning Systems, Automated Salmon Processing, Laser Vision Toolpath Optimization
Industry Sector: Seafood Processing, Food Production
Norwegian seafood processor Filetfabrikken has expanded its production capacity by integrating a JBT Marel automated I-Cut 130 PortionCutter system with active sorting capabilities. The technical deployment connects laser vision technology and advanced processing software into a single filleting pipeline. By transitioning to this automated cutting infrastructure, the processing plant increases raw material utilization, eliminates operational manual sorting interruptions, and enables real-time volumetric monitoring across its high-volume seafood distribution lines.
Overcoming Volumetric Precision Challenges and Direct Labor Bottlenecks
Seafood processing facilities distributing products to worldwide foodservice and retail markets must adhere to strict dimensional and mass specifications. Within automated salmon processing environments, variations in raw fillet density and thickness make manual portioning inaccurate and inefficient. Historically, processors relied on traditional, mechanical slicing setups or manual knife portioning. This model required operators to manually grade, sort, and trim finished pieces to ensure compliance with specific order criteria.
Operationally, these legacy methods restricted the facility's ability to maximize material yields or maintain high throughput during seasonal demand peaks, such as the winter distribution period. Furthermore, operating manual trimming and sorting stations increased labor overhead, introduced process interruptions, and limited the collection of long-term operational trend data. To eliminate human error, enhance material utilization, and secure precise batch weight tracking, Filetfabrikken upgraded its workflow by deploying an integrated high-speed portioning system. The contract for this equipment update was finalized at the Seafood Expo Global 2026 event in Barcelona, with installation scheduled for implementation in August.
Deploying Vision-Guided Portioning Systems to Optimize Yield Performance
The deployment of the advanced portioning system and material sorting hardware transforms the facility floor into a continuous, data-backed production process:
- Laser Vision Trajectory Calculation: The portioning platform utilizes a laser vision system to execute high-precision cutting. By scanning the three-dimensional geometry of every salmon fillet as it travels down the line, the internal computing suite calculates optimal toolpaths to secure fixed-weight and fixed-length portions with minimal raw material waste.
- Continuous Automated Trim Sorting: To streamline the downstream material flow, the line incorporates specialized TrimSort and SpeedSort handling modules. TrimSort automatically isolates valuable product off-cuts onto a separate outfeed conveyor while SpeedSort handles and distributes premium portions without requiring manual intervention or introducing lane stops.
- Remote Management and Real-Time Dashboards: Software developers deploy the AXIN I-Cut Solution application framework to establish remote programming capabilities for the cutting line. The software continuously collects processing metrics, rendering real-time performance tracking and historic yield analyses via live dashboards, which allows managers to rectify throughput deviations immediately.
- Integrated Processing Line Scaling: The portion cutter is engineered to link natively with the plant’s existing JBT Marel filleting equipment. This end-to-end configuration streamlines batching workflows, permitting the company to repurpose valuable manual labor toward higher-value production tasks while maintaining compliance with international global quality metrics.
Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.
