NIR Scanner (Near‑Infrared)
In the recycling industry, NIR scanners (Near-Infrared scanners) are widely used for the automated sorting of materials.
A NIR scanner is an optical measuring instrument that uses near-infrared light (wavelengths between approximately 780 and 2500 nanometers) to detect molecular vibrations in materials, with the aim of determining the composition, structure, or properties of those materials.
Plastics such as PET and HDPE, and materials such as paper, glass, and porcelain, each have a unique NIR spectral "fingerprint." The scanner detects this and directs the material to the correct sorting lane.