Game-changer in aluminium alloy sorting

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Where better to meet Karl Hoffmann than at Steinert’s test centre, the company’s pride and joy in Pulheim near Cologne? Since opening in 2020, the site has welcomed hundreds of recyclers from all over the world. ‘This place is crucial to us and our customers,’ says Hoffmann. ‘This is ?he real thing. It’s like a real facility processing real scrap. Here you can feel and experience the true practice of modern recycling using our solutions and latest innovations.’

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Hoffmann points out the Steinert recycling test centre is one of the biggest in the world. ‘I often call it a playground to get inspired. And it’s definitely a generator of ideas. Not only for our customers but also for our sales team. ‘Honestly, it’s become our most important acquisition tool. You can make a lot of “bla bla” and nice promises about how great your technology is but the proof is in the pudding.’

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Among the eye-catchers inside the huge hall is Steinert’s latest in smart aluminium sorting, the Plasmax | LIBS, the renewed Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (see below for more details) system unveiled at the IFAT 2024, and showcased again at the Aluminium Show in Dusseldorf in October.

Steinert successfully implemented LIBS in 2017 and has now taken it to the next level. Hoffmann: ‘With the Plasmax | LIBS, we can produce up to three alloys with a significantly increased mass flow. As the variety of aluminium alloys increases, it will become even more crucial to differentiate precisely between them in the recycling process.’

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Aluminium is the material of the future. Its use is growing rapidly across all sectors and industries, including construction, communication and mobility. In Germany alone, an estimated 40% of aluminium consumption is related to transport, including e-mobility. By 2050 global demand for the metal will have doubled. Being light, aluminium is great to help industries decarbonise, especially those in the automotive industry, says Hoffmann. ‘Recycling aluminium is even better,’ he adds. ‘Recycling saves up to 95% of the energy compared to producing new aluminium while generating 92% less CO2 emissions.’ Another factor increasingly driving aluminium recycling has to do with geopolitical risk. Wars and conflicts have been destabilising global markets and major aluminium producers are investing more in recycling. As a result, tech providers like Steinert are seeing a clear and growing need and demand for recycling solutions - ‘not only from recyclers but also from aluminium producers and OEMs’.

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According to Hoffmann, maintaining the quality of recycled aluminium requires smart recycling systems and advanced technologies, such as sensor-based sorting. ‘These solutions help prevent the degradation of material quality and ensure that secondary aluminium can be used efficiently.’

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LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) is a rapid chemical analysis technology that uses a short laser pulse to create a microplasma on the sample surface. LIBS technology can fully analyse materials and identify various alloys. Since 2017, Steinert has successfully implemented LIBS technology. With the capability to sort three products in one run and achieving purity levels exceeding 95%, Steinert’s renewed Plasmax | LIBS has set a new benchmark in aluminium recycling. This ‘cutting-edge’ system offers high-purity separation of aluminium alloys while handling large volumes, enabling the sorted material to be fed directly back into production. With a processing capacity of three-to-six tonnes per hour and simultaneous three-way material discharge, the Steinert Plasmax | LIBS is one of the most efficient solutions for processing high-grade aluminium scrap. Built on a solid platform, (Steinert KSS) combines innovative technologies with maximum precision and reliability. It comes in a compact design that’s easy to integrate into existing setups.

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‘Precise sorting with this system delivers the quality required to meet rising demand for recycled aluminium, especially as the automotive industry strives to decarbonise,’ says Steinert’s global sales director recycling Karl Hoffmann. The Steinert Plasmax | LIBS features 3D detection, in-flight scanning and multi-spot laser analysis, ensuring optimal sorting accuracy. It also has AI-driven plasma analysis and precise compressed air separation.

Author: Martijn Reintjes