Streamlining Cannabis Pre-roll Manufacturing
Sorting Robotics occupies a space in the cannabis value chain, assisting manufacturers and creating retail ready pre-roll products. Its technology is designed to improve the infusion of concentrates into and onto pre-rolls, ensuring consistency, precision and efficiency while reducing manufacturing costs. In this interview with Nohtal Partansky, Machine Design learns about the cannabis manufacturing process, which begins long before it reaches the Sorting Robotics stage.
It starts with cultivation, where farmers grow and nurture clones or seeds into full plants. After the plants are dried, trimmed and cured, the final biomass is prepared for extraction or conversion to various products such as pre-rolls, and this is where the Sorting Robotics machines enter the picture. Partansky says their advanced automation systems, including the JIKO robot and the Stardust coating system, specialize in the most challenging aspects of pre-roll production.
The JIKO robot injects cannabis concentrates, either oils or waxes, internally into the pre-rolls. Their Stardust system enables external infusion, allowing for coatings of kief, cannabis oils or bubble hash on pre-rolls.
The robotic arms utilize sophisticated electromechanical systems, heating algorithms and microcontrollers to manipulate products with extreme accuracy and features specially designed end effectors that allow for the careful handling of pre-rolls to prevent any contamination, which is a concern in cannabis production.
Their collet pod system employs magnetic actuation to secure joints during the infusion process, minimizing handling risks and ensuring ease of cleaning. The solution not only improves operational safety but also reduces the number of moving parts, with the goal of improving reliability and maintenance needs.
Watch additional parts of this interview series with Nohtal Partansky.
