Robots Extract RAM ICs From E Waste on Pilot

A robotic picker recovers RAM ICs from scrap at 300 per hour.

Tuurny, a San Francisco startup, has designed a targeted robotic system called Nantul to pull memory chips from circuit boards before the waste stream is shredded. The company says Nantul can identify RAM integrated circuits and extract them for reuse, a capability it argues could unlock value that commonly leaks away in traditional recycling lines. Testing shows each machine can recover 300 intact RAM ICs per hour, a throughput figure the founder, Sina Ghashghaei, frames as a turning point for salvage value rather than a novelty in automation. The first field deployment is being prepared as part of a six-figure contract with Areera, a United Kingdom television recycler, with dozens of Nantul units expected to run in the plant network.

The push behind this effort is not just innovation for its own sake. Regulators and policymakers are tightening rules around e waste in 2026, aiming to force more value out of discarded electronics before they ever reach smelters. New European waste-shipment rules, expanded recycling fees on products with non-removable batteries in California, and an e waste import ban in Malaysia illustrate how governments are prioritizing recoveries that leave little room for "bulk" recycling. The United Nations Global E Waste Monitor, updated in 2024, projects global e waste at 82 million tonnes by 2030, with current management capturing less than a third of the potential metal value. In that context, pre-processing steps, pulling out components that can be reused or resold, are increasingly viewed as essential to the economics of recycling.

Nantul's core appeal is mechanical and cognitive: a robotic system that can locate RAM ICs on densely populated boards and detach them without destroying the surrounding components. The company reports that the system uses visual inspection and pattern recognition to distinguish RAM chips from other board elements, then performs careful extraction to preserve the integrity of the chips. If the throughput numbers hold in real-world runs, each field unit could materially supplement downstream recovery, potentially shifting the economics of a recycling line that today treats boards as a single mixed stream.

Areera, the UK recycler partnering with Tuurny, processes about 1,500 tonnes of televisions per month, a scale that makes incremental gains in component salvage meaningful. Testing shows that RAM ICs, which often carry significant value for reuse in retrofits or refurbishments, can be recovered with minimal collateral damage to adjacent components. The deal, described by Tuurny as field deployment ready, signals a strategic move to integrate end-of-life electronics with specialized remanufacturing steps rather than relying solely on shredders. The plan to deploy dozens of Nantul units through Areera suggests a design that favors modularity and serviceable automation, two traits the company highlights as critical for sustained operation in busy recycling facilities.

From an industry perspective, the move illustrates a broader shift in how recycling lines are designed and paid for. The new wave of automation aims to improve yield on high-value components without adding excessive handling steps or temperamental robots into fragile assembly environments. Practitioners watching the project will be thinking about several practical constraints: chip identification accuracy across diverse board layouts; handling of boards with mixed materials and corrosion; and the risk of chip damage during extraction, which would negate any salvage value. The throughput target of 300 RAM ICs per hour per machine creates a clear capex path for operators, but it also raises questions about line integration, maintenance needs, and the supply chain for salvaged components once they exit the Nantul workflow.

Industry insiders will also want to see how Nantul performs on variance in board design, especially as e waste streams diversify with new devices and form factors. While RAM chips are the initial target, the long-term question is whether this approach can be extended to other reusable components without triggering a new generation of bespoke robotics for each component type. If Areera's pilot proves durable, Tuurny's strategy could offer a blueprint for converting regulatory pressure into practical, repeatable salvage gains rather than a one-off demonstration.

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