Sorting of Packaging Waste: a Framework to link Gripper Technologies and Waste Classes.

Abstract

As sustainable manufacturing gains prominence, the importance of effective sorting of waste streams emerges. This study delves into robotic gripper selection, specifically for packaging waste handling and sorting. The paper starts with a 2-step approach to select a set of relevant robotic grippers that can handle the specific picking challenges of packaging waste. Specifically for a concrete multi-robot multi-gripper packaging waste sorting use case, a literature review is performed to identify the available gripper techniques and an initial gripper selection is made based on gripper integration requirements such as required robot degrees of freedom, safety and technology readiness level (TRL). Secondly, this work proposes a classification method for waste objects, considering, among others, their geometry, material, and surface structure. Subsequently, a framework for automated gripper allocation to waste objects is presented linking the selected gripper technologies and waste classes.