OKAY installs Box Feeder with controlled output
OKAY Engineering has installed a robust new Box Feeder to give the “perfect flow of input material” to an existing materials recycling facility.
(above: video of the Box Feeder – source: OKAY Engineering)
Based in Kettering, OKAY Engineering is a UK business specialising in the design and manufacture of high performance recycling equipment, waste processing technology and materials handling systems.
Built in modular sections, the feeder is made up of a heavy-duty conveyor within a reinforced hopper and an adjustable metering drum. The hopper is loaded with input material until full by a shovel or grab and, with an inverter on both the conveyor and the metering drum, the Box Feeder delivers a controlled output feed to the downstream plant, the company explained.
It added that this metered flow into the MRF ensures the optimum performance of all the downstream equipment through a smooth, single layer of material onto all belts. The modular Box Feeder is available in a range of widths and lengths, and is said by OK Engineering to “work with all waste to smooth material flow, boost system uptime and give time back to loading shovels and grabs everywhere!”
Yorwaste fits live cameras from ISS
North Yorkshire waste management company, Yorwaste, has fitted live camera recording systems to its fleet of vehicles to enhance safety and mitigate false insurance claims.
The systems also feature a fifth in-cab camera, the footage from which can used as evidence in the event of any incidents.
Tom Richards, service delivery manager at Yorwaste, said: “The camera systems are really helpful for a number of reasons; for training purposes, enhancing our customer service by recording when bins are collected and in the case of accidents they are invaluable. In one particular case, a driver was accused of hitting a car whilst on a customer’s site. The camera system was able to show the driver didn’t go near the car in question. It was actually another member of the customer’s staff that had done it. This saved time as we didn’t need to carry out a full investigation and also prevented our driver from worrying about any investigations.”
“The in-cab camera is there primarily to protect drivers in the event of accidents. Only one person in the business is authorised to view the in-cab feed and it is only accessed if absolutely necessary. For example, if a driver is accused of using his or her phone whilst operating the vehicle, we can easily check the recorded footage.”
The RXlite camera systems from vehicle safety company Innovative Safety Systems Ltd (ISS) are now fitted automatically to all new vehicles as part of Yorwaste’s standard vehicle specification. The system provides real-time tracking and live video streaming in one and can be installed to different makes and models of vehicles so it is suitable for a mixed fleet.
Nihot advances windshifter sorting range
The SDM windshifter is a new offering from Nihot Recycling Technology B.V. in conjunction with TRS BV and uses negative pressure technology to sort a wide range of material by density.
The SDi windshifter is now available on tracks in addition to semi-mobile and static options, allowing customers the opportunity to choose the configuration which best suits their application and environment, Nihot said.
“We are very excited to introduce this new family member to our range of windshifters,” said Nihot sales and marketing director Joep Barenbrug. “Since Nihot introduced the first semi-mobile windshifter in 2011, now known as SDi, it has become one of our most popular machines. Our customers are very satisfied with the adaptability and performance of our SDi semi-mobile windshifter but most use it as a static machine. But ever since its introduction, we have received customer requests for a fully mobile Nihot windshifter.”
Mr Barenbrug added: “Some customers need a self-propelled windshifter as no power source is available on remote sites, while others want tracks to manoeuvre from pile to pile when processing rough and sharp materials, such as metal scrap.”
Veolia orders three robots for French site
Canadian manufacturer Machinex has announced that the installation will take place in 2021 of its first sorting robots in Europe.
Three SamurAI robots have been sold to Veolia as part of the modernisation of its facility at Portes-lès-Valence, led by three syndicates of the Drôme and Ardèche territories: the SYTRAD, the SYPP, and the SICTOBA.
The latest generation of SamurAI robots will be incorporated in a new sorting system that will allow the extension of setpoints, with real performance guarantees. First, a single robot will be installed on the reject line to recover recycling materials, while a double robot will be placed on a split channel conveyor to control the quality of light PET and PE/PP.
Machinex said that its SamurAI robot stands out “with its powerful grasping tool. We went further into development to obtain a unique and very powerful suction tool that offers excellent grasping capabilities. Indeed, no matter the Artificial Intelligence’s performance, the robot must capture designated materials, despite their shape or weight. Our recent experience shows us that the SamurAI performs outstandingly to grasp the hardest containers such as big HDPE with an irregular shape,” explains Matthew Smith, robot integration specialist at Machinex.
Mr Smith added: “Amongst other things, Machinex’s robots distinguish themselves by their performance in vacuuming and capturing plastic films and bags to separate them from recyclable commodities.”
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