Sorting heavy metal scrap is not a problem with XRF-T

Italian technolovy provider SGM Magnetics has developed the SGM XRF-T separator to sort different materials based on their chemical composition and density, even when it comes to difficult metals.

Unlike the X-ray transmission technology, the X-ray fluorescence technology is not an imaging technology which means that it does not produce images of the single pieces of metal processed but indicates the presence, concentration and nature of heavy metals.

‘This means that XRF requires to be combined with an additional “imaging” technology to identify the shape of every single piece processed in order to relate the XRF info on the presence and concentration of heavy metals to single pieces and allow for the possibility to produce a target to fire on by the pneumatic expel system,’ SGM Magnetics explains.

Traditional X-ray fluorescence sorters work in combination with either cameras or 3D laser scanners which provide the imaging information on the shape of the single pieces processed but nothing on the chemical nature of their inner content. The proprietary SGM XRF-T responses to the limitation of those sole imaging technologies by adding to the image of every single piece, info on the metal composition of their inner content.

In short, the SGM XRF-T sorter makes possible the identification and sorting of pieces of aluminium with pieces of heavy metals in them or still attached to them.

Typical Applications

ASR Zorba: Sorting of Aluminium wrought
ASR Zebra: Sorting of heavy metals between them
ASR Zurik: Sorting of stainless steel series 316 for the 306

SGM XRF-T specs

MODEL XRF-T 32:
Active width: 32” | Valves: 92 | Sources: 1 | Belt speed: 8 ft/sec | Capacity: 2-4 t/h
MODEL XRF-T 64:
Active width: 64” | Valves: 184 | Sources: 2 | Belt speed: 8 ft/sec | Capacity: 4-8 t/h
 

• Use of the latest XRF technology for the separation of heavy metals from each other (Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb,…) including metal alloys like brass, bronze and 316 series stainless steel from 306 series.
• Use of the latest XRT technology to segregate wrought aluminium from heavy metals as well as from light Magnesium alloys (main additional made of Al) and heavy aluminium cast alloys (main additional made of Cu and/or Zn).
• Use of extra powerful X-ray source to better overcome possible inaccuracies in the XRF analysis resulting from painting coating and/or presence of dust on material.

Exclusive benefits

• Possibility to identify aluminium breakages and sort them out along with heavy metals.
• Possibility with one sole separator to run first just the XRT process for the separation of the light metals and next the XRF combined with XRT for the separation of the heavy metals from each other. When using just XRF also for light metals, XRF considers as light metals all what is different from heavy metals which is not accurate as inbound material can still hold aluminium breakages and residual non-metallic contaminant.
• Using XRT for light metals is also the most productive solution because of the higher resolution that XRT technology features versus XRF.