Today Canon U.S.A., Inc. announced the official North American launch of its groundbreaking Raman plastic analyzer, the TR-A100. The innovative Raman plastic identification equipment is available now, bringing advanced material identification technology to the region.
Canon's Raman Plastic Analyzer TR-A100. Image Credit: Canon U.S.A.
Raman analysis is a non-destructive technique that uses laser light to molecularly identify materials. Widely used across forensics, pharmaceuticals and materials science, it is designed to enable precise analysis of a material’s chemical composition. The TR-A100 helps enable accurate identification of plastic materials using Raman spectroscopy.
Effective plastic recycling typically requires high material purity, meaning materials must be accurately identified. However, conventional near-infrared spectroscopy may have difficulty identifying black plastics due to their light-absorbing properties. Commonly found in electronics and automotive components, black plastics are often excluded from recycling streams because conventional sorting technologies struggle to identify them. Canon’s new technology is intended to directly address this issue, which could present a challenge for efficient recycling processes.
“Black plastics have historically posed a significant technical hurdle in the recycling industry, often evading sorting processes and ending up as waste,” said Kenichi Kaneda, senior director and general manager, Industrial Products, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “At Canon, we are committed to helping customers extract maximum value from their materials while reducing unnecessary disposal. Our new Raman plastic analyzer was designed specifically to bridge this gap. By offering highly reliable black plastic identification in a compact desktop footprint, we empower research and quality control teams to conduct precise batch-sampling and raise the standard of material separation. By enabling the recovery of plastics that were previously overlooked, this innovation supports a more resource-efficient and sustainable pathway for the industry.”
The TR-A100 plastic analyzer employs an advanced laser scanning method that enhances material identification. This technique oscillates the laser irradiation position, even when analyzing multiple plastics on a tray, to reduce energy density. This is designed to enable the identification of plastics without causing damage from rising temperatures. By helping to ensure sufficient, tailored measurement time, the TR-A100 has the ability to accurately identify even black plastics, which typically present weak signals to other technologies.
The system is capable of rapidly identifying plastic types and determining the proportion of target plastics present within a measured sample. Results from the Raman plastic analyzer can be used by recycling plants to help refine material purity by optimizing collection and sorting condition.
The TR-A100 is now available for order throughout North America. Canon’s strategic entry into the recycling systems market with this product reinforces its ambition to lead in advanced material recycling and contribute meaningfully to global sustainability initiatives.