From Aerospace to Automation: A Journey into Cannabis Manufacturing
Key Takeaways:
- The inspiration behind Partasnky’s career transition
- Key engineering principles that apply to aerospace and cannabis automation
- Differences in regulatory requirements
- Insights gained from designing user-friendly systems for manufacturing workers
In this first of a three-part series with Nohtal Partansky, Machine Design learns about the aerospace engineer’s work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he contributed to the Perseverance rover project; followed by his founding of a robotics company, whose flagship product was the Roca Sorter, a card sorting robot for Magic: The Gathering cards; and ultimately, his pivot into cannabis manufacturing with Sorting Robotics.
The precision required in aerospace engineering informs his approach to designing automated systems for cannabis production, noting the importance of creating devices that minimize contamination and ensure accurate dosing. “[My aerospace engineering] background has helped significantly when building any of the products that we have in the cannabis industry,” Partansky said.
He also offers insights into the differences between the aerospace’s ITAR regulations and the cannabis sector’s safety-focused guidelines. He explains how these regulations share technology deployment across various states, revealing the landscape of opportunity and constraints.
Partansky also explains the necessity of designing robotic systems that are intuitive for manufacturing workers. He focuses on the shift from building for scientists to creating user-friendly machines, likening their ease of use to that of smartphones.
Watch additional parts of this interview series with Nohtal Partansky.
