Waste recycling

A long history in recycling controls

RS Automation’s original portfolio describes software and electrical solutions developed for and on behalf of One Touch Automation. That work spans recycling plants across Australia and New Zealand, from conveyor control to specialist sorting and baler equipment.

Coordinate the materials flow

A recovery facility is a linked process. Conveyors, screens, separation equipment and balers need to operate as a coordinated system. The original portfolio includes sorting of steel, aluminium, cardboard, glass and different grades of plastic.

• Conveyor sequences and equipment coordination
• Specialist separation and sorting equipment
• Baler controls and touchscreens
• Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and PanelView Plus applications
• Remote access arrangements and commissioning
• Electrical testing and commissioning experience

Examples from the existing portfolio

Publicly listed facilities include Visy Recycling sites, JR Richards recycling facilities, Australian Bale Press projects, SUEZ facilities and EcoDrop Christchurch. These are historical project references from the original website; they provide context for the types of plant involved.

Discuss your facility

Tell us about your material streams, installed equipment and the part of the process you want to change. For an upgrade, include the existing controller and operator interface details, together with any planned changes to the line.

Follow material through the plant

Discuss the feed point, sorting equipment, conveyors, transfer sections and baler as one connected process. A downstream restriction can affect several upstream sections. Define the dependencies before revising individual machine sequences.

• Feed availability and downstream capacity
• Conveyor start/stop coordination
• Separation-equipment readiness and status
• Baler availability and material transfer

Help operators find the affected section

A plant overview should identify the section preventing operation and let the operator inspect relevant details. Specific equipment names, clear fault messages and accessible status information make the control system easier to understand.

• Plant-area navigation and equipment naming
• Conveyor and machine status
• Fault information and relevant permissives
• Operator access to agreed settings

Plan modifications around existing equipment

For an existing recycling plant, record the controls, drawings and available backups. Describe the proposed change and how it affects other sections. Equipment upgrades, feed changes and reporting additions should be coordinated with production and commissioning arrangements.

• Existing controller and operator interface
• Equipment interfaces affected by the modification
• Shutdown windows and test requirements
• Software backup, drawings and handover scope