L2-WMS-SORT
ESSENTIAL
RESOURCES
Level 2 · hardware
Waste Sorting & Classification
waste_sorting_classification_system
Automated material identification and sorting system using spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, magnetic separation, and robotic handling to classify waste into recovery streams.
Purpose
Accurately separate mixed waste into homogeneous material streams that can be efficiently processed by downstream recovery systems.
Context
Entry point for all waste entering the recycling system, determining which recovery pathway each item follows and maintaining material tracking data.
Principles
- ▸Accurate identification is prerequisite for efficient recovery
- ▸Multi-sensor fusion improves classification accuracy over single-method
- ▸Non-contact spectroscopic methods preserve material integrity
- ▸Material database lookup enables composition-informed sorting decisions
- ▸Hazardous materials must be identified and isolated immediately
Typical implementations
- ▸LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) for elemental identification
- ▸XRF (X-ray fluorescence) for alloy grade determination
- ▸Near-infrared spectroscopy for polymer identification
- ▸Eddy current separation for non-ferrous metals
- ▸Magnetic drums for ferrous material separation
- ▸Robotic pick-and-place for complex assemblies
Lunar considerations
- ▸Component tracking database simplifies identification vs unknown waste
- ▸All Ark materials have known composition from manufacturing records
- ▸Reduced gravity requires enclosed conveyors to prevent material floating
- ▸Lunar dust contamination on incoming waste must not confuse sensors
- ▸AI-driven sorting reduces need for human oversight
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Identify, classify, and sort all incoming waste materials into homogeneous recovery streams |
| inputs | mixed_waste_materials, end_of_life_components, manufacturing_scrap |
| outputs | sorted_ferrous_metals, sorted_non_ferrous_metals, sorted_electronics, sorted_ceramics, sorted_polymers, hazardous_isolates |
| classification accuracy | >98% |
| throughput | match waste generation rate |
| hazardous detection | 100% identification of hazardous items |
| material traceability | full chain of custody maintained |
Physical
| materials | conveyor_systems, LIBS_laser_assembly, XRF_detector, magnetic_drums, robotic_arms |
| location | waste processing module intake area |
| atmosphere | pressurized with dust extraction |
| safety | laser safety enclosure, radiation shielding for XRF |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Classified metal scrap for recovery
- Identified electronics for precious metal recovery
- Classified chemical waste for processing
- Identified hazardous materials for safe storage
Decomposes into
L3-WMS-SORT-SCAN
Waste Stream Scanner
Multi-sensor scanner identifying waste items by material type, mass, and embedded RFID tags to route them to the correct
L3-WMS-SORT-CONV
Sorting Conveyor
Belt conveyor with air-jet diverters routing each scanned item to its assigned bin based on the scanner classification.
L3-WMS-SORT-BIN
Sorting Bins
Array of hoppers accumulating sorted items per category (metal, polymer, composite, hazardous, organic) until they reach
L3-WMS-SORT-CTRL
Sorting Controller
Embedded controller coordinating scanner, conveyor, and bins with ML-augmented classification updates.
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Waste Sorting & Classification" (L2-WMS-SORT). Retrieved 10 October 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-WMS-SORT
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.