SORTING | TECHNOLOGY


bottles, is seamless and flexible, says Tomra. During the preparation for sorting mixed plastics into different polymers, packaging material collected or pre-sorted from single stream and/or mixed waste processing feed is initially sent through a mechani- cal treatment process to reduce voluminous materials, primarily soft items like plastic, film and non-plastic products. To separate mixed PET into different polymers, Autosort functions as a com- bined system, detecting material and colour in combination with grain size. Even with mixed material input, this process achieves a sorting efficiency of 95% or greater. National Recovery Technologies (NRT) has


integrated its SpydIR near infrared optical sorter with its new Max-AI technology, which uses artificial intelligence to identify materials using a camera and neural network algorithm. The SpydIR with Max-AI optical sorter employs both detection technologies to create an optical sorter that is able to combine the information from each technology to deliver a unique sorting capability, says the company. The first installation was at Penn Waste in York,


Pennsylvania, US, where Max-AI was integrated with a SpydIR unit that was designed to sort out paper at the pre-sort to a container line. Max-AI was able to identify steel cans with fibre labels and sup- pressed the firing signal in the optical unit to prevent contamination in the fibre stream. It is able to operate at speeds of 600 fpm on the optical feed belt. “Max-AI technology is remarkable in that it can detect multiple views of different material catego- ries in one location using a camera and AI, similar to how a person can using his or her eyes and brain – the difference being Max can do this at very high speeds,” said NRT President Matthias Erdmannsdo- erfer. “While our SpydIR line of optical sorters is fantastic at identifying materials very confidently at high volumes, it is limited to material composition analysis. Recyclers care about more than material type, and this is where Max comes in. We can now sort using the SpydIR’s speed and confidence while adding the criteria that Max is able to differentiate. For example, in a PET sorting application, while the optical sorter identifies the material PET, Max is able to differentiate between different types of PET like thermoform tray, redemption container, food-grade, rigid, bottle and more. Thus, the customer is able to produce a product with increased value at a minimal additional expense without the need to add labour.” Eagle Vizion has launched new sorting tech- nologies that will enable users to sort black plastics by polymer type. The company says that it de-


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


signed a way to get better value from black plastics – higher purity polymer at a low processing cost. The Black Sorter identifies and sorts black plastics flakes based on type, whether it is PP, PE or a blend. In addition, the Melt Sorter has been designed to help recyclers produce PE with a controlled melt according to market expectations. It can sort PE flakes in three different viscosity grades – a PE injection moulding grade, a PE blow moulding grade, and HMW-PE/LDPE. Eagle Vizion says that it has also developed


sorting by type or colour of PE, PP or PET particles down to 0.2 mm, providing optimal product recovery, consistent purity output and greater profitability. Due to highly precise near infrared sensors, the company says that the Flake Sorter can achieve a purity level of over 99% from a 50-50 incoming stream in only two passes. The company adds that the Flake Sorter can be integrated in new or existing processing lines. Eagle Vizion has also developed the Flake


Analyzer, which is designed to analyse the control stream quality through continuous real-time resin and colour analysis. It can be used in the laboratory or installed in-line in the process where it can validate purity in real-time with continuous sample analysis, customer defined contaminant thresholds and automated reaction to purity changes.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.buhlergroup.com � www.sesotec.com � www.ptrejekiadigraha.com � www.redwave.com � www.saubermacher.at � www.nemetz-ag.at � www.tomra.com/recycling � www.nrtsorters.com � www.eaglevizion.com


September/October 2018 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 41


Above: NRT’s new Max-AI technology uses artificial intelligence based on a camera and neural network algorithm


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