Metal recycling: An overview of the process and latest technological advances

Metal recycling has taken on great importance in recent years as an indispensable step  towards achieving sustainable resource management, including of the metals used in forging. Here we explore the process and the technological advances that have revolutionized our industry, optimizing processes, improving traceability and enhancing efficiency in order to achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.

What is metal recycling technology and why is it important?

Metal recycling technology is the set of processes and techniques used to recover and reuse metals present in waste streams. The recyling industry is responsible for transforming used metal objects, such as cans, cables, household appliances and vehicles, among others, into new raw material that can be used in the manufacture of new products, including the metals used and manufactured by the forging industry.

There are several important benefits of this process, as we will see below. For example, it helps to conserve natural resources, since they are limited and their extraction can have a negative impact on the environment. By recycling, the need to extract new metals via mining is reduced, which in turn reduces the air, water and soil pollution associated with this activity.

In addition, it contributes to the reduction of landfill waste and saves energy with respect to production from virgin raw materials. It also helps mitigate climate change, as the manufacture of metals from recycled materials generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional production.

The metal recycling process

This objective of reusing metals, with its resultant benefits, depends on a multi-phase process:

• Collection: Gatehring and storing any objects made of metal that are recyclable. Here it is important to separate the metals by type and condition.
• Separation: Metals are further screened and categorized, as each metal requires specific treatment.
• Fragmentation and compression: In this step the metal is broken up, crushed into smaller parts and then compacted, making it easier to handle.
• Melting: The metal is then founded or melted, so that it becomes a moldable liquid.
• Molding and cooling: Depending on the desired further use of the metal, it is formed into one shape or another. At the end of the molding process, it cools and returns to its solid state.
• Finishing and quality control: After molding and cooling, the metal undergoes multiple quality controls. If it passes, it can again enter the metal raw material market.

Economic and environmental benefits of innovation in metal recycling

Metal recycling, like any activity for the reuse of objects or materials, has a series of benefits, both economic and environmental.

• Savings in virgin materials, since metals that have been previously used are reused. Thus, it is not necessary to purchase virgin raw materials.
• Pollution reduction, and with it, a decrease in CO2 emissions and environmental damage.
• Lower production costs by not having to extract metals and process them in the same way as those being reused.
• Contribution to the circular economy, thus reducing the environmental impact and production costs. In addition, metal recycling generates employment in the value chain, from collection to transformation, thus contributing to sustainable development and the creation of a more circular and resilient economy.
• Stimulation of innovation in metal-recycling infrastructure. Firstly, this process stimulates the development of more efficient and advanced technologies for the recovery and transformation of recycled metals. In addition, new structures and objects are created and constructed from these materials, giving metals a new life and making proper use of them, instead of wasting valuable resources.

Recent trends in metal recycling technology

Fortunately, metal recycling is a sector that is constantly improving and evolving, with new trends emerging every year. With the development of new technologies and data analysis, digitalization has also come to this sector. This has made it possible to optimize the processes of sorting, separating and recovering materials. By using sensors and artificial vision systems, the different metals present in the waste stream can be identified quickly and accurately, facilitating the subsequent recycling process.

Year after year, processes based on new technologies have been implemented, improving overall recycling methodology. For example, one of the most successful implementations has been the use of advanced separation technologies: density separation, eddy current separation and magnetic separation.

Similarly, the extraction of metals itself has improved and become more efficient. For example, it is becoming more and more common to obtain metal from waste streams, making it less necessary to resort to mining.

At the same time, digitization has also made it possible to improve the traceability of materials. Through the use of technologies such as blockchain, every step of the process can be securely recorded, from waste collection to final recovery, making it possible to certify their origin and quality. This is especially important in today’s context, where the provenance and sustainability of products, fundamental pillars of ULMA Forged Solutions‘ philosophy, are increasingly valued.

In addition, information management has become easier. Through the use of specialized software and platforms, data can be collected and analyzed in real time, enabling more informed decision-making and the identification of areas for improvement. For example, patterns in the behavior of materials in certain reuse processes can be identified, facilitating parameter adjustment and process efficiency optimization.