2019 TOP EQUIPMENT INNOVATIONS: HIGH-TECH SORTING VAN DYK DEFTAIR WIND TUNNEL In 2019 Van Dyk introduced a new wind tunnel called DeftAir to aid in preparing material for optical sorting and allowing for the efficient processing of lightweight materials, such as paper, at a higher throughput. Typically, light sheet paper and film start to fly up and drift when a conveyor speed approaches 550–600 feet per minute. DeftAir is installed on an optical sorter’s acceleration belt and blows a steady stream of air onto the belt to stop fibre and other lightweight materials from floating as belts accelerate. Using DeftAir, a belt can reach speeds of 800–1,000 feet-perminute without causing light materials to float. DeftAir can be installed in conjunction with optical sorting upgrades or retrofitted in front of existing optical units. According to Van Dyk, several DeftAir units have been installed in North America so far, with more on the way.
MSS PRECISIONFLOW EJECT HOOD MSS, Inc., the optical sorting division of CP Group, received a patent in 2019 for their PrecisionFlow eject hood for optical sorters. According to CP Group, when processing lightweight materials such as flexible plastic packaging or single sheets of paper, controlling the trajectory of those types of materials inside the eject hood is challenging. MSS’ newly patented PrecisionFlow eject hood uses a curved design that eliminates back pressure and smoothly guides materials by using air flows along the outline of the wall. This is especially important in optical sorters that operate at higher than conventional speeds, such as the MSS FiberMax which processes material at 1,000 feet per minute (5m/sec). According to independent third party testing, the PrecisionFlow eject hood is capable of 97 percent recovery rates for flexible plastic packaging from contaminated paper streams. To date, MSS Inc. has installed the PrecisionFlow eject hood on over 60 CIRRUS FiberMax and PlasticMax optical sorters. unprecedented speed of 160 pieces per minute. AMP Neuron uses computer vision and machine learning to recognize different colours, textures, shapes, sizes and patterns to identify material characteristics. Then, it directs the robots to pick and place the targeted material. The system is modular in design for easy integration into existing lines and can operate 24/7 with continuous high-precision sorting, preventing contaminants in material streams, and increasing overall quality and purity. November/December 2019 www.recyclingproductnews.com
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