Metal sorting : TOMRA's new FINDER™ raises the bar for metal recovery, flexibility and waste sorting

Recyclers today face a familiar set of pressures: tighter margins, increasingly complex material streams and the need to handle a wider range of inputs without expanding their equipment footprint. TOMRA's new FINDER™ is designed to address all three. Built on a modular, multisensor architecture, the platform allows operators to configure and expand the system with precisely the sensors they require — whether processing shredded end-of-life vehicles, E-scrap or mixed non-ferrous fractions containing copper, brass and insulated wire.

A revised mechanical design supports plug-and-play integration, reducing installation time and cost whilst improving service accessibility. The result is a system that can serve multiple sorting applications from a single installation.

"Recycling operations today face tightening margins, stiffer competition and more complex material streams for recovering non-ferrous metals," explains Tom Jansen, VP and Head of Segments for TOMRA Recycling. "TOMRA's response is the new FINDER™ which features a more robust design that expands sorting flexibility to a maximum. It allows recyclers to use one system for a broader and more demanding range of metal applications, while adapting to changing material inputs."

At the heart of the new design is a powerful next-generation electromagnetic (EM) sensor for metal versus non-metal sorting. New valve blocks and an automatic variable air unit improve ejection control, enhance response time and reduce air consumption, whilst new soft nozzle guards and gap fillers help minimise wear and reduce downtime.

The platform also supports near-infrared (NIR) sensor integration, enabling high-precision separation of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and plastics in E-scrap recycling, as well as the removal of insulated wire from the material stream. TOMRA's optional DEEP LAISER™ adds object recognition capabilities that support negative sorting — enabling the precise removal of non-metals such as black plastics from metal fractions.

An optional high-definition RGB camera with AI-enabled object processing further extends capability, enabling the separation of insulated wires and thin, adjacent or overlapping objects regardless of object height.

FINDER™ can also be combined with GAINnext™, TOMRA's deep-learning solution that leverages artificial neural networks to address highly complex material classification tasks. As TOMRA's deep learning ecosystem grows, this integration is expected to unlock further sorting applications in the future.

"With a single modular system, the next-generation FINDER™ offers multiple sensor technologies, so customers can configure the system precisely to their operational needs," says Ralph Uepping, SVP and Head of Technology for TOMRA Recycling. "It is a solution designed for today and tomorrow, enabling plant operators to even add or upgrade sensor technologies over time. All sensors and software are developed in-house, ensuring reliable, high-performance results."

Digitalisation is built into the platform from the outset. Integrated digital tools allow operators to manage all sorting machines from a single interface on the plant network, with updates delivered every second on machine status and performance trends. The optional TOMRA Insight cloud-based data platform adds full visibility of machine health and material flow, enabling rapid responses to changing infeed conditions, purity requirements or product targets.

"Its digital updates give recyclers more control and confidence in every sorting application," adds Jansen.

Designed to upgrade mixed non-ferrous fractions, clean stainless steel and separate metals from non-metals across a wide range of applications, FINDER™ positions itself as a practical tool for operators seeking to strengthen their contribution to the circular economy. Its modular nature means that sensor upgrades can be added over time, protecting the initial investment whilst supporting continuously improving recovery rates.

TOMRA will showcase the new FINDER™ at IFAT 2026, taking place from 4 to 7 May in Munich, Germany, at stand 339 in Hall B6.