Locate & Pick
Identify the bag, assess its position and guide the robot towards a suitable gripping strategy.
The next generation of robotic bag opening — engineered around real material streams, intelligent vision and reliable industrial performance.
Nordic Recycling Systems pioneered the world's first fully automated robotic bag-opening solution purpose-built for bags of returned beverage containers. Today, our technology combines specialised robotics, self-learning AI-based vision and intelligent process engineering in one integrated system.
See how an NRS robotic bag-opening system works in practice — bringing together material handling, machine vision, robot movement and purpose-built bag-opening technology.
A robot can move with speed and precision. But it is the vision system that understands the material, decides what happens next and turns movement into intelligent automation.
Our intelligent camera system can be trained and refined for changing material streams, bag types and operating conditions — supporting both robotic handling and valuable process data.
Identify the bag, assess its position and guide the robot towards a suitable gripping strategy.
Count incoming bags to provide useful operational data and process visibility.
Identify or classify bags by colour where colour-based recognition is relevant to the application.
Enable code-based identification using QR codes and other supported industrial code formats.
Another look at how NRS combines vision-guided robotics and purpose-built bag-opening technology in a fully integrated process.
A closer look at NRS robotic bag-opening technology, combining AI-based vision, purpose-built gripping tools and a controlled opening process.
Reliable bag opening starts with understanding the material — not simply installing a robot next to an existing process.
Each robotic system is equipped with specially engineered gripping heads designed for the dimensions, weight, material and behaviour of the bags being handled.
Purpose-built cutting tables can be supplied with different opening technologies, selected to suit the bag construction and required opening performance.
Vision, robotic motion, cutting, emptying and downstream conveying are developed as one coordinated process — from infeed to material discharge.
As shared by NRS at RobotForum 2026, the journey started with a recurring challenge in recycling facilities: bags needed to be opened and emptied, but conventional processes still left valuable material inside and required time-consuming manual intervention.
Working closely with customers, NRS transformed operational experience into a purpose-built robotic process. Each installation has contributed insights into material variability, machine vision, robot movement and system integration.
First fully automated NRS robotic bag-opening installation for deposit-return bags.
Second installation, incorporating lessons learned from real-world operation.
Two separate existing infeed lines retrofitted at different times, while the facility remained operational throughout both installations.
Expansion into Southeast Asia, bringing NRS robotic bag-opening technology to a new market.
From Europe to Southeast Asia, NRS robotic technology continues to evolve through close cooperation with the people who operate it every day.
Opening and emptying bags is repetitive, labour-intensive work that can be difficult to staff. Automation improves consistency and lets people focus on more skilled, rewarding tasks.
Robots do not call in sick, complain about repetitive assignments or resign. Planned maintenance still matters, but staffing uncertainty around bag opening can be reduced.
Repeatable robotic movements, guided by vision, help maintain a controlled process through long operating shifts.
Designed for low lifetime operating costs and potentially short payback periods through reduced manual handling and dependable throughput.
Integrate robotics into a new sorting line or modernise an existing installation with site-specific engineering and carefully planned implementation.
Actual operating cost and payback depend on project capacity, operating hours, labour requirements and installation conditions.
We take responsibility beyond the robotic cell, supporting our customers from initial concept to long-term operation.
NRS believes advanced robotic solutions — combined with increasingly capable AI-based vision systems — will play a much greater role in recycling. As robots learn to interpret complex material streams and vision delivers richer process data, the opportunities for intelligent automation continue to expand.
Tell us about your bags, capacity and facility layout. NRS can help evaluate a purpose-built robotic bag-opening solution — for a new line or an existing facility.