Extraction 101

The Importance of Extraction Automation

When it comes to cannabis extraction, there is a range of opinions on everything from which solvent is best to which type of concentrate to produce. The debate between automated and manual extraction systems is another hotly contested topic in the extraction space. People who prefer manual systems believe that the manual approach affords them greater control over the extraction process. They also see manual systems as being simpler and less prone to technical mishaps. On the other side, however, proponents of automation argue that automated systems are much more efficient, reduce labor costs, increase safety, and produce a much higher quality, consistent product. In reality, the advantages of fully automated extraction systems far outweigh any downsides, and when the system is well-engineered and well-maintained, there’s no need to worry about technical issues and no need to manually control anything.

Efficiency Advantages of Full Automation

A fully-automated system is always going to be more efficient than a manual one for a whole host of reasons. Most of those, though, comes down to the simple fact that manual intervention can be clunky. It requires stops and starts. An automated system can keep moving on its own without the need to stop. It’s more than that, though. An automated system creates a more efficient operation all around.

Fully-automated extraction systems are safer to run. They limit the number of contact employees have with the machine and can completely eliminate the need for humans to interact with hazardous materials. The closed-loop nature of these systems can keep any potentially dangerous elements, like hazardous or flammable chemicals, contained. The automation decreases the chances of human error, and it minimizes contact with the more harmful parts of the extraction process.

Because the extraction process is automated, it increases the operation’s overall productivity with fewer full-time employees. An automated system doesn’t require the kind of hand-holding and babysitting that manual systems do. A well-designed, modern system can be configured to precise specifications from a single interface and will carry out the entire extraction process without needing manual intervention. The system will require minimal staff to input the raw biomass, configure the system, and collect the e. At the same time, because the system can run continuously, it achieves much higher throughput than its manual counterparts.

Automation is also lighter on resources. A thoroughly engineered closed-loop system will have the capability to recycle raw materials, like solvents, with minimal losses. The solvent can be a significant expense associated with operating an extraction system, the system can cut costs by recycling solvent for subsequent uses.

System automation also more tightly controls the extraction process. An adequately automated system can monitor essential metrics to avoid over-processing and other errors which can lead to product loss and system inefficiency.

Quality Advantages of Full Automation

Fully-automated cannabis extraction is capable of producing a higher quality product by controlling the extraction process to ensure that the exact ideal conditions are met and maintained. Because the system can set and maintain certain key parameters, like timing and temperature, along the extraction process, it can ensure a level of product consistency that’s simply unattainable through more manual methods.

Closed-loop systems, which are only possible through automation, also eliminate the possibility of both contamination and human error. It’s all too easy for an employee to accidentally get a value wrong or misjudge some factor along the way of the extraction process. That small misstep can cause a cascading effect that ruins an entire batch of products. With a fully-automated system, the system itself is continually monitoring conditions and working to maintain the pre-configured values ideal for optimal output.

At the same time, a closed-loop system, by its very nature, doesn’t allow for outside contamination to make its way into the product. This, again, works to ensure product quality and consistency.

Automation at ENTEXS

At ENTEXS, we design, engineer, manufacture, and assemble all your cannabis extraction systems in the United States. Our team of industry-leading professionals has studied the science underlying the cannabis processing industry and actively listens to our client’s concerns to create solutions that are most beneficial to them and the continued success of their businesses. Our in-house engineering team can address one-of-a-kind situations and meet the needs of any extraction operation.

All ENTEXS extraction systems are fully-automated and completely closed-loop in design. ENTEXS systems are built for continuous operation, allowing a cannabis processor to keep feeding a steady stream of raw biomass into the system without stopping the current extraction process. Every system that ENTEXS produces can be fine-tuned through a convenient touch interface for maximum control and efficiency. Extraction operations can be monitored through a modern cloud-based interface from anywhere. ENTEXS offers a range of fully-automated, complete processing solutions for businesses of any size.