Development of a sorting machine prototype
Our goal was to develop a machine capable of sorting textile scraps based on their material composition.
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What was achieved and what that learned
We managed to develop a prototype that has already been successfully tested for its identification and classification functionality, while the sorting process is still underway due to the delay in the robot’s arrival.
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Textile scraps coming out of a shredder are deposited onto a conveyor belt that carries them to a chamber, where they are identified and classified based on material composition using a near-infrared camera. Subsequently, the scraps are sorted into their respective categories by a delta robot equipped with a pneumatic gripper system, which picks them up and deposits them into different containers.
Future visions
The recycling of clothing is currently hampered by the presence of different types of fabric in these items. Shredding these garments, followed by selective separation based on their composition will allow for new levels of recycling.