Separation: High resolution, optoelectronic sorting of plastic granulate contaminated with black specks

At FAKUMA 2005 Separation AG (www.separation-ag.com) is exhibiting for the first time a newly developed mobile plant (Illustration) for optoelectronic sorting of plastic granulate contaminated with polymer agglomerates in the form of black specks. The plant is integrated within an interchangeable housing and can be used in particular for reconditioning primary plastics, directly docked then underneath a silo.

Optical defects arising in production, such as polymer agglomerates in the form of black specks, hung-up material released from nozzles, oxidation, wear from extruders, etc, are in general not to be avoided and cause a considerably reduce product value. The new plant makes it possible to detect contamination with a size of 0.1mm x 0.1mm and to extract it using just one process stage, with a more than a 99.998 percent degree of effectiveness.

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This has been made possible by further advances in development of illumination technology and associated optimisation when illuminating transparent granulate, as well as by the high definition and rate of scanning of the cameras used. Possible recognition failures due to shadowing and brightening at broken edges are now excluded as a result of the new illumination technology and advances in the development of hardware and software. In addition to the evaluation of colour, there is now the also the possibility to simultaneously take the particle shape into consideration.

Depending on the tasks set, the throughput performance of the plant lies between 600-1,500 kg/h. The plant is made entirely in stainless steel, can be cleaned wet and fulfils the special cleanroom conditions for optically highly sensitive products.

Through this technological advance, the service available from Separation AG offers a real alternative to what otherwise involves lower value of products containing contamination in the form of polymer agglomerates.

Fakuma 2005, Friedrichshafen, 18.-22.10.2005, Hall A4, Stand 4126

Separation AG, Eupen, Belgium

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