Hyperspectral imaging represents one of the most significant technological advances in glass sorting. Unlike conventional RGB cameras that capture three color channels, hyperspectral sensors capture hundreds of spectral bands, providing detailed information about the chemical composition of each piece of glass.
SENSORT’s implementation of hyperspectral technology in the ST-9000 series allows for the detection of glass types, coatings, and contaminants that are indistinguishable to the naked eye or conventional cameras. The system can differentiate between soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, lead crystal, and various specialty glasses.
“Hyperspectral imaging gives us a chemical fingerprint of every particle,” explained SENSORT’s Head of R&D. “We can identify not just what color a piece of glass is, but exactly what type of glass it is, whether it has coatings, and what contaminants are present — all in milliseconds.”
The technology has proven particularly valuable for removing heat-resistant glass and glass-ceramics from container glass recycling streams, two of the most challenging contaminants for traditional sorting methods.