Vision assisted machine for recycling applications (VISREC)

Abstract: A recurrent problem in the recovering business is to separate valuable materials from a mixture of elements. In order to get raw materials with the highest purity, physical and/or chemical methods are used. In the case of electrical cables and electronic scrap, state of the art techniques based on differences in the physical properties of each component of the mixture have been applied with reasonable success. However, these techniques have limitations and further chemical treatments in the refinery plant are needed. The aim of this project is to develop an automatic and flexible machine to remove small particles (metallic and non-metallic down to a size of 0.5 mm²), from a mixture of very similar materials, obtaining a final product with higher purity. This output material, which will be sold at higher price in the market, will have in the refinery less chemical treatment or even none. The idea is to identify the particles by differences in colour or other features, using a new and innovative approach combining computer vision and feeding/extraction techniques. The economic benefits from the new process will be twofold. The production costs will be reduced and the quality of the resultant product will be increased. The main innovations are a new machine concept for automatic separation of materials from impurities, new dedicated colour vision hardware and software for sorting purposes (new concept of illumination) and new modules for feeding and extraction systems.