The infused pre-rolls have become the new dominant category of the cannabis market and a substantial part of the pre-roll sales and a considerable source of revenue. This accelerated expansion leaves producers with a stark decision: either continue using the old manual infusion process or invest in automated products.
The Manual Infusion Reality
Most companies start with manual methods of flower infusion because they require the least investment. Cannabis manufacturing automation benefits become more apparent when comparing these early-stage approaches, which can be broadly divided into two techniques: external coating and internal mixing.
Exterior Finish: Paint and Kiefing.
It is a technique whereby, cannabis concentrate is heated and then the surface of the filled pre-rolls is dotted by hand then rolled in kief. Although it has the potential of producing beautiful products that are salient in transparent wrappings, the process comes with significant limitations. It is very labour-intensive, consumes a lot of time and makes coverage uneven. Extrinsic concentrate is also known to burn on the exterior.
Internal Infusion: Tumbling and Mixing.
In another type of manual strategy, concentrate is mixed directly with flower in a bin then used to fill pre-rolls. This is to distribute the cannabinoids evenly in the material. But sticky concentrates are a pain to deal with, and the equipment gets clogged and produces inaccurate results. Neither of the two manual solutions scales well and is barely able to keep up with the demand for consistent and high-quality infused products.
Scalability Problems and Labour Costs.
Manual infusion can easily require several dollars in labour per joint and that is unsustainable when it must generate hundreds or thousands of units a day. The more the volume, the more the labour bottlenecks, inconsistency, and variation in quality, and the worse the brand reputation and profit are compromised.
The Automated Flower Infusion Advantage.
Manual processing was also found to be limiting and automated flower infusion systems were developed. These are highly-focused machines that can promote the same cannabinoid infusion within a short period of time, with little human intervention.
Industrial systems will also spray the concentrates evenly across large amounts of flower within minutes instead of hours using fine atomization. Automated systems can control the coating of material by repeatedly tumbling and lifting it within a controlled drum environment to maintain a smooth and efficient coating, as well as the integrity of flowers. This will help save a lot of waste, increase the preservation of terpenes, and provide uniform potency in all batches.
Automation is more efficient compared to manual labour, in which doubling output would result in doubling the workforce. Large batches can be handled with a single operator in one automated unit and adding more units only adds capacity at minimum cost. Brand consistency across the cycles also safeguards the quality of the brand so that consumers have an identical experience each time.
Implementation Considerations
The change to automated infusion should be planned, however, the current systems are tailored so that they can be included in the current lines of production without requiring a full redesign of the entire facility. The investment includes training and support, as the producers can attain consistent performance at the beginning. Though not all operations will require automation at the industrial scale right away, even moderate production volumes will pay back in terms of labour expenses and higher uniformity.
The Competitive Imperative
The pre-roll segment is infused and is on the rise due to consumer preference for high-potency products. Brands that remain manual stand a chance of being more expensive, lacking consistency in quality, and being less scalable. On the contrary, automated infusion systems provide a strategic benefit of enhancing efficiency, minimising waste, and aiding producers to scale in a sustainable manner.
