Commemorating the 15th anniversary of the start of aluminum sorting equipped with Tomura Sorting and Duo Line Technology

TOMRA Sorting Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Representative Director: Masanobu Kawaguchi), the world's leading manufacturer of optical sorters, has reported that it has celebrated its 15th anniversary since the start of aluminum sorting equipped with Duo Line technology. increase.

Aluminum sorting technology_TOMRA sorting

Tomura has long been enthusiastic about becoming a leader in the resource revolution. The company strives to improve the environmental performance of the aluminum industry through automated sorting solutions that use sensors. As a pioneer in dual energy XRT technology, Tomra has a great track record in the selection of metals, minerals and diamonds, reaffirming its legendary performance to continue to drive the production of eco-friendly recycled aluminum.

Since 2007, X-TRACT has been using dual energy X-ray transmission technology with high resolution and high sensitivity sensors for the aluminum market. As demand for aluminum continued to grow in the transportation and construction sectors during the year, the amount of aluminum produced from scrap worldwide increased from 1 million tonnes in 1980 to 8 million tonnes. According to the International Aluminum Association (IAI), in 2007, smelters and recyclers also traded new scrap with old scrap, including casting, rolling and extrusion ingots to meet increasing demand. It played an important role in producing about 18 million tons of recycled aluminum from scrap. Today, more than 30 million tons of aluminum scrap are recycled worldwide each year. The European Aluminum predicts that demand in Europe will increase by 40% by 2050, with 50% of this demand likely to be covered by recycled, used aluminum. increase.

■ Robust design loved over time

Developed to sort aluminum from heavy metals, X-TRACT uses innovative market-leading technologies to deliver unmatched image clarity and reduced analysis processing. Its unmatched performance is due to its built-in software intelligence and field-proven design.

In addition, X-TRACT's rugged construction is mounted on top to protect the X-ray source from dirt, reducing maintenance costs and extending the life of the machine.

"Our product concept was built from the ground up with a particular focus on extending the life of performance. We maximize throughput and reduce product loss," said Matthias Winkler, Product Manager at Tomura. We offer a variety of sensors, bulbs, and even X-ray power supplies to minimize it. "

X-TRACT has an optional X-ray power supply of up to 1,000 W depending on the application, and can process multiple materials and particle sizes such as 5-40 mm aluminum fine powder and copper wire with high throughput. I can. In addition, software-based dual processing technology allows you to process adjacent and overlapping objects simultaneously, eliminating the need for additional sensors.

■ Infinite possibilities through in-house development

X-TRACT uses sensors and software developed in-house by TOMRA to realize unique density detection with outstanding sorting accuracy and processing power. Unlike other X-ray solutions that rely on third-party development, Tomra's data-driven technology is synchronized and designed to process primary and secondary raw materials.

"A team of software developers, designers and engineers are working together to continually improve performance. Every aspect of the machine and software has the highest sorting accuracy and purity," said technical manager Thomas Eldman. Optimized to make it happen. The aluminum industry is changing and smelters are looking for high-grade secondary aluminum. Tomla's precision sensors and software intelligence are used by scrap recyclers and It helps processors take the lead. "

With software developed by Tomura, the X-TRACT FINES unit consistently achieves 98-99% purity levels in high throughput applications.

As a global leader in aluminum recycling and processing, TOMRA keeps an eye on industry trends and responds proactively. As the automotive industry tightens control of excess magnesium and impurities in alloys, Tomra's team of in-house experts will develop software enhancements in 2020 to improve magnesium separation and create furnace-ready products. I succeeded in doing so. Magnesium removal from Zorba and Twitch enables secondary aluminum smelting in the country and plays a vital role in reducing C02 emissions.

■ Decarbonization of aluminum recycling

Recycled aluminum can be manufactured with a carbon footprint of less than 5% of primary aluminum. In Cisterna di Latina, Italy, green billet foundry Indinvest LT purchases consumer-use aluminum scrap from Centro Lottami. After introducing X-TRACT technology to Centro Lottami, Indinvest LT more than doubled the amount of recycled material from 20% to 40-50%, thanks to the purity level provided by X-TRACT. I was able to increase it to.

In addition, Roberto Antichi, president of Indinvest LT, said, "By using clean materials selected by X-TRACT, the amount of contaminants is significantly reduced and the need for frequent cleaning of the furnace is eliminated. When cleaning the furnace, we open the door and lower the temperature of 1,100 degrees to 800 or 900 degrees. It takes time, gas and electricity to return to 1,100 degrees. "

Strategies such as the "European Sound Material-Cycle Aluminum Action Plan" provide a clear path to increasing recycling rates and using more aluminum after consumer use, as well as junkyards and refineries. We are greatly benefiting from TRACT technology.