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.

There is disclosed a method and apparatus for separating stones, fibers and plastics from biodegradable material. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises: an inclined trough having a feed entry at a top end for receiving the feed material, the inclined trough including a plurality of riffles angled to at least partially hinder and unsettle a flow of the feed material flowing down the inclined trough; one or more vibratory motors configured to induce a vibration in the inclined trough; one or more blowers configured to generate an air flow through overhead air vent nozzles positioned over the inclined trough and directing the air flow to one side of the inclined trough; and a material resilience separator for separating the contaminants from the biodegradable materials in the remaining material.

An apparatus and a method for separating or sorting parts and communicating information about said parts with the purpose of trading them. For example, an apparatus can include a fluidic section that comprises an input section configured to receive a plurality of parts. The fluidic section can include at least two branches extending from the input section, and each of these at least two branches can have an outlet through which the fluid or part of the fluid can be routed. The apparatus can include a set of sensors configured to capture information about the plurality of parts in the fluidic section. The apparatus can further include a set of actuators configured to effect, based on the information, a change in a movement of a set of parts from the plurality of parts such that the set of parts is distributed via the fluid to at least one of the at least two branches. The apparatus may further include electronic equipment for storing, analyzing, and communicating information about the plurality of parts. The invention is expected to support the sorting and trading of scrap and recycled materials.

Provided is a method for removing wire-form objects, a device for removing wire-form objects, and a method for processing electronic/electrical apparatus component waste, which can efficiently sort wire-form objects from sorting target objects having various shapes. The method for removing wire-form objects includes: arranging a filter in a vibrating sieve machine, the filter including a plurality of rods extending at distances in a feed direction of a raw material; and placing a raw material containing at least wire-form objects and plate-form objects onto the filter, and vibrating the filter to sieve out the wire-form objects under a sieve.

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.

Provided is a method for removing wire-form objects, a device for removing wire-form objects, and a method for processing electronic/electrical apparatus component waste, which can efficiently sort wire-form objects from sorting target objects having various shapes. The method for removing wire-form objects includes: arranging a plurality of filters 3 in a vibrating sieve machine 1 such that the filters 3 are adjacent to each other so as to partially overlap with each other in a feed direction of a raw material, each of the filters including a plurality of rods 2 extending at distances in the feed direction and a beam portion 21 for supporting the plurality of rods 2 at one ends 2a of the plurality of rods 2, the other ends 2b of the plurality of rods 2 being free ends; and feeding a raw material containing at least wire-form objects and plate-form objects into the vibrating sieve machine 1; and vibrating the filters 3 to sieve out the wire-form objects toward an under-sieve side of the vibrating sieve machine 1.

A system classifies materials utilizing a vision system that implements an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify and then remove automotive airbag modules from a scrap stream, which may have been produced from a shredding of end-of-life vehicles. The sorting process may be designed so that live airbag modules are not activated, which may cause damage to equipment or persons.

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.