Information processing device, recycling system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

From a recycling perspective, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simpler and more detailed manner. [Solution] An information processing device 10 includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition based on the results of analyzing the composition of the article; and a determination unit that determines which group the article belongs to based on the acquired information and a predetermined relationship between each of a plurality of groups to which the article is classified and the information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an information processing apparatus, a recycling system, an information processing method, and an information processing program.

Background Art

[0002] Products made of resin materials (hereinafter referred to as "resin products") are widely used in various fields and industries. In recent years, improper disposal of used resin products has caused water quality and soil pollution, or the carbon dioxide emitted during incineration has led to global warming, and the treatment of resin products has caused various environmental problems. In order to solve these problems, efforts to recycle resin products have become increasingly important.

[0003] Among the resin products collected for recycling, there are products made of various types of resin materials mixed together. Therefore, for example, there is a possibility that resin products that are not suitable for recycling, such as those containing regulated substances, may be mixed in the collected materials. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and exclude them from the collected resin products in order to perform appropriate recycling processing. Also, it is necessary to change the processing method according to the type of additives contained in the resin material, etc., in order to perform appropriate recycling processing.

[0004] Therefore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 provides a method for reusing a recycled resin material that blends a marking substance into a molding resin material, detects the marking substance in the recycled resin material, estimates a molded product or its related substances, and performs efficient recycling cleaning.

[0005] Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 provides a method for producing an inorganic substance powder-containing polyolefin resin molded article containing a plant-derived polyolefin resin, an inorganic substance powder, and a resin component derived from waste plastic raw materials in proportions of 5-20% by mass, 10-40% by mass, and 50-70% by mass, respectively, and is characterized by comprising a resin sorting step of sorting one or more waste plastic raw materials from waste plastic, a preparation step of preparing a waste plastic preparation raw material from the sorted one or more waste plastic raw materials, and a mixing step of mixing the plant-derived polyolefin resin and the waste plastic preparation raw material. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-107090 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-143234 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, a marking agent is required to identify the molding resin material of the molded product recovered after use.

[0008] Furthermore, while the technology described in Patent Document 2 sorts resin types containing inorganic substance powder using a predetermined analytical method, it was not possible to perform detailed sorting according to the inorganic element.

[0009] This disclosure is made in view of the above points, and aims to provide an information processing device, a recycling system, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can classify articles made of resin compositions in a simple and detailed manner from a recycling perspective. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A first aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition from the results of analyzing the composition of the article; and a determination unit that determines which group the article belongs to based on the acquired information and a predetermined relationship between the information and each of a plurality of groups to which the article is classified.

[0011] According to the information processing device of the first embodiment, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simple and more detailed manner from the standpoint of recycling.

[0012] A second aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus of the first aspect, wherein the resin composition includes an inorganic substance that is not added for the purpose of marking, and the information is information relating to the amount of each type of inorganic element constituting the inorganic substance.

[0013] A third aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus of the second aspect, wherein the inorganic substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, talc, inorganic pigments, flame retardants containing inorganic elements, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antimicrobial agents, and catalyst residues.

[0014] According to the second or third embodiment of the information processing apparatus, articles made of resin compositions can be classified without the addition of a marking agent.

[0015] A fourth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the resin composition comprises an inorganic substance whose content in the resin composition is 0.1 mass percent or more, and the information is information relating to the amount of each type of inorganic element constituting the inorganic substance.

[0016] A fifth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus of the fourth aspect, wherein the inorganic substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, talc, inorganic pigments, flame retardants containing inorganic elements, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antimicrobial agents, and catalyst residues.

[0017] According to the information processing apparatus of the fourth or fifth aspect, an inorganic substance having a content of less than 0.1 mass percent can be regarded as being added for the purpose of marking.

[0018] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus of the first aspect, wherein the plurality of groups are a plurality of groups classified according to the product information of the article.

[0019] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus of the sixth aspect, wherein the product information includes at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of information regarding the country of manufacture of the article, information regarding the manufacturer, and information regarding the production lot.

[0020] According to the information processing apparatus of the sixth or seventh aspect, an article to be discriminated can be appropriately classified into a group corresponding to the product information of the article.

[0021] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first aspect to the seventh aspect, further including a registration unit that creates a database showing the relationship based on information on the amount of each type of inorganic element for each of the plurality of articles and registers it in the storage unit.

[0022] According to the information processing apparatus of the eighth aspect, articles can be classified based on the created database.

[0023] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus of the eighth aspect, wherein the registration unit obtains an average value and a standard deviation of the concentration of each type of inorganic element obtained by analyzing a plurality of points of the article, calculates a coefficient of variation for each type of inorganic element based on the average value and the standard deviation, and extracts the inorganic element whose coefficient of variation value is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold as an element to be used for creating the database.

[0024] According to the information processing apparatus of the ninth aspect, a database can be created by excluding inorganic elements whose concentration varies for each measurement.

[0025] A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus according to the ninth aspect, wherein the registration unit compares the average value and the standard deviation of the concentrations of elements to be the creation targets of at least two or more of the databases, extracts a target element from the elements to be the creation targets of the databases, registers, in the storage unit, as a database indicating the relationship, a grouping of articles based on a threshold value set for information regarding the amount for each type of the target element, and the determination unit compares the information regarding the amount for each type of the target element acquired by the acquisition unit for the article to be determined with the database, and determines the group to which the article to be determined belongs.

[0026] According to the information processing apparatus of the tenth aspect, it is possible to determine the group to which an article belongs by focusing on inorganic elements effective for grouping.

[0027] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus according to the tenth aspect, wherein the registration unit sets the threshold value for each concentration of the target element or the ratio of the concentrations of the target elements as the information regarding the amount for each type of the target element.

[0028] According to the information processing apparatus of the eleventh aspect, articles made of a resin composition can be classified in more detail.

[0029] A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing apparatus according to the eighth aspect, wherein the registration unit updates the database registered in the storage unit based on the result of the determination of the group of the article by the determination unit.

[0030] According to the information processing apparatus of the twelfth aspect, articles can be classified based on the latest determination result.

[0031] A thirteenth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device of any one of the first to seventh aspects, further comprising a registration unit that registers a learning model, which has been trained using machine learning with information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit for a learning item as an explanatory variable and the correct answer of the group to which the learning item belongs as the objective variable, as a relationship in the storage unit, and a discrimination unit that uses the information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit for a learning item and the learning model to determine the group to which the item to be discriminated belongs.

[0032] According to the 13th embodiment of the information processing device, since the group to which an item belongs is determined by machine learning, it can handle new patterns and exceptional cases, and can also process large amounts of input data, compared to the case where a database is created to determine the group to which an item belongs.

[0033] A fourteenth aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus of any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein the result of analyzing the composition of an article made of the resin composition is the result of X-ray fluorescence analysis.

[0034] According to the information processing apparatus of the 14th embodiment, fluorescent X-ray analysis can be used for the analysis of the resin composition.

[0035] A 15th aspect of this disclosure is an information processing apparatus of any one of the 1st to 14th aspects, wherein the inorganic element is at least one of Si, Ca, Mg, Ti, Cu, Mo, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Ba, Au, Ag, Pt, Cd, Sr, Y, and In.

[0036] According to the information processing apparatus of the 15th embodiment, it is possible to obtain information regarding the amount of inorganic elements constituting the inorganic filler, talc, and inorganic pigment, as well as the inorganic elements contained in the article of the resin composition, including flame retardants, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antibacterial agents, and catalyst residues.

[0037] A sixteenth aspect of this disclosure is a recycling system comprising: an information processing device (one of the first to fifteenth aspects); a sorting device (a device that sorts the articles based on the groups of articles determined by the discrimination unit); and a recycling device (a device that recycles the articles for each group sorted by the sorting device in a manner appropriate to the group).

[0038] According to the recycling system of the 16th embodiment, the entire recycling process can be made more efficient.

[0039] A 17th aspect of this disclosure is an information processing method, wherein a computer performs a process to determine which group an article belongs to based on the results of analyzing the composition of an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition, obtaining information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition, and determining which group the article belongs to based on the obtained information and a predetermined relationship between the information and each of a plurality of groups to which the article is classified.

[0040] According to the information processing method of the 17th embodiment, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simple and more detailed manner from the standpoint of recycling.

[0041] A 18th aspect of this disclosure is an information processing program which causes a computer to perform a process that obtains information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition from the results of analyzing the composition of the article, and determines which group the article belongs to based on the obtained information and a predetermined relationship between the information and each of a plurality of groups to which the article is classified.

[0042] According to the information processing program of the 18th embodiment, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simple and more detailed manner from a recycling perspective. [Effects of the Invention]

[0043] According to the disclosed technology, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simpler and more detailed manner from a recycling perspective. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0044] [Figure 1] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the first and second embodiments. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the first and second embodiments. [Figure 3] This table shows the results of measuring the items using X-ray fluorescence analysis. [Figure 4] This graph compares the mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of the elements being evaluated. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the registration process in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the discrimination process in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of threshold setting. [Figure 8] This table shows other examples of results obtained by measuring items using X-ray fluorescence analysis. [Figure 9] This graph shows another example comparing the mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of the elements being evaluated. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the overall configuration of the recycling system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing the recycling process in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0045] An example of an embodiment of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual ratios.

[0046] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, storage 14, input / output I / F (Interface) 15, and communication I / F 16. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 17 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0047] The CPU 11 is the central processing unit, which executes various programs and controls each component. Specifically, the CPU 11 reads programs from the ROM 12 and executes them using the RAM 13 as its working area. The CPU 11 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the programs stored in the ROM 12. The CPU 11 is also responsible for processing each of the functional units shown in Figure 2.

[0048] The storage device, comprised of ROM12, stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data. ROM12 also stores processing programs for executing the registration and identification processes described later.

[0049] The memory configured by RAM13 temporarily stores programs and data as a working area.

[0050] The storage 14 consists of HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) and SSDs (Solid State Drives), and stores various types of data. The storage 14 also functions as the memory unit 105 shown in Figure 2, storing various information such as the database, threshold settings, and grouping settings described later. Note that the storage 14 does not necessarily need to be built into the information processing device 10; for example, it could be a portable storage device detachable from the information processing device 10, or an external cloud server could be used as the storage device.

[0051] The input / output interface 15 is an interface for communicating with input and output devices located outside the information processing device 10. The input devices include pointing devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and are used for various types of input. The output devices include, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and are devices for outputting various types of information. The output devices may also function as input devices by employing a touch panel system.

[0052] Communication I / F16 is an interface for communicating with other devices outside the information processing device 10. For such communication, a wired communication standard such as Ethernet® or FDDI, or a wireless communication standard such as 4G, 5G, or Wi-Fi® may be used.

[0053] Referring to Figure 2, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing device 10 includes an acquisition unit 101, a registration unit 102, and a discrimination unit 103. A storage unit 105 is also provided in a predetermined storage area of ​​the storage 14. The CPU 11 executes a processing program stored in the ROM 12, thereby enabling the acquisition unit 101, registration unit 102, and discrimination unit 103 to function. The storage unit 105 stores a database, threshold settings, and grouping settings, which will be described later.

[0054] The acquisition unit 101 acquires information regarding the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition from the results of analyzing the composition of the article made of the resin composition. Here, the resin composition in the first embodiment includes at least one inorganic substance selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, talc, inorganic pigments, flame retardants containing inorganic elements, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antibacterial agents, and catalyst residues. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, it is assumed that this inorganic substance is not added solely for the purpose of marking to identify article information, etc. In other words, in the first embodiment, this inorganic substance is not added for the purpose of marking, but rather to exhibit various functions such as mechanical properties of the resin composition, the molded article obtained by molding it, the article, etc. Note that inorganic substances added for the purpose of marking are often less than 0.1 mass percent in the resin composition, so information may be acquired for inorganic substances with a content of 0.1 mass percent or more. More preferably, information may be acquired for inorganic substances with a content of 1 mass percent or more. The inorganic elements whose information is to be acquired may be Si, Ca, Mg, Ti, Cu, Mo, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Ba, Au, Ag, Pt, Cd, Sr, Y, In, etc. The acquisition unit 101 acquires information on the amount of each type of inorganic element that constitutes the inorganic substance as described above.

[0055] Specifically, the acquisition unit 101 acquires the analysis results obtained by analyzing the composition of an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition at multiple measurement points (e.g., 5 points) per article using an analytical instrument, as information regarding the amount of each type of inorganic element. The composition analysis methods include, for example, X-ray fluorescence analysis, glow discharge mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, ICP emission spectrometry, ICP mass spectrometry, ICP mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared absorption spectroscopy, FT-IR, and hyperspectral cameras, and an analytical instrument is used according to the analysis method.

[0056] Figure 3 shows an example of the concentration of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit 101, specifically an example of the analysis results of a polyethylene fabric by X-ray fluorescence analysis. In the example in Figure 3, Table 140 is shown, which includes the concentrations of each inorganic element detected by X-ray fluorescence analysis. In the example in Figure 3, product information for each item (details described later) is also shown along with the concentration of the inorganic elements. Each item is also assigned a sample number as identification information. Hereafter, the item with sample number i will be referred to as "sample i". In the example in Figure 3, it is shown that the concentration of Ca in sample a is 0.5 mass%, the concentration of Ti is 0.9 mass%, and the concentration of Si is 0.1 mass%. However, the entire item being measured is considered to be 100 mass%. Note that in the example in Figure 3, the concentration of each inorganic element is the average value of the concentrations at five measurement points.

[0057] The registration unit 102 creates a database showing predetermined relationships between information and each of the multiple groups, based on information regarding the quantity of each type of inorganic element for each of the multiple articles, and registers it in the storage unit 105. The multiple groups are groups classified by the product information of the articles. The product information of the articles includes manufacturer information such as information about the country of manufacture, information about the manufacturer, information about the manufacturing plant, and information about the manufacturing line, as well as manufacturing timing information such as information about the manufacturing lot and information about the manufacturing date. Preferably, the product information of the articles includes at least one piece of information consisting of information about the country of manufacture, information about the manufacturer, and information about the manufacturing lot.

[0058] Specifically, the registration unit 102 obtains the average value and standard deviation of the concentration of each inorganic element from the analysis results of multiple measurement points obtained by the acquisition unit 101 for each item. If the analysis results from the analytical device output the average value and standard deviation of the concentration, the registration unit 102 may also obtain the average value and standard deviation of the concentration included in the analysis results obtained by the acquisition unit 101.

[0059] The registration unit 102 calculates the coefficient of variation for each type of inorganic element based on the average concentration and standard deviation of each inorganic element that has been calculated or acquired, and extracts inorganic elements whose coefficient of variation is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (for example, 10%) as elements to be used to create the database. Here, the coefficient of variation is the value obtained by dividing the standard deviation by the mean and multiplying the result by 100. The elements extracted here are hereinafter referred to as "elements to be evaluated". In the example in Figure 3, if the coefficient of variation of each inorganic element is less than or equal to the threshold (10%), the registration unit 102 extracts Ca, Ti, and Si as elements to be evaluated.

[0060] The registration unit 102 compares the mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of at least two or more elements to be evaluated and extracts elements of interest from the elements to be evaluated. Specifically, the registration unit 102 compares the mean concentrations of each inorganic element of the elements to be evaluated across multiple items and extracts elements of interest for which there are items whose concentrations fall outside the standard deviation range. Figure 4 is a graph 150 comparing the mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of the elements to be evaluated for each item (sample). In the example in Figure 4, the registration unit 102 extracts Ca and Ti as elements of interest, which are elements to be evaluated for which there are items whose mean concentrations fall outside the range of the standard deviation of the concentrations of other items. Note that the method of extracting elements of interest is not limited to this example, and other methods may be used, such as extracting elements to be evaluated for which there are items whose deviation between the mean concentration of a certain item and the mean concentration of all items is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0061] The registration unit 102 registers the grouping of items based on thresholds set for the concentration of each type of element of interest in the storage unit 105 as a database showing the relationship between the items and the concentrations of the elements of interest. Specifically, the registration unit 102 displays a screen for receiving thresholds for each element of interest for each group according to the product information. The registration unit 102 receives the thresholds entered via the screen by the user after they have determined that each sample should be classified into a group according to the product information, and registers them as a database.

[0062] For example, suppose the registration unit 102 receives the following threshold values ​​for the elements of interest Ca and Ti. The threshold for Ca concentration is 1% The threshold for Ti concentration is 0.5% In this case, the registration unit 102 registers the definition of the group based on the concentration of the element of interest in the database, as shown below. Group A: Ca concentration less than 1% and Ti concentration less than 0.5% Group B: Ca concentration less than 1% and Ti concentration 0.5% or more. Group C: Ca concentration of 1% or more and Ti concentration of less than 0.5% Group D: Ca concentration of 1% or more and Ti concentration of 0.5% or more Furthermore, the concentration thresholds for each element of interest do not need to be the same across all groups; different thresholds may be set for the same element depending on the group. Also, although we have classified the data into four groups here, there is no particular limit to the number of groups; at least two or more groups are sufficient.

[0063] Furthermore, the registration unit 102 updates the database registered in the storage unit 105 based on the results of the discrimination unit 103, which will be described later, in determining the group of items. Specifically, the registration unit 102 registers the number of items for each group determined by the discrimination unit 103 in the database. Then, the registration unit 102 evaluates the number of items for each group, and based on the evaluation result, it resets the threshold and updates the definition of the group division. For example, the registration unit 102 may reset the threshold so as to reduce the bias in the number of items for each group.

[0064] The discrimination unit 103 determines which group an item belongs to based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 and a predetermined relationship between each of the multiple groups and the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition. Specifically, the discrimination unit 103 compares the concentration of each type of element of interest (average value of multiple measurement points) included in the analysis results acquired by the acquisition unit 101 for the item to be discriminated against with the definition of groups based on the concentration of the element of interest registered in the database to determine which group the item to be discriminated against belongs to. For example, if the Ca concentration of the item to be discriminated against is 0.5% and the Ti concentration is 1.0% for the definitions of groups A to D above, the discrimination unit 103 will determine that the item to be discriminated against belongs to group B. Since there is an appropriate recycling method (including cases where recycling is not applicable) depending on the product information of the item, the group discrimination result of the item can be said to correspond to the recycling method applicable to the item.

[0065] Furthermore, when the discrimination unit 103 identifies a group of items, it obtains the weight of each item and registers it in the database. The discrimination unit 103 then calculates the total weight for each group by summing the weights of each item within that group. Alternatively, the discrimination unit 103 may register the total weight for each group in the database and then obtain the weight of any newly identified items and add it to the total weight for that group. If the weight per item is constant, the discrimination unit 103 may convert the number of items in each group registered in the database into a total weight for each group using the weight per item. Specifically, if the weight per item of polyethylene fabric is 3 kg and the number of items identified as group A is 100, the discrimination unit 103 calculates the total weight of group A as 300 kg.

[0066] Next, the operation of the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the registration process. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the discrimination process. The CPU 11 of the information processing device 10 executes the registration process shown in Figure 5 and the discrimination process shown in Figure 6. Each process in the information processing device 10 is executed by the CPU 11 functioning as an acquisition unit 101, a registration unit 102, and a discrimination unit 103.

[0067] The registration process shown in Figure 5 will now be explained. In step S100 of Figure 5, the CPU 11 obtains the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis at five measurement points for each item using the analyzer. In step S102, the CPU 11 obtains the five-point mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of inorganic elements included in the obtained analysis results. In step S104, the CPU 11 calculates the coefficient of variation based on the mean and standard deviation. In step S106, the CPU 11 extracts inorganic elements whose coefficient of variation values ​​are below a predetermined threshold as elements to be evaluated.

[0068] In step S108, the CPU 11 compares the average concentrations of the elements to be evaluated across the items and extracts the elements of interest for which at least one item's average value falls outside the standard deviation. In step S110, the CPU 11 registers the definition of the grouping, which has a threshold set for the concentration of the elements of interest, as a database. Then, the registration process ends.

[0069] The discrimination process shown in Figure 6 will now be explained. In step S200 of Figure 6, the CPU 11 obtains the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis at five measurement points for each item to be discriminated against. In step S202, the CPU 11 compares the obtained inorganic element concentrations with the database. In step S204, the CPU 11 classifies the items into groups based on the information in the database. In step S206, the CPU 11 registers the discrimination results in the database. Then, the discrimination process ends.

[0070] As described above, the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment includes an acquisition unit 101 that acquires information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition from the results of analyzing the composition of an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition, and a discrimination unit 103 that determines which group the article belongs to based on the acquired information and a predetermined relationship between each of the multiple groups to which the article is classified and the information on the amount of each type of inorganic element. Therefore, with the information processing device 10, articles made of resin compositions can be classified in a simple and more detailed manner from the viewpoint of recycling.

[0071] In the first embodiment, articles are sorted based on groups corresponding to their product information. However, articles manufactured in a specific country or by a specific manufacturer may contain specific additives not found in articles of other groups, or they may contain larger amounts of specific additives. When recycling such articles, it may be necessary to perform a specific recycling process suitable for the specific additive, or it may be undesirable to recycle them mixed with articles of other groups. Therefore, by defining the group of articles based on information regarding the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition (in the above embodiment, the concentration of inorganic elements), as in this embodiment, even when articles with unknown product information are recovered, they can be identified into the appropriate group according to the recycling method.

[0072] In the first embodiment, the threshold for grouping was described as being set for the concentration of each element of interest, as information regarding the amount of each type of element of interest. However, the method is not limited to this, and the threshold may also be set for the ratio of the concentrations of the elements of interest. For example, if Ca and Ti are extracted as elements of interest, the registration unit 102 may calculate the ratio of the concentration of Ca to the concentration of Ti in multiple articles and set the threshold for grouping as the value of this ratio. In this way, the registration unit 102 creates a database showing the relationship between the articles and the ratio of the concentrations of the elements of interest, and registers it in the storage unit 105.

[0073] Figure 7 is Table 160, which shows the concentration of the element of interest or the ratio of concentrations of the elements of interest, and the threshold. In Figure 7, "100 layers" refers to the case where 100 layers of polyethylene fabric, an example of an item, are stacked and analyzed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. On the other hand, "1 layer" refers to the case where one layer of polyethylene fabric, another example of an item, is analyzed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. The reason for separating the analysis results for 100 layers and 1 layer is that even with the same polyethylene fabric, the concentrations of inorganic elements differ depending on whether 100 layers are measured or 1 layer is measured. However, for example, the ratio of Ca concentration to Ti concentration remains approximately constant regardless of the number of layers, so comparing the ratios of concentrations of inorganic elements is effective.

[0074] An example of how to define grouping by concentration ratio in this case is shown below. Group A: Ca concentration / Ti concentration less than 3 Group B: Ca concentration / Ti concentration of 3 or higher

[0075] In the example shown in Figure 7, using thresholds set for the concentration of each element of interest, the analysis results for 100 layers can be appropriately classified into samples a-c and samples d-f. On the other hand, for the analysis results for a single layer, all samples are classified into the same group. Using thresholds set for the concentration ratios of the elements of interest mentioned above, samples a-c and samples d-f can be appropriately classified regardless of the stacking state. In other words, in recycling settings, the stacking state of recycled materials such as polyethylene fabrics is not always the same, and it may not be possible to uniformize the stacking state for each material. By using thresholds set for the concentration ratios of the elements of interest, samples can be appropriately classified even in such cases.

[0076] Furthermore, while the first embodiment described a case in which the discrimination unit 103 determines the group to which an item belongs based on a database previously registered in the storage unit 105, the system is not limited to this. For example, the registration unit 102 uses information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit 101 for the learning item as an explanatory variable, and the correct answer for the group to which the learning item belongs as the objective variable to create a machine learning model, which is then registered in the storage unit 105 as a predetermined relationship between the information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element and the group. The discrimination unit 103 may use the information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit 101 for the item to be discriminated against, along with the learning model, to determine the group to which the item to be discriminated against belongs.

[0077] Furthermore, although the first embodiment described an example where the article is a polyethylene fabric, the technology of this disclosure is applicable to other articles as well. Below, we will describe the case where the article is an instrument panel for an automobile.

[0078] Figure 8 shows an example of the concentration of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit 101, specifically an example of the analysis results of an automobile instrument panel by X-ray fluorescence analysis. In the example in Figure 8, Table 240 is shown, which includes the concentrations of each inorganic element detected by X-ray fluorescence analysis in each item. In the example in Figure 8, the concentration of Ca in sample (A) is 0.4 mass%, the concentration of Ti is 0.1 mass%, and the concentration of Si is 11.0 mass%. Note that in the example in Figure 8, the concentration of each inorganic element is the average value of the concentrations at three measurement points.

[0079] Similar to the first embodiment, the registration unit 102 calculates the coefficient of variation for each type of inorganic element and extracts inorganic elements whose coefficient of variation value is below a predetermined threshold (for example, 10%) as elements to be evaluated. In the example in Figure 8, if the coefficient of variation value for each inorganic element is below the threshold (10%), the registration unit 102 extracts Ca, Ti, and Si as elements to be evaluated. Also, similar to the first embodiment, the registration unit 102 compares the average value and standard deviation of the concentrations of the elements to be evaluated and extracts elements of interest from the elements to be evaluated. Figure 9 is a graph 250 comparing the average value and standard deviation of the concentrations of the elements to be evaluated for each item (sample). In the example in Figure 9, the registration unit 102 extracts Ca, Ti, and Si as elements of interest, which are elements to be evaluated for which there are items whose average concentration value is outside the range of the standard deviation of the concentrations of other items, and registers the grouping of items based on the threshold set for the concentration of each type of element of interest in the storage unit 105 as a database showing the relationship between the items and the concentrations of the elements of interest.

[0080] For example, suppose the registration unit 102 has received the following threshold values ​​for the elements of interest Ca, Ti, and Si. The threshold for Ca concentration is 0.3%. The threshold for Ti concentration is 0.2%. • The threshold for Si concentration is 14% In this case, the registration unit 102 registers the definition of the group based on the concentration of the element of interest in the database, as shown below. Group A': Ca concentration less than 0.3%, Ti concentration less than 0.2%, and Si concentration less than 14% Group B': Ca concentration less than 0.3%, Ti concentration 0.2% or more, and Si concentration less than 14% Group C': Ca concentration less than 0.3%, Ti concentration less than 0.2%, and Si concentration 14% or more. Group D': Ca concentration less than 0.3%, Ti concentration 0.2% or more, and Si concentration 14% or more. Group E': Ca concentration is 0.3% or higher, Ti concentration is less than 0.2%, and Si concentration is less than 14%. Group F': Ca concentration of 0.3% or higher, Ti concentration of 0.2% or higher, and Si concentration of less than 14%. Group G': Ca concentration is 0.3% or higher, Ti concentration is less than 0.2%, and Si concentration is 14% or higher. Group H': Ca concentration of 0.3% or higher, Ti concentration of 0.2% or higher, and Si concentration of 14% or higher. Furthermore, the concentration thresholds for each element of interest do not need to be the same across all groups; different thresholds may be set for the same element of interest depending on the group.

[0081] The discrimination unit 103 determines which group an article belongs to based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 and a predetermined relationship between each of the multiple groups and the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition. Specifically, the discrimination unit 103 compares the concentration of each type of element of interest (average value of multiple measurement points) included in the analysis results acquired by the acquisition unit 101 for the article to be discriminated against with the definition of groups based on the concentration of the element of interest registered in the database to determine which group the article to be discriminated against belongs to. For example, if the Ca concentration of the article to be discriminated against is 0.2%, the Ti concentration is 0.3%, and the Si concentration is 13.5% for the above definition of groups A' to H', the discrimination unit 103 will determine that the article to be discriminated against belongs to group B'.

[0082] Furthermore, while the first embodiment described a case where thresholds are set for the concentration of each inorganic element so that each sample is classified into a group according to product information, the invention is not limited to this. Thresholds for grouping may be set for the concentration of each inorganic element or the ratio of concentrations between inorganic elements obtained from a sample whose product information is unknown, regardless of product information. For example, when plotting each sample in a feature space where the concentration of each inorganic element (element of interest) is a feature quantity, thresholds may be set such that samples that are close to each other belong to the same group.

[0083] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, a recycling system including the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0084] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the recycling system 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, the recycling system 1 of the second embodiment comprises an information processing device 10, an analysis device 20, a sorting device 30, and a recycling device 40. The analysis device 20 is communicatively connected to the information processing device 10. The sorting device 30 is communicatively connected to the information processing device 10. The recycling device 40 is communicatively connected to the sorting device 30.

[0085] The information processing device 10 is the same as the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment, and is a computer that obtains information on the amount of each type of inorganic element from the results of analyzing the composition of an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition using an analysis device 20, and determines which group the article belongs to.

[0086] The analytical apparatus 20 is similar to the analytical apparatus of the first embodiment and is an apparatus for performing compositional analysis of an article. Specifically, it is an apparatus that performs analysis according to analytical methods such as X-ray fluorescence analysis, glow discharge mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, ICP emission spectrometry, ICP mass spectrometry, ICP mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared absorption spectroscopy, FT-IR, and hyperspectral cameras, and outputs the analysis results.

[0087] The sorting device 30 is a device that physically sorts items into groups based on the discrimination results from the information processing device 10. The sorting device 30 includes, for example, a conveying device such as a belt conveyor or a lift, and a controller for controlling the conveying device. Specifically, the controller acquires the discrimination results output from the information processing device 10 and controls the conveying device to transport the items classified into that group to the designated placement locations for each group.

[0088] Furthermore, the sorting device 30 may sort the items in stages by referring to the number of items, total weight, area, or volume of items in each group. Specifically, let's explain using the example where Group A has 100 items, Group B has 50 items, Group C has 10 items, and Group D has 1 item. As a primary sorting, the sorting device 30 sorts the items into Group A, which has the most items, and the others (Groups B to D). As a secondary sorting, the sorting device 30 sorts the items into Group B, and Groups C and D. As a tertiary sorting, the sorting device 30 sorts the items into Group C and Group D.

[0089] The recycling device 40 is a device that recycles the items sorted by the sorting device 30 in a manner appropriate to the group. The recycling device 40 includes, for example, a recycling processing device for washing, cutting, crushing, dissolving, etc., the items, and a controller for controlling the recycling processing device.

[0090] Furthermore, the controller of the recycling device 40 may refer to the total weight of each group and determine the group and quantity to be used in the production of recycled material. For example, the controller may refer to the weight of each group of items sorted by the sorting device 30 and determine the group and quantity of items to be used in the production of recycled material. Specifically, let's explain with an example where group A is 100 kg, group B is 50 kg, group C is 10 kg, and group D is 1 kg. When producing 50 kg of recycled material using 50% waste plastic, the controller may decide to use 20 kg of group A and 5 kg of group B. Furthermore, by referring to the number of items obtained from the information processing device 10, the controller may decide to use 20 kg of group A and 5 kg of group B when producing 50 kg of recycled material using 50% waste plastic, and then sort them in the sorting device 30.

[0091] Next, the operation of the recycling system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. Similar to the first embodiment, after the registration process and the discrimination process are performed in the information processing device 10, the recycling process is performed in the sorting device 30 and the recycling device 40. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the recycling process. Each controller of the sorting device 30 and the recycling device 40 executes the recycling process shown in Figure 11.

[0092] The recycling process shown in Figure 11 will now be explained. In step S300, the controller of the sorting device 30 controls the conveying device of the sorting device 30 to sort the items based on the identified groups. In step S302, the controller of the recycling device 40 controls the recycling processing device to recycle the sorted items using different recycling methods for each group. Then the recycling process is completed.

[0093] In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, articles are sorted based on groups corresponding to the article's product information. However, as mentioned above, articles manufactured in a specific country or by a specific manufacturer may contain specific additives not found in articles of other groups, or they may contain larger amounts of specific additives. When recycling such articles, it may be necessary to perform a specific recycling process suitable for the specific additive, or it may be undesirable to recycle them mixed with articles of other groups. Therefore, by sorting articles based on groups corresponding to the article's product information, as in this embodiment, and controlling the recycling processing device to recycle the sorted articles using different recycling methods for each group, the entire recycling process can be made more efficient.

[0094] As explained above, according to the recycling system 1 of the second embodiment, since items are identified and recycled in groups determined by the information processing device 10, the entire recycling process can be made more efficient.

[0095] In the second embodiment as well, the types of articles covered are not limited to polyethylene fabrics, automobile instrument panels, etc.

[0096] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the processor referred to as CPU11 refers to a processor in a broad sense, and includes general-purpose processors (e.g., CPUs, etc.) and dedicated processors (e.g., GPUs: Graphics Processing Units, ASICs: Application Specific Integrated Circuits, FPGAs: Field Programmable Gate Arrays, programmable logic devices, etc.).

[0097] Furthermore, the processor operations in each of the above embodiments may not be performed by a single processor, but may also be performed by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Also, the order of the processor operations is not limited to the order described in the above embodiments, and may be changed as appropriate.

[0098] Furthermore, although the recycling system 1 in the second embodiment is described as being composed of multiple devices as an example, it may be composed of a single device that has some of the functions of multiple devices.

[0099] Furthermore, the processing performed by the information processing device 10 according to each of the above embodiments may be performed by software, by hardware, or by a combination of both. Also, the processing performed by the information processing device 10 may be stored as a program on a storage medium and distributed.

[0100] The information processing program of this application can be provided as a program product. A program product includes all forms of products for providing a program. For example, a program product includes a program provided via a network such as the Internet, and non-temporary computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs on which the program is stored. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 1. Recycling System 10 Information Processing Devices 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Storage 15 Input / Output Interfaces 16 Communication I / F 17 Bus 20 Analyzer 30 sorting device 40 Recycling equipment 101 Acquisition Department 102 Registration Department 103 Discrimination part 105 Storage section

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that obtains information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in an article whose resin part is made of a resin composition, based on the results of analyzing the composition of the said resin composition, A discrimination unit that determines which group the article belongs to based on the acquired information and a predetermined relationship between the information and each of the multiple groups to which the article is classified, Information processing device including

2. The aforementioned resin composition contains an inorganic substance that is not added for the purpose of marking, The aforementioned information is information relating to the amount of each type of inorganic element constituting the inorganic substance. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The inorganic substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, talc, inorganic pigments, flame retardants containing inorganic elements, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antibacterial agents, and catalyst residues. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The resin composition contains an inorganic substance whose content in the resin composition is 0.1 mass percent or more. The aforementioned information is information relating to the amount of each type of inorganic element constituting the inorganic substance. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The inorganic substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, talc, inorganic pigments, flame retardants containing inorganic elements, lubricants, nucleating agents, antistatic agents, clearing agents, antibacterial agents, and catalyst residues. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned multiple groups are multiple groups classified by the product information of the articles. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The product information includes at least one piece of information selected from the group consisting of information relating to the country of manufacture of the article, information relating to the manufacturer, and information relating to the manufacturing lot. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 6.

8. The registration unit further includes a registration unit that creates a database showing the relationship based on information regarding the amount of each type of inorganic element for each of the multiple articles and registers it in the storage unit. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The registration unit obtains the average value and standard deviation of the concentration of each type of inorganic element obtained by analyzing multiple points of the article, calculates the coefficient of variation for each type of inorganic element based on the average value and standard deviation, and extracts the inorganic elements whose coefficient of variation value is below a predetermined threshold as elements to be included in the database. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The registration unit compares the mean and standard deviation of the concentrations of at least two or more elements to be included in the database, extracts a target element from the elements to be included in the database, and registers the grouping of articles based on thresholds set for the information on the amount of each type of target element in the storage unit as a database showing the relationships. The discrimination unit compares the information regarding the quantity of each type of element of interest obtained by the acquisition unit for the item to be discriminated with the database to determine the group to which the item to be discriminated belongs. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The registration unit sets the threshold values ​​for the concentration of each of the elements of interest or the ratio of the concentrations of the elements of interest, as information relating to the amount of each type of element of interest. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10.

12. The registration unit updates the database registered in the storage unit based on the result of the discrimination unit's determination of the group of articles. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

13. The system further includes a registration unit that registers a learning model, which has been trained using machine learning with information on the quantity of each type of inorganic element acquired by the acquisition unit for learning items as explanatory variables and the correct answer for the group to which the learning items belong as the objective variable, as a relationship in the storage unit. The discrimination unit uses the information regarding the quantity of each type of inorganic element obtained by the acquisition unit and the learning model to determine the group to which the item to be discriminated belongs. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

14. The results of the analysis of the composition of the article made of the aforementioned resin composition were obtained by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

15. The inorganic element is at least one of Si, Ca, Mg, Ti, Cu, Mo, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Ba, Au, Ag, Pt, Cd, Sr, Y, and In. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

16. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A sorting device that sorts the articles based on the group of articles identified by the discrimination unit, A recycling device that recycles the items sorted by the sorting device into groups according to the method of the group, A recycling system that includes this.

17. From the results of analyzing the composition of an article in which the resin part is made of a resin composition, information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition is obtained. Based on the acquired information and the predetermined relationship between each of the multiple groups to which the item is classified and the information, it is determined which group the item belongs to. An information processing method in which a computer performs the processing.

18. From the results of analyzing the composition of an article in which the resin part is made of a resin composition, information on the amount of each type of inorganic element contained in the resin composition is obtained. Based on the acquired information and the predetermined relationship between each of the multiple groups to which the item is classified and the information, it is determined which group the item belongs to. An information processing program that instructs a computer to perform a task.

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