WeBuyBricks says an artificial intelligence-powered machine at its Rawtenstall, Lancashire, site has helped keep 25 million Lego pieces from landfill. The company buys complete sets and mixed boxes of unwanted Lego, then cleans, checks and sorts the pieces so they can be resold or used to rebuild sets. Its Brick-O-Matic uses camera systems, AI and machine-learning software to identify individual pieces, with the company saying it can recognise more than 60,000 types. Jets of air direct identified pieces into separate chutes, while conveyor belts move the Lego through the system. WeBuyBricks says the machine can process two pieces a second, or up to 100,000 pieces a day, and is more than 100 times as efficient as manual sorting. The machine can also assess how complete a set is and search for specific missing pieces as more Lego passes through it. More than 10 tonnes of Lego were waiting to be processed at the site when the article was reported, and the company said it believed the machine was the first of its type in the UK. WeBuyBricks sells complete sets at prices 40% to 60% below new ones, as well as loose-brick bundles for projects and custom builds. The system operates inside Hall Carr Mill, a former industrial site dating in its current form to 1872, reflecting the company’s decision to keep the operation local and retain experienced staff.
