Norwegian machinery maker Tomra has created a sorting system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) among its tools for recovering valuable metals from mixed waste.
The multinational company said Finder Color would give operators “full control and unmatched accuracy”.
As well as AI algorithms, the system uses an “ultra-precise” RGB camera along with an optional electromagnetic sensor.
It can process grain sizes from 6mm to 12cm and handle up to 20 tonnes of mixed heavy metals an hour.
Tomra said it was engineered to deliver “exceptional purity and recovery levels at high throughputs across a broad spectrum of metal-sorting tasks”.
The electromagnetic sensor is useful for sorting materials with similar colors, added the firm.
“Feedback from our metals customers highlighted the need for a highly flexible sorting machine to cover a wide range of sorting tasks,” said Tomra Recycling head of metal segments Tom Jansen.
“Finder Color pushes the boundaries of what colour-sorting machines can achieve with applications like separating stainless steel from a mixed fraction of other grey metals, such as zinc and aluminium, and purifying e-scrap to help customers maximise their output and stay competitive.”
