PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mobius Perfects the Design of Post-Harvest Cannabis Automation Equipment
August 30, 2022, Las Vegas, NV — Mobius makes waves in the cannabis industry for first-time automation in commercial-scale facilities. Within the past 15 years of the industry changing and legalization across more areas, cultivators are seeking ways to increase production capacity while driving down operating and labor costs. Mobius has designed a full-scale automation suite of equipment that does just that.
In the ever-changing cannabis and hemp industry, there have been new developments in automation technology. Machine trimmers were introduced, and facilities began to integrate them into their processing. Cultivators then realized the need for this technology across the board for every step of production. To improve post-harvest workflow inefficiencies and help to keep up with the demand for cultivators’ harvests, Mobius designed the Automation Suite.
In examining the workflow of cannabis facilities and working closely with harvest technicians, Mobius designed its flagship M108S Trimmer to supercharge production throughputs and maintain hand-trim quality. The trimming machine became the first step to full-scale automation. Mobius took the same principles and care from the trimmer and applied them to the creation of the rest of the Automation Suite. The line includes the MBX Bucker, M9 Sorter, and conveyor systems. With industry-leading technology and the highest quality construction, Mobius machines are unrivaled in capacity and product handling.
Before the introduction of automation technology in the industry, cultivators were processing their entire harvest by hand, a cumbersome process that is time-consuming, expensive, and faulty. Especially for facilities that process multiple harvests each year, the variables of seasonal workers, employee turnover, product contamination, and repetitive strain injuries all result in revenue losses. Operations will spend thousands of dollars each harvest to onboard and train teams of temporary workers to run the facility. These issues led to unreliable and inconsistent staffing, problems with theft, and lower cannabis product quality and contamination of the flower.
Processing a harvest with a trim crew can take weeks and the harvest to market time is highly variable depending on labor conditions. With automation, cultivators can deliver consistently without any gaps in their speed to market, while also shortening the processing time exponentially. In a study done with Aleafia Health, they took their harvest processing time from one week to just 4 hours using the Mobius Automation Suite of equipment. Not only did the speed to market improve, but the overall quality of the cannabis products improved. Hand-trimming presents many losses that machine trimming avoids; resin-covered scissors, sticky gloves, and trim trays. Not only is cannabis product lost in that process, but the trimmed flower suffers in trichome and terpene depletion.
“Because we are very focused here on the quality of our product, I have not liked certain other trimmers because of how rough of a trim it was. I find that the Mobius Trimmers allow us to have trichome retention…The Mobius, because of the design of it, we have very high trichome retention,” said Monika Serabian, a harvest supervisor at Aleafia Health.
Hand-trimming methods have since become a legacy process in the industry. In eliminating those variables, cultivators see immediate results with improved product consistency and quality, employee retention and company morale, speed to market, and saved revenue. With all of these benefits of automation, the question turns from “should I automate” to “when to automate”.
Automation technology is a long-term investment. Cannabis processing machinery is not a light decision, but it is the smartest one. Planning for a large investment is important not only for the successful integration of the equipment but for the overall success of the business. Commercial-scale facilities that have integrated Mobius equipment found that determining target throughputs and production capacities before purchasing are important for processing room configuration. In addition to the financial component of the investment, there are also factors of time, space, staffing, and scaling.
Mobius has initiated a new free service offering workflow design and automation configurations unique to each facility. This service helps with preparation and planning for all factors that go into automation. After connecting with an Automation Specialist at Mobius, companies receive an analysis of their existing process and how Mobius Automation Equipment will reduce operating and labor expenses and drive efficiency while maintaining quality. Following the purchase of a full Automation Suite, an expert is sent to the facility to onboard and train the staff, and implement the equipment into its unique configuration.
The Mobius Automation Suite includes multiple pieces of machinery designed to make post-harvest processing seamless. An automation line consists of the MBX Bucker, tandem M108S Trimmers, and M9 Sorter, with everything connected by conveyor systems. The suite creates an end-to-end workflow that moves cannabis product from one stage of processing to the next with little to no human touchpoints. Raw cannabis plants start at one end of the line and make their way through each machine, getting closer to a final product that is ready for sale with each step.
The MBX Bucker carefully removes the cannabis buds from the stalks, keeping the flower fully intact. The MBX is the only commercial cannabis bucker on the market to have an integrated stem chipper. This technology cuts the stalks into small pieces for fast, easy disposal, reducing overall waste volume by 25 times. The flower then moves to the Infeed Conveyor where cannabis material gets consistently fed to the machine. The Infeed Conveyor eliminates bottlenecks in production by streamlining the feed of cannabis into the trimmers for the best trim results. The tandem M108S Trimmers process up to 260lbs/hour of wet flower and 140 lbs/hour of dry flower. Cannabis buds are met with three helical blades that provide 50% more access to the cutting surface and deliver the industry’s closest trim. With an integrated trim separator system, the material moves gently through the machine and never touches an impeller making it perfect for use in extracts.
After running through the M108S, trimmed cannabis moves onto the Outfeed Conveyor where a few technicians perform a quality check for any buds that might need minor touch-ups. This process provides the cultivators the opportunity for a visual inspection of the cannabis in mid-production. The flower then trickles onto the Autofeed Conveyor leading to the M9 Sorter. Cannabis material gets funneled into the bud sorter with nine adjustable sorting belts that can be configured for unlimited customizable sorting sizes. After sorting, cannabis buds are ready for easy packaging based on size resulting in consistent product delivery. Depending on the facility and production intentions, Mobius also offers the M210 Cannabis Mill for fast, efficient milling. The M210 can process 35-200 lbs/hour of dry or fresh-frozen flower while delivering the most consistent grind in the industry. There is zero heat degradation on the cannabis flower, so the material is perfect for use in pre-rolls, extracts, and fresh-frozen preparations.
The combination of machines creates the ultimate processing environment for cannabis. Companies with a Mobius Automation Suite have seen drastic improvements to flower quality, employee productivity and retention, business growth, and profitability. Facilities have seen cost savings of up to 93% or about $4,130,880 after implementing the Automation Suite.
Automation technology is the next evolution in cannabis processing. And as the industry changes, more cultivators are switching to automation methods for the first time, thus proving their place in the market. With a passion for cultivators and years of experience, Mobius continues to stay on top of the evolution by designing and constructing the next generation of processing equipment. Mobius recently announced the launch of the new M60 Compact Cannabis Mill for producers looking for a smaller throughput and lower price point than the flagship M210 Mill. This machine is perfect for pre-roll preparations and will be available for pre-order in September.
For more information about the Automation Suite of processing equipment — contact a Mobius representative at info@mobiustrimmer.com.
Contact: Emma Levine, Marketing Coordinator
Phone: 866-874-6244
Email: info@mobius.com
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