FANUC helps Recycleye revolutionise waste handling with AI robotic picking technology
CONTROL & AUTOMATION AN AI-POWERED APPROACH
FANUC
FANUC helps Recycleye revolutionise waste handling with AI robotic picking technology
Support from automation specialist FANUC UK has helped a growing recycling tech company revolutionise the waste management sector with its AI-powered approach to sorting recyclable materials . London-based Recycleye uses proprietary AI vision technology in conjunction with FANUC 6-axis LR Mate robots to automate the detection and sorting of dry mixed recyclables , traditionally a largely manual process . This ground-breaking system , called Recycleye Robotics , is producing impressive results including an increase in sorting accuracy of up to 12 % and improved line output of up to 10 %, helping waste operators to boost their bottom line and providing a solution to ongoing labour shortages in the waste management industry .
Founded in 2020 with just four members of staff , Recycleye now employs over 45 people and has an install base that reaches across the UK and Europe . According to CEO Victor Dewulf , having FANUC by its side from day one as a strategic partner has been instrumental to the company ’ s rapid growth trajectory : “ FANUC has been a key enabler in the success we ’ ve achieved so far , and they ’ re central to our future ambitions . They really put their faith in us and the product we set out to deliver .” Recycleye ’ s rapid journey took another step forward recently when it announced a $ 17m Series A financing round , led by deep-tech venture capital firm DCVC .
Transforming traditional sorting methods Recycleye Robotics uses AI-powered computer vision to identify every single item in complex waste streams . The FANUC LR Mate robot which sits at the heart of the system then automatically separates those recyclables into different material classes such as plastics , aluminum , paper and cardboard . The most accurate and efficient AI robotic picking solution globally available today , it can operate 24 / 7 , picking up to 33,000 items per robot over a 10-hour shift .
For Recycleye , choosing the right automation supplier and the right robotic solution was critical to their technology ’ s success . “ In the early days of our journey , we worked with the MTC . They recommended that we speak to FANUC when we were looking for our robot
London-based Recycleye uses proprietary AI vision technology in conjunction with FANUC 6-axis LR Mate robots to automate the detection and sorting of dry mixed recyclables , traditionally a largely manual process
Transforming traditional sorting methods Recycleye Robotics uses AI-powered computer vision to identify every single item in complex waste streams .
partner and from day one , we knew we ’ d made the right choice ,” says Chief Technical Officer Peter Hedley . “ The FANUC LR Mate 200 iD / 4SC is the perfect accompaniment to our vision system . We were looking to bring new technology into a very established , traditional industry . Although mostly reliant on manual pickers , any robots already being used to sort dry , mixed recyclables tended to be large , heavy Delta robots . The ability to retrofit our lightweight system into customers ’ existing lines at a reasonable price point was therefore crucial .”
COMPACT AND ULTRA-EFFICIENT
This ‘ retrofitability ’ was a main draw of the LR Mate – as a compact , short arm , mini robot it is easy to integrate into confined spaces , making it the perfect choice for Recycleye Robotics . As a result , the Recycleye team can install a system over a weekend , with no need for the facility to shut down or operations to be suspended .
Peter continues : “ In addition , the FANUC LR- Mate is ultra-efficient , using five times less energy than a Delta robot . And thanks to its sophisticated sensors , there ’ s no wasted travel – if it ’ s not gripping anything , it won ’ t move to the bin . Reliability was another a key factor for us . It can operate 24 / 7 for eight years and still come back to the same millimetre point it has been told to move to .”
MITIGATING LABOUR SHORTAGES
For materials recycling facilities ( MRFs ), the benefits of Recycleye ’ s technology are myriad ; not least that it offers a solution to the industry-wide labour crisis . A recent report by the CIWM revealed that 60 % of survey respondents had struggled to recruit staff in the past year , forecasting 89,000 vacancies across the waste and recycling sector by 2028 .
72 PECM Issue 64