​VAN DYK introduces RoBB-AQC robotic sorter

Bollegraaf's new AI-powered RoBB-AQC is a fully-automated robotic sorter designed for improved quality control sorting. According to Van Dyk Reycling Solutions, the North American distributor and product support for Bollegraaf equipment, it is the first sorting robot that combines the accuracy of NIR detection with the adaptability of AI-powered learning (no other robot uses near-infrared technology). 

As a final quality control step on a container line, one RoBB unit will recover up to 70 picks per minute, which is higher productivity and better reliability than two human sorters. RoBB-AQC also uses advanced technologies and increased sophisticated artificial intelligence —breakthrough innovations developed by Bollegraaf's research team.

Known for their dedicated and thorough R&D processes, Dutch manufacturer Bollegraaf developed this new robot model through a decade's worth of in-plant experience. According to Van Dyk, Bollegraaf has been testing robotic sorters in real MRFs since 2009, and what the company has discovered over that decade is that the first component to fail in recycling robots is the arm. Daily need of fresh suction cups and arms that only last a few months are common. 

With this in mind, Bollegraaf set out to construct a robot that could actually withstand the harsh MRF conditions it was destined to be exposed to. After over a decade working with four different picker attachments they landed on an arm construction that is tough enough to last and does not require daily replacement parts.

The new RoBB-AQC system is designed with flexibility in mind, as it can be placed on top of existing sort lines with very minimal retrofit costs and minimal downtime. Material selection only requires the touch of a button, and ranges from PET, HDPE, LDPE, PS and PP to Tetra Pak, OCC or paper/cardboard of various shapes and sizes.

The new RoBB-AQC can sort intermittently or continuously, regardless of working conditions on site, and requires minimal supervision and little maintenance. Its flexible, modular configuration enables you to choose the number of sorting units required and simultaneously sort up to 4 different materials per module. The system's flexibility allows users to change material waste streams, so you can adapt to, for instance, changes in the stream or commodity prices.