Rapid & Accurate Meatball Sorting Technology

The X-STREAM Meatball sensor unit contained in Steinert's XSS-F system is a spectrometer module containing multiple X-ray generating sources and detectors that provide the ability to detect and analyze every single piece of scrap material. In only a few milliseconds, the elemental composition of each piece is calculated and customer-defined sorting parameters applied to determine whether or not to divert the piece out of the main stream.

The XSS-F sorting system by Steinert utilizes X-STREAM technology with the main purpose of extracting copper containing scrap material (such as the so-called 'meatballs' and copper wire bundles) from shredded steel. In just milliseconds, each piece of scrap is analyzed and valued based on its elemental composition. Whenever a certain amount of copper is detected, that particular piece is ejected from the main stream by using Steinert's high-powered compressed air valve system. The system is capable of processing 100-150 tons of ferrous shred per hour, at a working width of approximately 2m. Depending on the in-feed, >90% of the copper meatballs can be extracted.

For more information on the X-STREAM Meatball sorting system, please visit the website of Steinert GmbH at www.steinert.de.

Meatballs: Removal of Copper (Cu) from Ferrous Streams

All over the world, more and more ferrous scrap is being used in the production of steel. It is a general trend that is propelled by the hike of natural resources and by the ever higher level of efficiency in recovery and recovering technologies. But there is a disturbance that is becoming more and more of a nuisance: copper. The element is referred to by experts as a 'metallurgical and processing poison'. During the shredder process, copper sources are being introduced to the steel cycle, as it is never pure steel that is fed to the plants. Shredders have difficulties in producing low copper shred due to the lack of adequate filtering technology. The red metal stems from a broad variety of parts that are typically contained in shredder material, for example copper windings from electric motors ('meatballs'), wires, wire bundles and harnesses, coils and chokes. All these are increasingly contained in modern automobiles, appliances and consumer goods. They add another .20 to .30% of overall copper concentration into the ferrous portion of the shredder output. Untreated shred can therefore contain .40% or more. Steel mills, in return, are demanding shred low in copper, usually with a concentration of less than .25%.

The X-STREAM is a successful automated XRF technology that provides a solution for this growing problem. Copper containing material, such as meatballs, can be easily detected by XRF in a process stream of iron shred and is being used by Steinert GmbH to implement into their reliable and tough system design that is typical for the Steinert product lines. The combination of the Olympus Innov-X XRF sensor technology and Steinert's long-time experience in manufacturing sorting systems that are known for their durability and efficiency finally provides the scrap market with an automated solution for copper problems.

X-STREAM technology is capable of processing 100-150 tons of ferrous shred per hour, at a working width of approximately 2m. Depending on the in-feed, >90% of the copper meatballs can be extracted.