US 11,806,759 B2
Automated aero aluminum scrap sorting system based on laser induced breakdown (LIBS) technique
Xuejing Shen, Beijing (CN); Ying Lin, Beijing (CN); Jia Liu, Beijing (CN); Rui Shen, Beijing (CN); Peng Xu, Biejing (CN); Yanbin Hu, Beijing (CN); Han Wu, Beijing (CN); Hui Wang, Beijing (CN); Jiaqing Zeng, Beijing (CN); Libin Yang, Beijing (CN); Ge Zhao, Beijing (CN); Jun Yao, Beijing (CN); and Xiaoxia Shi, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/695,977.
Application 17/695,977 is a division of application No. 16/762,632, granted, now 11,311,915, previously published as PCT/US2018/060932, filed on Nov. 14, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 201711139983.7 (CN), filed on Nov. 16, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0203406 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. B07C 5/34 (2006.01); B07C 5/342 (2006.01); B07C 5/02 (2006.01); G01N 21/71 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/342 (2013.01) [B07C 5/02 (2013.01); G01N 21/718 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for sorting metal samples, the method comprising:
at least temporarily fixing a metal sample on a transport surface carrying the metal sample along a transport path through a sorting and recovery system, the fixing performed by a clamping device of a surface treatment unit along the transport path;
during the fixing, grinding a surface area of the metal sample at a grinding device of the surface treatment unit;
analyzing the surface of the metal sample for compositional data using a LIBS analysis and detection unit to obtain detected compositional data; and
transferring the metal sample from the transport path to a recovery bin based upon the detected compositional data, the recovery bin having been previously designated for recovery of metal compositions associated with the detected compositional data.