Fresh approach to waste management

FANUC's 6-axis robot LR Mate 200 iD/4SC, developed through a collaboration with smart waste management start-up Recycleye, is bringing a fresh approach to waste management. The robotic waste collection system, which combines FANUC's more than 60 years of experience in automation with artificial intelligence support from Recycleye Robotics, automatically sorts recyclable materials into different material classes such as plastic, aluminium, paper and cardboard with near-flawless precision. Recycleye is FANUC's partner in the artificial intelligence used in recycling In the recycling process, flawless waste management is of great importance to ensure that natural resources are reused correctly and efficiently. FANUC has partnered with smart waste management start-up Recycleye to develop the 6-axis robot LR Mate 200 iD/4SC, bringing artificial intelligence vision technology to the waste management industry. The LR Mate 200 iD/4SC, which can collect 33,000 items per hour from a recycling line with accuracy reaching 99%, demonstrates a 12% increase in sorting performance and a 10% improvement in line output. As pollution caused by waste is one of today's most serious environmental problems, the necessity of recycling is increasing every day. In cases where human labour proves insufficient for recycling millions of tons of waste annually, the existence of robots capable of performing this work autonomously results in a faster and error-free process.

A new era in recycling

Teoman Alper Yiğit, General Manager of FANUC Turkey, said: "Recycleye Robotics uses artificial intelligence-powered computer vision to identify each element in complex waste streams. The FANUC robot LR Mate 200 iD/4SC, which sits at the centre of the system, then automatically sorts these recyclable materials into different material classes such as plastic, aluminium, paper and cardboard. This system, which is the most accurate and efficient artificial intelligence-enabled robotic collection solution currently available worldwide, operates 24/7 and has the capability to collect up to 33,000 items per robot during a 10-hour shift. As a compact, short-armed, mini robot that is easy to integrate into confined spaces, the LR Mate 200 iD/4SC benefits from artificial intelligence vision technology integrated by Recycleye Robotics, which accelerates the work process. Additionally, the robot's advanced sensors eliminate idle motion while maintaining the ability to return to the same millimetre point after operating 24/7 for eight years." 89,000 empty positions expected to be created in the recycling sector by 2028 Yiğit, noting that one important benefit of the artificial intelligence technology developed by Recycleye for recycling facilities is providing a solution to the labour crisis, continued: "A recent report published by CIWM reveals that 60% of survey respondents had difficulty finding workers last year, while it estimates that there will be 89,000 vacant positions in the waste and recycling sector by 2028. The LR Mate 200 iD/4SC robot performs collection as accurately as a worker and makes a difference with its superior vision system that is as precise as the human eye. Most importantly, the fact that robots do not take breaks, do not slow down, do not get tired and do not quit eliminates interruptions in the process. This is very important because finding workers for waste collection can be very difficult. In addition, the robot's ability to easily handle hazardous substances that could injure workers in recycling facilities is one of its greatest advantages."