Aluminium is a fundamental material across a wide range of industries, with the transportation, construction, and packaging sectors being some of the largest consumers. Its unique properties make it indispensable in applications where lightweight, strength, and durability are paramount. Besides the dedicated characteristics of the sectors-related alloy types, another key importance of aluminium is that recycling aluminium means 95% energy saving compared to the primary production. Further important factor is the infinite recyclability of aluminium, which not only helps but obliges the industry players to recycle it.
The aluminium industry uses a vast array of alloys, each with unique chemical compositions tailored for specific properties and applications.
As a result, modern recycling technologies face the challenge of sorting and processing these alloys to maintain their integrity and ensure the recycled material meets the required specifications.

Advanced sorting technologies are increasingly used to identify and separate different aluminum alloys before they are melted down.

LIBS-based sorters are currently the only market solution capable of delivering high-purity aluminium scrap separation at required industrial throughput rates.

The growing demand for accurate alloy separation from mixed scrap has prompted a rising number of equipment manufacturers to introduce LIBS-based sorting systems to the market.

Austin AI is a true pioneer in LIBS sensor-based sorting for the recycling sector. In partnership with Hydro Aluminium, the company holds a unique patent for scaling this technology to industrial-level throughputs

The system's unique structural architecture provides crucial advantages in real-world operating conditions—ensuring equipment longevity, low maintenance, and precise sorting accuracy under tough industrial environments.

Austin AI LIBS sorter’s strengths:

• free fall design, combined with vibratory feeders helping to minimize overlapping pieces ,
• fixed focus/fixed positioned LIBS modules to achieve a faster-analyzing rate and avoid potential failures due to continuous movement of the sensors,
• high-power laser to etch down to the base metal through most of the coatings,
• very low detection limits (0.1%–0.2%) of main alloying elements in each processed piece, reaching as low as 0.06% for copper and zinc (detectable values are matrix-dependent),
• Extraction of specific alloy of interest, not only separation 5xxx vs 6xxx,
• freely configurable sortation setting, according to the’ furnace required’ chemical composition,
• Suitable also for sorting and valorization of magnesium alloys.

We are grateful to all our customers who, after thoroughly testing the various LIBS systems available in the market today, decided to implement Austin AI LIBS sorter in their process.
As of today, nearly 30 Austin AI LIBS systems are installed worldwide - USA, India, Japan and several countries in Europe. More to come.

We can proudly mention, that some of our users already operate more than one system at their plant. Others consider buying their second. Many of  them, send the fraction sorted by the LIBS  directly to their furnace - thanks to ~100% purity of the extracted fractions.

LIBS is the benchmark technology for the recycling sector, fast establishing itself as the industrial equivalent of laboratory spark-OES (Optical Emission Spectroscopy) analysis. Our mission is to advance and expand LIBS adoption across the light metals industry.

Producing high-purity (~100%), ready to melt fractions from mixed scrap—such as shredded Zorba or downstream aluminum fractions—reduces melt times, fuel usage, and overall operating overhead.

Aluminum recycling and scrap recovery are fundamental drivers of industrial decarbonization. Fully committed to green aluminum production, we invite industry leaders to visit our testing facilities to experience the unique capabilities and operational advantages of the Austin AI LIBS system firsthand.

Watch our technology in action

Austin AI Europe operates across Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. To support our expansion, we are building a network of localized sales and service partners to ensure high-standard customer support."