Hard disk drive dismantlement for critical material recovery

{
  "publication_number": "US11230752B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Hard disk drive dismantlement for critical material recovery",
  "abstract": "A system and method for recycling rare earth materials from dissimilar hard disk drives are provided. The system and method generally include scanning each hard disk drive, sorting and aligning each hard disk drive, rapid fastener removal or diversion to a metrology station, and the collection of separated value streams, optionally for formation into new magnetic stock. For each scanned hard disk drive having a match in an inventory database, the method includes the separation of an internal magnet from residual components. For each scanned hard disk drive lacking a match in the inventory database, the method includes generating a metrology data collection record containing the location of each fastener on multiple surfaces of the corresponding hard disk drive. The system and method are commercially scalable with the potential to generate between 600 and 700 metric tons of rare earth elements from a single processing facility annually, including neodymium for example.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for recovering rare earth permanent magnets from a plurality of hard disk drives, the method comprising: aligning each of the plurality of hard disk drives along a primary conveyor path, the plurality of hard disk drives including at least two dissimilar hard disk drives; scanning an identifier associated with each of the plurality of hard disk drives and comparing each scanned identifier with identifiers stored to an inventory database; for each scanned identifier having a match in the inventory database, performing an automated disassembly routine, the automated disassembly routine including the separation of an internal magnet from residual components of the corresponding hard disk drive; and for each scanned identifier lacking a match in the inventory database, generating a metrology data collection record, the metrology data collection record including a location for each of a plurality of fasteners on multiple surfaces of the corresponding hard disk drive.",
    "2. The method of claim 1 wherein aligning each of the plurality of hard disk drives along the primary conveyor path is performed using a vibratory bowl feeder.",
    "3. The method of claim 1 wherein scanning the identifier includes reading a bar code, a quick response code, a radio frequency identification tag, or a near field communication tag.",
    "4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the automated disassembly routine includes heating an end effector and plunging the end effector into the location of each of the plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners including dissimilar fastener heads.",
    "5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the metrology data collection record is performed with an articulating arm coordinate measuring machine.",
    "6. The method of claim 1 wherein the inventory database is stored to computer readable memory and includes an inventory record for each of the plurality of hard disk drives.",
    "7. A system for recovering rare earth materials from a plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives, the system comprising: an alignment station operable to position each of a plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives into a predetermined orientation, the alignment station including a vibratory bowl feeder; an identification and sorting station including an automated identification unit operable to scan an identifier associated with each of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives; a central controller having access to an inventory database, the central controller being operable to determine, for each of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives, whether a disassembly routine is available based on the output of the automated identification unit; a disassembly station operable to receive a first portion of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives from the identification and sorting station and including one or more disassembly robots adapted for fastener removal and hard disk drive disassembly according to an associated disassembly routine accessible to the central controller; and a metrology station adapted to receive a second portion of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives from the identification and sorting station for which a predetermined disassembly routine is not available to the central controller.",
    "8. The system of claim 7 wherein the disassembly station is operable to separate magnet assemblies from residual subcomponents of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives.",
    "9. The system of claim 7 wherein the associated disassembly routine includes computer readable instructions that are executable by the one or more disassembly robots based on a metrology data collection record.",
    "10. The system of claim 9 wherein the metrology data collection record is developed at the metrology station and includes fastener coordinates for multiple fields of view.",
    "11. The system of claim 7 wherein the metrology station includes an articulating arm coordinate measuring machine.",
    "12. The system of claim 7 wherein the inventory database includes identifiers for each of the first portion of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives.",
    "13. The system of claim 7 wherein the automated identification unit is adapted to read a bar code, a quick response code, or a radio frequency identification tag.",
    "14. The system of claim 7 further including a hard disk drive receiving station including a further automated identification unit operable to scan an identifier associated with a bulk container containing the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives.",
    "15. The system of claim 7 wherein the associated disassembly routine is a first associated disassembly routine, further including a second associated disassembly routine.",
    "16. The system of claim 7 wherein the disassembly station includes an indexing conveyor to transport the first portion of the plurality of dissimilar hard disk drives to each of the one or more disassembly robots.",
    "17. A method for recovering rare earth permanent magnets from a plurality of hard disk drives, the method comprising: positioning each of the plurality of hard disk drives along a primary conveyor path, the plurality of hard disk drives including at least two dissimilar hard disk drives; scanning an identifier associated with each of the plurality of hard disk drives and comparing each scanned identifier with identifiers stored to an inventory database; diverting a first portion of the plurality of hard disk drives to a disassembly station for fastener removal and hard disk drive disassembly according to a disassembly routine; and diverting a second portion of the plurality of hard disk drives to a metrology station for generating a metrology data collection record containing a location for each of a plurality of fasteners on multiple surfaces of the corresponding hard disk drive.",
    "18. The method of claim 17 wherein scanning the identifier includes reading a bar code, a quick response code, a radio frequency identification tag, or a near field communication tag.",
    "19. The method of claim 17 wherein performing the disassembly routine includes heating an end effector and plunging the end effector into the location of each of the plurality of fasteners, the plurality of fasteners including dissimilar fastener heads.",
    "20. The method of claim 17 further including determining at the metrology station if the plurality of fasteners on the corresponding hard disk drive are of a common type and subsequently removing each of the plurality of fasteners with a corresponding end tool.",
    "21. The method of claim 17 wherein generating the metrology data collection record is performed with an articulating arm coordinate measuring machine."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a system and a method for the recovery of rare earth magnets from hard disk drives and other articles of manufacture.\n\nDemand for rare earth elements (REEs) is increasing worldwide and REEs are becoming more expensive and difficult to acquire. Many commonly used technologies rely on REEs. For example, computer hard disk drives, electric vehicles, and electronic communication devices, as well as clean energy, transportation, and national defense applications rely heavily on permanent magnets utilizing critical REEs. Material criticality can result from several factors. If a material is scarce geologically, it can be costly to mine. In addition, mining can also be costly due to environmental considerations. Most REEs are not scarce, although it is not economic to mine them but in a very few locations worldwide.\n\nREEs include seventeen chemical elements, specifically fifteen lanthanides, scandium and yttrium. The lanthanide neodymium is classified as a critical material by the U.S. Department of Energy due to potential supply disruptions. A decrease in the availability of neodymium and other REEs puts future technological growth and national defense capabilities at risk. Until recently, other economic sources of these materials were not being developed.\n\nHard disk drives are a prime target for REE recovery, however. Hard disk drives contain small amounts of REEs individually but are accessible in large quantities as end-of-life products. The rare earth element neodymium, alloyed with iron and boron (NdFeB), is a powerful permanent magnet used in the read/write mechanism of hard disk drives.",
  "cpc": [
    "B09B 3/30",
    "B09B 3/35",
    "C22B 59/00",
    "G11B 5/012",
    "G11B 5/02",
    "G11B 5/0245",
    "G11B 5/127",
    "G11B 5/82",
    "H01F 41/0253",
    "H01F 7/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B09B 3/30",
    "B09B 3/35",
    "C22B 59/00",
    "G11B 5/127",
    "H01F 7/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "UT Battelle LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Timothy J. McIntyre",
    "Jonathan J. Harter"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-02-25",
  "publication_date": "2022-01-25",
  "grant_date": "2022-01-25",
  "priority_date": "2019-02-25",
  "application_number": "US-202016799942-A",
  "family_id": "72142772",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
  "citations": [
    "US7054824B1",
    "US7534980B2",
    "CN201259811Y",
    "US20110090585A1",
    "JP2012041575A",
    "WO2012101398A1",
    "US20140366687A1",
    "US20170297062A1",
    "US20180236459A1",
    "US20180264559A1",
    "US20210213573A1",
    "US20200195101A1",
    "US20200363790A1"
  ]
}