GREENTEC E-Scrap Robot

GREENTEC E-Scrap Robot

Learn about GREENTEC, a Canadian electronic recycling company.

Greentec robot dismantling drives for magnet recovery

Posted on May 31, 2019by Colin Staub – E-Scrap News An e-scrap processor is installing a robotic sorting cell to take apart hard drives and recover each component of the device. Cambridge, Ontario-based Greentec has worked with nearby Conestoga College on several research projects over the years.

“Their latest collaboration, called Project Lexi, is “a robotic cell that’s going to completely dismantle a hard drive in less than a minute,” Perrotta explained. The system allows Greentec to recover all components within the drive, including the rare earth magnets, circuit board, stainless steel cover, aluminum casing, disk and more. “

“One of the big problems you have when you process and shred a hard drive is the rare earth magnets get commingled with the steel and other ferrous extractions,” Perrotta said. “They get caught up in the screens and the shredder blades, and it’s very difficult to recover them.”

Typically, there are two rare earth magnets inside each drive, he explained. And with the company bringing in up to eight tons of hard drives per month, the volume of potentially recoverable magnets is significant.

Thanks to GREENTEC for their leadership!