The robots have been installed on Recyco’s fibre lines for quality control to enhance pick rates and bale purity
AMP Cortex installation at Recyco in Northern Ireland. (Credit: Business Wire)
AMP Robotics has installed its artificial intelligence (AI) based robotics systems at recycling and waste management firm Recyco’s facility in Northern Ireland.
Recyco has purchased recycling robots from REP-TEC Advanced Technologies, the AMP’s official reseller and integrator for customers in the UK and Ireland.
REP-TEC is also negotiating with other customers to install recycling robots at several other projects.
The project consists of two robots – a single AMP Cortex unit along with a tandem unit. The robots are claimed to be the first recycling robots in the UK and Ireland.
The robots have been installed on Recyco’s fibre lines for quality control to enhance pick rates and bale purity.
Recyco owner and CEO Michael Cunningham said: “AMP’s robots have quickly doubled the pick rates we were accustomed to, maintaining and even improving the purity of our bales, which we depend on to maximise prices with our end-market buyers.”
AMP’s advanced technology uses computer vision and deep learning to guide high-speed robotics systems to accurately identify, differentiate, and recover recyclables found in the waste stream by colour, size, shape, opacity. The robot stores data about each item it perceives.
The company’s sorting technology has the potential to pick upwards of 80 items per minute, as well as up to150 picks per minute with its tandem units.
AMP also stated that its AI platform can rapidly adapt to packaging introduced into the recycling stream with recognition capabilities to the brand level, efficiently meeting consumer packaged goods companies’ commitment to using post-consumer recycled content.
AMP European general manager Gary Ashburner said: “We’re delighted to bring our first robots to the UK and Ireland as we continue to see strong demand for our AI and automation solutions and build our pipeline in Europe.
“Recyco has been a superb partner in this process, and recognizes our technology addresses chronic staffing challenges it and many recyclers face, while aligning with its goals of maximising recovery, increasing landfill diversion, and advancing sustainability.”
At present, AMP has installed more than 160 systems in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Earlier this month, packaging company Sonoco has announced a sustainable partnership with AMP Robotics to accelerate the recycling capacity of paper cans.