AI-Robotic Sorting of PCB Components

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 Objective: In today's electronics recycling landscape, the efficient recovery of valuable components from printed circuit boards (PCBs) is crucial. This process not only supports sustainable practices but also helps meet the increasing demand for electronic components in manufacturing. Sorting liberated PCB components effectively presents a significant challenge, requiring precision to ensure high-value components are not damaged or discarded. AI and robotics offer a transformative solution to enhance the sorting process, improving recovery rates while reducing manual labor and errors.

By utilizing advanced AI-powered vision systems, the sorting process can be optimized to quickly and accurately identify and classify different types of components on the disassembled PCBs. AI can analyze features such as component shape, size, and markings, allowing for precise robotic handling. For example, components like resistors, capacitors, and ICs can be sorted and categorized for further use or recycling, ensuring that the most valuable parts are preserved for future manufacturing.

Solution: Leverage AI vision technology and robotics to automatically detect, classify, and sort liberated PCB components. A custom-trained neural network will analyze images of the disassembled components, enabling robotic arms to handle and sort them with high precision. This process will increase component recovery efficiency and reduce the need for manual sorting, minimizing human error and labor costs.

Status: The project has been developed to the stage where an AI model has being trained on IntelSight to recognize various types of PCB components and has been integrated with Neatco's robotic system IntelSort to perform the sorting.

Future: The next stage of this project involves seeking industry partners interested in integrating this technology into their plant floors. Collaboration with recycling and manufacturing facilities will allow for large-scale implementation, driving more efficient recovery and reuse of PCB components.