TOMRA Recycling Opens American Test, Training Center

TOMRA Recycling marked a new era of customer support for recyclers in the Americas with the opening of its new Test and Training Center in Charlotte, N.C.

On April 22, recycling customers and partners gathered at TOMRA's Charlotte headquarters and received a first-hand tour of the expanded facilities that include a testing circuit complete with the latest sorting technologies, warehouse for critical parts storage and training facilities.

"Today, we celebrate much more than expanded material testing capabilities and efficiency for customers and partners operating in the Americas," said Michelle Landon, senior vice president and head of Americas of TOMRA Recycling. "This investment in testing, training and warehouse space at our Americas headquarters is a commitment to a deeper level of support. From pre-sale consultation and machinery sales and installation to after-sales support and on-going technical training, TOMRA Recycling partners with our customers throughout the equipment's lifecycle."

Latest Technologies

TOMRA Recycling's new, 4,500 sq. ft. dedicated test center is equipped with the company's latest sorting technologies to give customers a nearby facility to test waste and plastics materials. The installation includes the latest generation Autosort equipped with TOMRA's deep learning AI technology, GAINnext.

From municipal solid waste and paper to plastics and packaging, Autosort combines a variety of features in one machine with a flexible sensor configuration for a sorting system that meets the challenges of a dynamic market landscape. GAINnext leverages AI-based visual classification to identify hard-to-classify objects to maximize recyclate recovery and purity levels, according to TOMRA.

For advanced testing of plastic flake materials, the installation includes TOMRA's Autosort Flake and Innosort Flake technologies. Delivering simultaneous detection of polymers and colors, Innosort Flake features a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer and dual-sided imaging with high-resolution cameras to sort high-purity recyclable flakes, even from contaminated mixed streams.

Autosort Flake offers a combination of a NIR spectrometer, full color camera and metal sensor to deliver exceptional sorting performance, making it ideal for sorting high-purity end products, according to TOMRA.

Providing end-to-end material tracking, the waste analyzer from PolyPerception included in the circuit harnesses the power of deep learning AI. Color cameras capture real-time images of material flow at strategic points in the line to analyze key performance metrics, such as throughput, waste composition and yield loss.

Circuit Demonstration

Those attending TOMRA Recycling's open house were treated to a facility tour and comments from officials. Landon shared the company's vision for expanded material testing and training of both internal TOMRA technicians and external customers.

The main event included three material testing demonstrations. TOMRA previewed the powerful object recognition capabilities of the Autosort and GAINnext that uses deep learning technologies and neural networks to solve complex sorting challenges across paper, packaging, wood and metals applications. The multifunctional Innosort Flake sorter, which can be used in different applications by changing programs, was configured to show different color applications from a mixed polyolefin (PO) material infeed.

Finally, the PolyPerception analyzer, configured for optimization at MRFs and plastics recyclers, provided insights into the live demonstration using real-world material sourced from the United States. Bringing transparency to operations, the real-time monitoring provided by the analyzer increases performance and lowers costs through actionable data, according to TOMRA.

"Customers can now enjoy expanded testing capacities, shorter lead times and greater flexibility when it comes to scheduling tests," said Andre Lehmann, test center manager recycling North America ofTOMRA Recycling. "Recycling operations in the Americas are benefitting from collective global TOMRA expertise with our new Test and Training Center, since our research and development teams are continuing to innovate with new optical sorting and deep learning AI applications to meet customer needs."

Beyond Testing

Addressing the expanded opportunities the new facility gives TOMRA, Mateusz Brezinski, TOMRA Recycling's customer experience director said: "We can now expand and enhance our training capabilities at our Americas headquarters. We plan to conduct internal service technician training as well as offer external maintenance and performance training."

Two, one-day external training programs have already been announced. Operational Maintenance Training teaches customers basic machine operation and safety, performance data back-up and system restoration, preventative maintenance measures and fault code diagnostics. TOMRA's new Maximizing Performance Training overviews advanced settings machine operation, understanding machine performance, stabilizing and improving performance and diagnosing machine conditioning.

"We are excited about the flexibility our new Testing and Training Center gives us in supporting our customers," said Daniel Ghiringhello, head of sales Americas of TOMRA Recycling. "We invite all recyclers to bring their materials and sorting challenges to TOMRA to develop a flexible, customized solution that maximizes throughput, yield, purity and profitability.

TOMRA's new Testing and Training Center is one of seven TOMRA facilities worldwide. In addition, metal materials can be tested at Wendt Corporation's new Test Center in Buffalo, N.Y., that features X-Tract, GAINnext for metals and Autosort Pulse intelligent sorting solutions.

For more information, visit tomra.com/recycling.