Case Study - Korn Recycling
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Korn Recycling GmbH, headquartered in Albstadt, is a leading company in the field of commercial and industrial waste processing. With a clear focus on energy efficiency, environmental responsibility and continuous process optimisation, Korn supplies both regional and international partners with high-quality substitute fuels and recyclable materials.
Challenge: Safety and efficiency
As plant utilisation increased and demands on recycling quality and process stability grew, operators at Korn faced several key challenges:
Volume flows could not be accurately measured and therefore could not be controlled reliably. Heat sources in the material flow – particularly batteries and self-igniting materials – posed a high fire risk. The existing sensor technology was not tailored to the specific conditions in the recycling industry. Downtime caused by malfunctions or false alarms led to high downtime costs
Collaboration with SAMsoric on system integration
Korn Recycling has opted for a comprehensive partnership with SAMsoric GmbH. The aim: to develop a bespoke protection and monitoring solution tailored to the specific requirements of substitute fuel production – developed in close consultation between plant operators, technicians and the SAMsoric development team.
Key technologies in practice:
Air flow measurement with SAMsoric VOLPower
In collaboration with Korn’s operations team, the SAMsoric VOLPower system has been integrated into several key conveyor lines. The system uses 3D imaging technology to continuously measure material volume in real time.
Features and benefits:
Automatic adjustment of throughput based on volume profiles
Monitoring of material distribution to reduce the load on downstream units and optimise the material flow of sorting machines
Data-driven reporting for decision-makers, plant managers and shift supervisors
Significant increase in throughput, as plant utilisation can now be precisely controlled
Fire protection with SAMsoric HSD sensors
To protect against fires, SAMsoric HSD sensors have been installed at all critical points in the material flow. The sensors detect temperature spikes in the material flow and are designed to withstand the harsh conditions of a recycling plant.
Response protocol in the event of an incident:
Early detection of hazardous objects or hot spots
Triggering of automated responses: belt stop, material ejection
activation of cooling or extinguishing systems
Real-time alerts to operating staff with live images and alarm logs
Joint development with Korn Recycling
Close coordination with the Korn team was crucial to the system optimisation. During regular development and evaluation cycles, the systems were tested in live operation, feedback was gathered, and adjustments were implemented jointly.
This collaboration made it possible to:
Adaptation of the sensor technology to specific plant technologies and material fractions
Optimisation of the software logic to reduce false alarms
Integration into the customer’s existing control and data analysis system
Results of the system integration | Before | After integration |
Material throughput (Average) | approx. 22 t/h | over 28 tonnes per hour (+27%) |
Downtime caused by faults | approx. 18 hours per month | < 6 hours per month |
Incidents involving fire | 2–3 times a year | 0 since the system changeover |
Delivery reliability | limited | > 98% target achievement |
Conclusion
The integration of SAMsoric machine protection systems at Korn Recycling is an example of practical product development carried out in direct cooperation with the plant operator.
Through the targeted use of VOLPower for volume flow measurement and HSD sensors for fire prevention, it has been possible not only to increase safety but also to significantly improve process stability and efficiency.
Korn Recycling now benefits from higher throughput, maximum reliability and a system solution that was developed jointly with and for practical application.
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