A material handling system sorts materials utilizing a vision system of multiple vision devices configured with single board computers that each implement an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify materials, which are then sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification by sorting devices that are each coupled to one of the vision devices.

A method for generating a highly distinctive signature of a certain diamond, the method may include generating, based on one or more images of the certain diamond, a certain diamond signature of the certain diamond; finding, out of a group of reference diamonds, other diamonds having other diamond signatures; wherein the finding comprises calculating similarities between the certain diamond signature and reference diamond signatures of the reference diamonds of the group; and generating a new certain diamond signature that significantly differs from signatures of the other diamonds.

Systems and methods for separating materials and recovery of valuable copper from shredded end-of-life vehicles and appliances are disclosed. Shredded matter, or ASR, is sent through a series of sorters before reaching a system that separates out copper bits. The system utilizes a pair of conveyor belts; one for de-watering and removing most of the plastic and glass particles and a second below the first for separating the copper bits. The second conveyor belt has a belt with a particular tooth pattern and material softness, and is set at a slight uphill incline angle. Water is delivered from the top down the slope and the belt successfully transports mostly just copper up and over a top edge to a collection bin. A cascading series of pairs of conveyors may be used to ensure nearly complete recovery of the copper.

Hollow bodies which are closed on one side and which are cylindrical are sorted by a sorting device. The hollow bodies have an end-side opening, a base surface situated opposite the opening and a shell surface extending between the base surface and the opening. The sorting device includes first nozzles arranged on an upper guide for conducting a first fluid flow in the direction of a lateral guide, and second nozzles arranged on a lower guide for conducting a second fluid flow in the direction of an outlet. Since the force of the fluid flow is several times greater if the fluid flow strikes a part of the shell surface of the hollow body through the end-side opening of the hollow body than if the fluid flow strikes the base surface of the hollow body from the outside, sorting of the hollow bodies is made possible.

A method of treating contaminated materials such as oil and gas production waste sludges to recover crude oil hydrocarbons. The method includes the inversion of water-in-oil emulsions, and subsequent separation steps. These may involve the separation and removal of asphaltenes, petroleum waxes and/or solid particles from the crude oil hydrocarbons. The treatment method uses the physical phenomena of hydrodynamic cavitation and hydraulic shock, which produce different effects upon a mixture of water and the contaminated material being treated. These are deployed either as single or combined stage(s) of treatment or as a repeated series of single/combined treatment stages, with or without additional processing operations between each single/combined treatment stage. The method may be implemented with suitable plant including hydrodynamic cavitation units (103, 106) and hydraulic shock units (104, 107), followed by separators (105, 108).

A container includes a floor, a side wall arranged to extend upwardly from the floor, and a filler neck coupled to an upper end of the side wall and arranged to extend upwardly from the side wall. The container is sized to be reclaimed during a recycling process.

A method for producing a powdered starting material, which is provided for production of rare earth magnets, including includes the following steps: pulverizing an alloy, including at least one rare earth metal, wherein a powdered intermediate product is formed from the alloy including the at least one rare earth metal, and carrying out at least one classification aimed at particle size and/or particle density for the powdered intermediate product. A fraction of the powdered intermediate product, which is formed by the at least one classification, is used for fabrication of rare earth magnets. Furthermore, at least one dynamic classifier is provided, implementing at least one classification directed at particle size and/or particle density for the powdered intermediate product and thereby separates the fraction from the powdered intermediate product, which forms the starting material for manufacturing rare earth magnets.

A system and method for separating granular particles according to particle size, and more particularly enhance ore grades by removing unwanted material. The system (10) comprises means (11) for transporting granular material (12) comprising multiple sized fractions with gradation of the particles according to particle size between relatively fine fractions and relatively coarse fractions, in a direction having a horizontal component; and subjecting the granular material (12) to vibration while being so transported to induce some separation of particles according to particle size. The system (10) further comprises means (13) for causing the granular material (12) to subsequently move as a granular flow (14) along a curved path (15) under the influence of gravity to further induce separation of particles according to particle size. The system (10) still further comprises means (16) for dividing the granular flow (14) moving along the curved path (15) into different streams (17) according to their trajectory.

An assembly for separating selected defective objects from a group of objects used in tobacco industry, the group comprising regular objects having a form of substantially spherical external surface of a determined diameter and the remaining objects being defective objects, the assembly comprising a sieve element (105) having through channels (106) or holes and a generally flat blocking element (107) located under the sieve element, the blocking element having an upper surface/107B) and through holes (108), the sieve element and the blocking element being displaceable in a direction parallel and/or perpendicular with respect to each other at least between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration the channels or holes of the sieve element, and the holes of the blocking element enable the regular objects and selected defective objects to enter the upper parts of the channels and they enable the regular objects to fall through the lower parts of the channels and through the holes of the blocking element, while they hold said selected defective objects. In the second configuration the channels or holes of the sieve element and the holes of the blocking element enable said defective objects held in the first configuration to fall through the assembly. A method of separating selected defective objects from a group of objects used in tobacco industry using the assembly according to the invention.

A system classifies materials utilizing a vision system that implements a machine learning system, such as a neural network, in order to identify or classify each of the materials as either a monetary coin or not a monetary coin, which may then be sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification. Such a system can sort monetary coins from other forms of scrap, which may have been produced from a shredding of end of life vehicles.