ZenRobotics introduces scrap metal sorting robot

Swedish scrap processing company Skrotfrag is installing a robotic sorting line for scrap metal. The sorting line, equipped with a three-armed ZenRobotics Heavy Picker, will be the third of its kind in Sweden, according to news release.

Skrotfrag, one of the first companies to apply robotic sorting technology to scrap metal, says the application will advance the company’s operations.

“Automation liberates human resources and allows them to be assigned with new tasks that are less weighty,” Skrotfrag Director Jonas Lindh states. “In addition, automation increases the availability of the entire installation.”

The ZenRobotics Heavy Picker can identify metal objects such as copper, brass, stainless steel, aluminum, or zinc based on specific features. In addition, the robot can be trained to identify specific objects such as electric motors, wires and residue.

“We are excited to introduce scrap metal as an application for robotic sorting as it often involves heavy and sharp objects that can be hazardous,” says Rainer Rehn of ZenRobotics.

ZenRobotics Ltd., headquartered in Helsinki, optimizes waste sorting robots with artificial intelligence (A.I.) for waste recognition. The A.I. software, called ZenBrain, analyzes sensor data in real time and allows the robots to identify and sort objects just as well as humans do.

“Humans don’t have metal sensors, yet we’re able to identify different types of metals based on specific characteristics like shape or color,” Rehn adds. “That’s exactly how the robots identify the objects. A great benefit of intelligent robots is their ability to learn to identify various materials and thus they adapt to a wide range of sorting needs.”

ZenRobotics’ Swedish partner, Mared AB, will deliver the new robotic sorting line during summer 2019.