10 Questions You Should to Know about Automated Waste Sorting Equipment Supplier

by Mark Neitzey, Director of Sales, Van Dyk Recycling Solutions

With competitive price and timely delivery, qunfeng sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

1. Is artificial intelligence (AI) the answer to all of my MRF&#;s problems?

When considering new AI technology, be aware that its performance is dependent on proper preparation of the material it&#;s fed. Any separation device&#;a screen, an optical sorter, a robot&#;likes to be fed a steady diet of consistent material all on a single layer of the conveyor.

2. How can I evenly spread material out and avoid clumping in the stream?

Setting successive conveyors at different speeds thins material out. Proper sequencing also helps (going from narrow to wide or turning material at a 90-degree angle can create problems). Proper cleats on inclining conveyors breaks up clumps. A vibratory feeder or a disc spreader can be perfect for spreading material across a wide belt.

3. How can I properly screen for size without my screens getting clogged with film?

Mechanical screens remove large fractions and fines to direct a target size to an intelligent separation device (like an optical sorter or robot). In the last few years screens have greatly improved. Van Dyk and other suppliers now offer nonwrapping screens that properly size material without allowing film bags to wrap around their shafts.

For more information, please visit Automated Waste Sorting Equipment Supplier.

4. I can&#;t get my paper clean enough. Can I just drop in an optical sorter to make a &#;China spec&#; grade?

Optical sorters shooting positively on paper is a great way to get clean fiber. But consider adding a wind tunnel to its acceleration conveyor. Steady air flow applied at the same speed as the conveyor will stabilize light materials so the belt can accelerate, which increases throughput while maintaining or exceeding accuracy on light materials.

5. My temporary labor service can&#;t supply the sorters I need to run at capacity. Should I install robots?

Robots can be a viable solution for quality control sorting, such as on a container line, but their recognition is improved by being fed properly prepared material. An elliptical or ballistic separator performs 2D and 3D separation and is a must-have to properly prepare your container line for further processing.

[code]<br>

//********************************************
// GROUP 8: AUTOMATIC WASTE SORTING MACHINE  *
// MECHATRONICS                          *
// @GROUP 8                                  *
//*******************************************

#include <Servo.h>

Servo Pipe_Servo;
Servo Gate_Servo;

// define the variables
int sensorInd = A0; //Pin A0 (analog)
int sensorpin = 2; //Digital Pin nr. 2
int indValue;
const int trigPin = 7;
const int echoPin = 8;
int i=0;
float Pipe_Pos=0.0;
float Gate_Pos=0.0;
int n=0;

long duration;
int distance;

float metalDetected;

void setup() {

pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT); // trigPin=output
pinMode(echoPin, INPUT); // echoPin = input

Serial.begin(); // Starts the serial communication

// Codes that run only once[

//--System Initialization--

    Pipe_Pos=Pipe_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Gate_Pos=Gate_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo

    Serial.println("Motor_PIPE Position");
    Serial.println(Pipe_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor_GATE Position");
    Serial.println(Gate_Pos);
    delay();

    
    Pipe_Servo.attach(11);

    if (Pipe_Pos<90){
      

      for(i=Pipe_Pos; i<=90; i=i+1){
      Pipe_Servo.write(i);
      delay(15);
      }
    }
      
      else {
        for(i=Pipe_Pos; i>=90; i=i-1){
        Pipe_Servo.write(i);
        delay(15); 
      
        }
      }

delay(); //Delay (wait) for servo pipe to go to the bin.

    //Next rotate the gate servo.
    //And control the speed of Gate Servo.
    Gate_Servo.attach(10);

     for(n=0; n<=45; n=n+1){  //Choose the right angle for Gate servo
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(20); //Controll the speeed of Gate servo 

    }   

    delay(); //Delay (wait) and then bring back the Gate_Servo to its
     //initial position.

     //Bring Back Gate_Servo to initial position
     //So from actual position 2-> n=45; we go backwards up to n=0.

     for(n=45; n>=0; n=n-1){ 
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(25); //Control the speed of Gate servo 
     }

delay();

//--System Initialization--//
// Codes that run only once]
}

void loop() {

//delay(100);
delay();

// Clears the trigPin
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(10);//
// Sets the trigPin on HIGH state for 10 micro seconds
digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(30);//it was 1
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
// Reads the echoPin, returns the sound wave travel time in microseconds
duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
// Calculating the distance
distance= duration*0.034/2;
// Prints the distance on the Serial Monitor
Serial.print("Distance: ");
Serial.println(distance);

indValue=analogRead(sensorInd);//Save value that is read from the analog pin A0 to the variable indValue
delay(10);
int sensorstate = digitalRead(sensorpin); // Digital value for Capacitive S.
delay(500);
metalDetected = (float)indValue*100/.0; //from analog value
delay(50);
Pipe_Pos=Pipe_Servo.read();//Read the actual position of Pipe servo
Gate_Pos=Gate_Servo.read();//Read the actual position of Gate servo

//**METAL DETECTED**/

/ if(indValue>=250 && sensorstate == 1 && distance<=14)
  if(indValue>=250){
   Serial.println("Metal Detected");
    Pipe_Pos=Pipe_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Gate_Pos=Gate_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Serial.println("Motor_PIPE Position");
    Serial.println(Pipe_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor_GATE Position");
    Serial.println(Gate_Pos);

    Serial.println("Motor to metal bin");

    delay(100);
    //Wait for some time after the measurements and move servo to 
    //the corresponding bin

    //For initial position of servo_gate/PIPE in this case the read function will give us the last position of servo
    //in degree
    //Go to the second position of the PIPE servo @90 degree
    //To control the speed of the servo we do this for loop.
    //We have 2 cases 1; when pipe is somewhere in position greater then 90, in this particular case we want to go to 90 so we have to loop back.
    //The other case is to loop forward i=i+1, (meaning to increase the angle in incremental manner).
    
    if (Pipe_Pos<90){

      for(i=Pipe_Pos; i<=90; i=i+1){
      Pipe_Servo.write(i);
      delay(15);
      }
    }
      
      else {
        for(i=Pipe_Pos; i>=90; i=i-1){
        Pipe_Servo.write(i);
        delay(15); 
      
        }
      }

delay(); //Delay (wait) for servo pipe to go to the bin.

    //Next rotate the gate servo.
    //And control the speed of Gate Servo.

     for(n=0; n<=45; n=n+1){  
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(20); 

    }   

    delay(); //Delay (wait) and then bring back the Gate_Servo to its initial position.

     //Bring Back Gate_Servo to initial position
     //So from actual position 2--> n=45; we go backwards up to n=0.

     for(n=45; n>=0; n=n-1){  
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(25);  
     }
    
   //**METAL DETECTED**// 

   //**PLASTIC DETECTED**// 
   
   }

   else if(indValue<=250 && sensorstate == 1 && distance<=15){ //NO NO state
   delay(100);
   Serial.println("Plastic Detected");

    Pipe_Pos=Pipe_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Gate_Pos=Gate_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Serial.println("Motor_PIPE Position");
    Serial.println(Pipe_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor_GATE Position");
    Serial.println(Gate_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor to Plastic Bin");

    delay(100); 
    //Wait for some time after the measurements and move servo to 
    //the corresponding bin

    
    //For initial position of servo_gate/PIPE in this case the read function will give us the last position of servo
    //in degree
    //Go to the second position of the gate Pipe_Servo in degree (145) for Plastic
    //To control the speed of the servo we do this for loop.

    //We have 2 cases 1; when pipe is somewhere in position greater then 145, in this particular case we want to go to 145 so we have to loop back.
    //The other case is to loop forward i=i+1, (meaning to increase the angle in incremental manner)until we reach the desired angle.
    
    if (Pipe_Pos<145){

      for(i=Pipe_Pos; i<=145; i=i+1){
      Pipe_Servo.write(i);
      delay(15);
      }
    }
      
      else {
        for(i=Pipe_Pos; i>=145; i=i-1){
        Pipe_Servo.write(i);
        delay(15); 
      
        }
      }

delay(); //Delay (wait) for servo pipe to go to the bin.

    //Next rotate the gate servo.//This remains the same for all other cases
    //And control the speed of Gate Servo.

     for(n=0; n<=45; n=n+1){  
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(20); 

    }   

    delay(); //Delay (wait) and then bring back the Gate_Servo to its
     //initial position.

     //Bring Back Gate_Servo to initial position
     //So from actual position 2--> n=45; we go backwards up to n=0.

     for(n=45; n>=0; n=n-1){  //Choose the right angle for Gate servo
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(25); //Controll the speeed of Gate servo (it can be a litle faster now) 
     }
//delay(100);
 
   }

//**PLASTIC DETECTED**// 

//**GLASS DETECTED**// 

else if(indValue<=250 && sensorstate != 1 && distance<=14){ 
   Serial.println("Glass Detected");

    Pipe_Pos=Pipe_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Gate_Pos=Gate_Servo.read();//Read the last value given to Pipe servo
    Serial.println("Motor_PIPE Position");
    Serial.println(Pipe_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor_GATE Position");
    Serial.println(Gate_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor to Glass Bin");

    delay();
    //Wait for some time after the measurements and move servo to 
    //the corresponding bin

    //For initial position of servo_gate/PIPE in this case the read function will give us the last position of servo in degree
    //Go to the second position of the Pipe_Servo @25 degree for Glass
    //To control the speed of the servo we do this for loop.

    //We have 2 cases; when pipe is somewhere in position greater then 90, in this particular case we want to go to 25 so we have to loop back.
    //The other case is to loop forward i=i+1, (meaning to increase the angle in incremental manner).
    //Actually in this case we can have only one case when angle is greater then 25, but however! :P

    if (Pipe_Pos<25){

      for(i=Pipe_Pos; i<=25; i=i+1){
      Pipe_Servo.write(i);
      delay(15);
      }
    }
      
      else {
        for(i=Pipe_Pos; i>=25; i=i-1){
        Pipe_Servo.write(i);
        delay(15); 
      
        }
      }

delay(); //Delay (wait) for servo pipe to go to the bin.

    //Next rotate the gate servo.//This remains the same for all other cases
    //And control the speed of Gate Servo.

     for(n=0; n<=45; n=n+1){  
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(20); 

    }   

    delay(); //Delay (wait) and then bring back the Gate_Servo to its
     //initial position.

     //Bring Back Gate_Servo to initial position
     //So from actual position n=45; we go backwards up to n=0.

     for(n=45; n>=0; n=n-1){  
      Gate_Servo.write(n);
      delay(25); 
     }

    Serial.println("Motor_PIPE Position");
    Serial.println(Pipe_Pos);
    Serial.println("Motor_GATE Position");
    Serial.println(Gate_Pos);
}
}

[/code]

*We suggest to use the code attached here.

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