SBIR Phase I: High Speed Optoelectronic Recognition of Al, Si, and Mg Alloys

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种新型光电传感系统，用于金属的高速识别和分选，特别是含有硅和镁合金元素的铝合金。该项目的目标是开发一种商业系统，能够从铸造合金中分选锻造合金。这种新的传感器驱动技术被称为spectramet技术，最终将提供一种革命性的遥感智能机器系统（实际上是一个传感器和系统的平台），该系统将以目前无法实现的高精度和高速度准确、明确地分析和分类回收金属，并根据冶炼厂或工厂的规格定制混合金属和合金的成分。如果成功，结果将是一个商业上可行的分类系统。全球每年产生的铝废料达800万吨，其中一半是在美国产生的。如果这项技术成功，预计每公吨铝废料价值为1500美元，它将在一个价值100亿美元的铝废料分类和回收市场上创造一个范式转变。这项新技术对于帮助美国工业与低成本、劳动密集型的海外企业竞争非常重要。它将取代对新的初级生产的需求，允许将现有的美国废铝资源替代为高规格的应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will develop a novel optoelectronic sensingsystem for the high-speed identification and sorting of metals, in particular aluminum alloys containingsilicon and magnesium alloying elements. The goal of the program is to develop a commercial system thatwill be capable of sorting wrought alloys from cast alloys. This new sensor driven technology, called theSpectramet Technology, will ultimately provide a revolutionary remote sensing intelligent-machinesystem (actually a platform of sensors and systems) that will accurately and unambiguously analyze andsort recycled metals at currently unachievable high accuracy and high speeds into compositions of metalsand alloys custom mixed to smelter or mill specifications. If successful, the result would be a commercially viable sorting system.Worldwide generation of aluminum scrap amounts to 8 million metric tons per year, of which half is generated here in the U.S. If successful, applying a projected scrap value of $1500 per metric ton, this technology would create a paradigm shift in a $10 billion market for sorting and recycling scrap aluminum. The new technology would be important in helping U.S. industry compete with low cost, labor-intensive overseas operations. It would replace the need for new primary production allowing substitution of existing U.S. aluminum scrap resources into high-grade specification applications.