ZenRobotics launches fourth generation of waste sorting robots
21.02.2024ZenRobotics® announced to introduce ZenRobotics 4.0, its fourth generation of waste sorting robots that have new features and upgraded Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimise and improve the efficiency of waste sorting operations.
"Our commitment has always been to work with forward-thinking recycling companies to automate their waste management processes and make outdated, inefficient and unsafe manual sorting a thing of the past,” said Jarmo Ruohonen, General Manager, ZenRobotics. “Our AI-powered robots enable companies to take in new high-quality recyclables to meet modern recycling requirements and sell high-purity materials in the aftermarkets. ZenRobotics 4.0 is our latest iteration of waste sorting robots with improvements that we believe revolutionises waste sorting technology and are more than just an upgrade to waste management operations – they are ‘efficiency perfected’."
ZenRobotics 4.0 is now available on the Heavy Picker 4.0 – a multipurpose waste sorting robot for bulky material and the Fast Picker 4.0 – a high-speed robot ideal for lightweight material.
Heavy Picker 4.0
The Heavy Picker 4.0 robot now has a compact individual recognition system (ZenBrain) to enhance precision and increase efficiency by 60 to 100 % compared to ZenRobotics’ previous system. It also benefits from upgraded AI technology with an advanced global recognition database that empowers the robots to identify over 500 waste categories. This significantly reduces commissioning times as the Heavy Picker 4.0 will come pretrained to recognise various types of waste.
ZenRobotics 4.0 is now available on the Heavy Picker 4.0 – a multipurpose waste sorting robot for bulky material
© Terex / ZenRobotics
Upgraded AI has also improved motion control and given the Heavy Picker 4.0 the ability to prioritise picking the resource that has the most value to the customer. The Heavy Picker 4.0 also has reduced power consumption improving the cost effectiveness of the customer’s operations. Finally, the gripper and manipulator has now been improved with 90% new or redesigned components. Customers will benefit from less robot downtime, improved efficiency and reliability, and more cost effective and faster maintenance with less wear parts.
Fast Picker 4.0
ZenRobotics Fast Picker robot couples AI software with high-speed picking, with a rate up to 80 picks per minute. The upgraded AI on the Fast Picker 4.0 robot leverages higher rates of purity, accuracy, and recovery and like the Heavy Picker 4.0, is able to recognise over 500 waste categories.
ZenRobotics 4.0 is now available on the Fast Picker 4.0 – a high-speed robot ideal for lightweight material
© Terex / ZenRobotics
One of the key differences with the Fast Picker 4.0 is the customisation it offers to customers with adjustable widths and gantry design for seamless integration into various picking stations. The Fast Picker 4.0 reaches the full width of the whole conveyor belt, providing superior picking performance.
The Fast Picker 4.0 can now also be added at the end of a line of Heavy Pickers, incorporating into waste streams such as C&D, C&I, Wood, Scrap, Rigid Plastics, and sort smaller material pieces weighing up to 1kg, once the Heavy Pickers have removed the bulky material. The Fast Picker can also be easily integrated into side streams, reject recovery lines and quality control.
“In essence, when applied to our Heavy Picker and Fast Picker robots, ZenRobotics 4.0 brings higher standards to waste sorting technology,” continued Ruohonen. “With heightened safety, efficiency, and vast customisation, ZenRobotics 4.0 is set to redefine the very essence of waste management.”
