Innovative poppet solution for precise glass recycling

Many people come into contact with our rubber-metal composite parts every day – without even knowing it. A current project impressively demonstrates how a seemingly small component can make a major contribution to sustainable glass recycling: our poppet for a patented solenoid valve in glass sorting machines.

Three companies, one vision

This project brings together three specialists and their core competencies along a cross-border value chain in the DACH region:

• ZORGE Rubber Solutions (Germany) as an expert in high-precision rubber-metal compounds,
• Isliker Magnete (Switzerland) as the world’s leading manufacturer of customised magnet and valve solutions,
• Binder+Co (Austria) as the global market leader in sensor-based processing of waste glass.

What unites them all: the highest quality standards and the common goal of enabling a functioning recycling cycle with innovative technology, thus making recycling processes more efficient, precise and sustainable.

A small rubber-metal part with a big impact

The CLARITY glass sorting machine from Binder+Co is the technological heart of modern glass recycling plants. With its 3-way technology, it not only separates glass by colour (white, green, brown glass), but also separates out contaminants such as ceramics, stones or porcelain and sorts out metallic materials using a wide variety of sensor technologies – with a sorting purity of up to 99.9%.

At the heart of this machine, Isliker’s patented valve magnets work at full speed. Their central functional element is the poppet valve – a disc valve that precisely controls the compressed air used to deflect glass particles in the sorting process. And at the heart of this valve is the poppet.

Precision in the millisecond range

The poppet manufactured by ZORGE consists of a metal poppet shaft and an NBR sealing disc. The poppet valve controls the compressed air used to blow out and sort the glass particles in the recycling process. It must open and close in the blink of an eye.

The technical requirements are extreme:

• Designed for 2 to 10 bar air pressure
• A service life of at least 750 million closing cycles
• Chemical resistance to most lubricants and coolants

To achieve this, absolutely minimal tolerances are required:

• Concentricity error of the 46.5 mm long metal shaft maximum 0.02 mm,
• Shaft diameter 2.0 mm with a tolerance of -0.014 mm,
• Concentricity tolerance of the NBR seal to the shaft 0.05 mm, length tolerances up to +0.02 mm.

Added to this are the high demands placed on the reproducibility of the material properties. Only if these are constant will the characteristics of the valves remain stable over millions of cycles. This places the highest demands on material selection, tool technology and the vulcanisation process for the poppet.

Competence and quality that impresses

Thanks to our many years of experience in the development and manufacture of high-precision rubber-metal compounds, we were able to overcome these challenges – and prevail over a competitor. We are very proud of this. The result is a poppet that functions reliably, durably and reproducibly – and thus makes a decisive contribution to the performance of the Isliker valve and, consequently, to the entire Binder+Co glass sorting machine.

Sustainability with a global impact

From the poppet from Germany to the valve magnet from Switzerland to the glass sorting machine from Austria, this reliable supply chain is now in use worldwide. Together, we ensure that waste glass is recycled efficiently and kept in circulation as a valuable raw material.

»Tip: In an impressive video on YouTube from Binder+Co, you can see how the CLARITY glass sorting machine works in the recycling process – a fascinating look behind the scenes of modern circular economy.

This project demonstrates once again that precision in detail makes all the difference – for our customers, for innovative components and machines, and for a sustainable future. Thank you to Isliker and Binder+Co for placing your trust in us!