Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH installed an AUTOSORT™ PULSE system supplied by TOMRA at its metals sorting plant in Gaggenau, southwestern Germany. The investment is part of the KANAL project, a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
“This is a very exciting project for TOMRA to be involved in, and we are delighted that Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH is reaping the benefits that our AUTOSORT PULSE can offer,” said Frank van de Winkel, market strategy manager – Metal at TOMRA Recycling. “With the European Union’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the Green Deal, and the specific target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under the ‘Fit for 55’ initiative, there has never been a more crucial time to explore ways of making the aluminum supply chain more sustainable.”
The KANAL Project
The KANAL project is an ambitious initiative aimed at closing the loop on aluminum scrap generated in automotive production. KANAL stands for “Kreislaufsystem für funktionales Aluminium-Neuschrottrecycling aus der Automobilproduktion mittels LIPS,” which translates to “Circular System for Functional Aluminum Scrap Recycling from Automotive Production Using LIBS.”
The Є3.9 million KANAL project is being conducted by TOMRA, Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH, Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and engineers from Jeanvré to prove that aluminum production scrap can be effectively sorted and transformed into high-quality secondary aluminum. The consortium is using TOMRA’s dynamic laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (Dynamic LIBS) technology. Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH is both a research and field validation partner in this pioneering project.
The goals of the KANAL research project are as follows:
- Step 1 – separation of 5xxx and 6xxx aluminum post-production scrap
- Step 2 – separation of individual 5xxx and 6xxx alloys
- Step 3 – separation of other post-consumer aluminum scrap
The project’s development spanned several years, with initial discussions beginning around 2018, when Gerhard Lang Recycling GmbH consulted with TOMRA regarding the plant’s new aluminum sorting process. The AUTOSORT PULSE was successfully installed and started up in early 2024 and is now providing precision sorting of aluminum alloy stamping scrap generated from automotive production.
Sorting Wrought Alloys
Gerhard Lang’s metals sorting plant in Gaggenau collects stamping scrap — the excess metal material that is removed during the metal stamping process for the production of car parts and panels — as an infeed material. While highly efficient, the stamping process inevitably generates significant amounts of scrap, with an estimated 30-50% of the material being discarded. The aluminum scrap comprises a mixture of 5xxx (high-magnesium) and 6xxx (low-magnesium) aluminum wrought alloys that are employed in different components within automotive production. Given the alloys’ identical appearance and density, traditional sorting methods are ineffective, thus more advanced sorting solutions are required.
Upon arrival at the Gaggenau plant, the material is shredded before undergoing a multi-stage magnetic separation process to remove the ferrous metals. In a next step, the non-ferrous material is then fed into the AUTOSORT PULSE for advanced sorting system, which uses Dynamic LIBS technology to precisely analyze the elemental composition of each material and on highly advanced dynamic laser detection, making it capable of distinguishing between aluminum alloys.
Additionally, object singulation allows the sorting system to accurately identify and separate even overlapping and adjacent materials, maximizing yield and efficiency in the sorting process. Its 3D object scanning feature recognizes the shape, height, and position of the object and identifies the ideal shooting point for the Dynamic LIBS laser. This laser offers two focus modes: multi-point where the laser shoots in a line across the sample and single-point where the laser drills down into a specific spot, providing ideal detection conditions. The latter, developed by TOMRA, has demonstrated superior performance in tests.
Another key benefit of AUTOSORT PULSE is its ability to minimize contamination and subsequently enhance the value and marketability of the recycled materials. The system’s precision sorting reduces the risk of cross-contamination, safeguarding the integrity of the recycled materials and ensuring that they are suitable for their intended applications.
Prior to the installation of this new sorting unit, the Gerhard Lang team sold the mixed material to aluminum manufacturers immediately after the shredding process, as there was no efficient solution on the market to separate the high- and low-magnesium aluminum alloys. Thanks to the new sorting system, these alloys are now sorted into different products, allowing Gerhard Lang to produce exceptionally high purity 5xxx and 6xxx aluminum scrap.
“With the integration of AUTOSORT PULSE, we are able to process a throughput of around 4-7 tons per hour and achieve exceptionally high purity levels, exceeding 95% and potentially reaching 97%,” said Maximilian Lang, managing director at Gerhard Lang Recycling. “As a result, our material is suitable for use in the production of aluminum without downgrading. We can now sell the recovered materials to leading aluminum manufacturers and recyclers for direct integration into the production of new aluminum alloys. What’s more, we are considering the potential to explore additional applications for other aluminum alloys.”