Microsoft uses automated robots to disassemble and recycle HDDs — company typically shreds two million hard drives per year

WD Gold 24TB HDD
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Defective or worn-out hard disk drives usually contain plenty of valuable data recorded on them. But they are also comprised of valuable materials, such as aluminum platters, neodymium magnets, and a stainless steel chassis, just to name a few. So, instead of shredding them to destroy the data, Microsoft invented robots that disassemble them, potentially by the millions, to recycle those valuable materials, reports Blocks & Files.

At the 2022 Global Hackathon, a team led by Ranganathan Srikanth created robots that dismantle hard drives, destroy data by destroying platters, and recycle the remaining parts to extract valuable materials, avoiding the current practice of shredding entire hard drives. The robotic system uses computer vision to recognize different HDD types and locate screws for disassembly. It carefully removes components, destroying only the data-carrying platters, while salvaging parts like magnets and printed circuit boards for reuse.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft uses dozens of different hard drive models at its data centers, and the vast majority of them place screws in different places, so Microsoft certainly had to implement some kind of AI to dismantle and recycle its HDDs using robots made by Dobot Robotics.

Around 20 to 70 million hard drives reach the end of their lifecycle each year, and in 2022 alone, Microsoft shredded two million hard drives. It is unclear whether the number includes shredded and dismantled/recycled HDDs or just shredded drives, as even at Microsoft, not all HDDs are recycled.

According to Microsoft, this new 'NoShred' approach aims to achieve a 90% reuse and recycle rate of hard drives by 2025. The robots ensure data security by destroying only the data-carrying components while recovering valuable materials like neodymium. It should be noted that in many cases, companies that are supposed to shred their drives do not do that, and these end up collecting dust in storage rooms or going to scrapyards. 

(Image credit: MicrosoftYouTube)

Microsoft's efforts extend beyond internal improvements. The company is working with hard drive manufacturers and governments to influence global e-waste management policies. By collaborating and sharing its technology, Microsoft hopes to reduce the environmental impact of e-waste and improve security practices for companies worldwide.

The initiative also reflects Microsoft's sustainability goals, which include becoming carbon-negative by 2050.

Anton Shilov
Contributing Writer

Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

TOPICS
  • edzieba
    Hard drives are a nice use-case for automated disassembly: the fasteners are a planar (all facing the same way) and often are all on the same side of the device, At most you'd need to flip the device once to get the screws on both sides, but often there will only be screws on one side anyway so you can use a 2.5D robot (2D axes plus lift/drop toolhead) and overhead cam rather than needing a 5/6-axis robot and much more complex machine vision and path planning system.
    Reply
  • einheriar
    They also use this technique on windows 11 development it seems
    Reply
  • NinoPino
    With dozens of models there is no need of AI at all. It is more simple and reliable to program once per model where are placed the peaces to dismantle.
    Nethertheless it is a very good to know that existed such recycle type. I wonder if this can became a global trend for HDD.
    Reply
  • ThomasKinsley
    Why am I not surprised that Microsoft is heavily invested in collecting and dissecting the physical devices that hold user data?
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    ThomasKinsley said:
    Why am I not surprised that Microsoft is heavily invested in collecting and dissecting the physical devices that hold user data?
    One should see this as protecting user data.

    Dismantling the drives prevents anyone downstream from reading whatever data might have been on them.
    Reply
  • dave.rara66
    USAFRet said:
    One should see this as protecting user data.

    Dismantling the drives prevents anyone downstream from reading whatever data might have been on them.
    Good lord, you entirely missed the point. ThomasKinsley is suggesting that Microsoft - who is notorious for mining data - will happily dismantle an HDD... after stripping any data left on it.
    Reply
  • Geef
    A very good use for old HDDs is to pull them apart and get yourself a couple super strong magnets. I have three of them together within reach of me that hangs on to a ton of CPU screws.
    Reply
  • Amdlova
    The HDD plate is a nice heat transfer :) using one here to fix warped music CD.
    and you can get some money from the aluminium
    Reply
  • edzieba
    dave.rara66 said:
    Good lord, you entirely missed the point. ThomasKinsley is suggesting that Microsoft - who is notorious for mining data - will happily dismantle an HDD... after stripping any data left on it.
    If you're mailing drives to any third party without formatting them first, then any data loss is on you.
    Reply
  • pf100
    einheriar said:
    They also use this technique on windows 11 development it seems
    Touché
    Reply