How Cutting-Edge Technologies are Transforming the Future of Metal Recycling

Metals and Mining Review | Monday, October 31, 2022

Artificial intelligence and cutting-edge sensor technology will likely gain major efficiency: in industrial metal scrapping.

FREMONT, CA: An automated robot for sorting waste was introduced in 2011 by ZenRobotics, a Finnish company. Metal detectors, 3D laser technology, and spectroscopic imaging all improved the precision of sorting parts.

Metal recycling was made easier by introducing the "Heavy Picker" in 2014. AI has continuously improved and optimized the system since then. Three robot arms enable the system to sort up to 6000 items per hour. A manual sorter is only capable of 200 picks per hour. "Heavy Picker" can also be used as a standalone sorting line or integrated into existing systems.

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New X-ray and LOD technology

In the field of metal recycling, Scandinavia is among the leaders. Raw material became increasingly important during the Covid-pandemic. Recycled aluminum is becoming increasingly important to aluminum producers.

An electrical X-ray source generates broadband radiation. A two-line X-ray camera uses two independent sensor lines with different spectral sensitivities to detect this radiation. Atomic density can be determined this way. The technology reduces raw material costs since the materials no longer need a strictly defined composition, and less material is processed than usual. Consequently, scrap can be purchased with lower quality and cleaned at a lower price.

XRF technology

Redwave has used XRF technology to determine the chemical composition of samples for years. The technology was initially developed for glass sorting, but with the introduction of Redwave XRF/C, metal sorting became a standalone solution. Unlike other technologies, a metal detector is not adversely affected by moisture, coloration, or surface impurities. Advanced software algorithms are used to sort the metal fractions, which can be directly and profitably sold. Various sorting lines and plants have already implemented this innovative sorting solution.

Light element analysis with a handheld LIBS-analyzer

XRF handheld devices have been widely used in metal recycling since the turn of the millennium as a flexible and cost-saving solution. It is now the world's leading portable instrument for stainless steel, high temperatures, and red metals. LIBS devices, which use a short laser pulse to analyze light metals such as aluminum and magnesium, have emerged as a modern alternative, especially for analyzing light metals.

Climate change and raw material shortages

Several studies predict a rapid increase in the demand for raw metals. The aluminum industry will require 360 million tons of raw material over the next 20 years. The supply of light metals is essential to key future industries, such as the electric automotive sector. Recycling metals has become increasingly significant in the new age of climate change and offers substantial economic opportunities. The American Chemical Society reports that recycling rare metals from electronic waste is thirteen times cheaper than mining them. Metal recycling is becoming a key player in the fight against global warming thanks to new methods and artificial intelligence.

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