At the top of the list of items necessary to scale a cannabis business is environmental controls. Companies like Argus Controls design systems specifically for cannabis growers. These systems are essential not only to control the many variables that go into growing a successful cannabis crop but they also save a ton in labor and provide a necessary safeguard against labor shortages.
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Environmental controls are getting much more sophisticated these days in programming every aspect of a greenhouse operation: louvers and vents, lighting systems, water and nutrient delivery (i.e., fertigation), and heating and cooling systems.
Proper environmental controls will help you scale your business by maximizing yields and saving labor.
Automated buckers take the manual work out of the initial step in harvesting. Bucking involves removing the stems from the main trunk of the plant, stripping the large fan leaves, and then removing the buds to be trimmed later. In a small cannabis operation, bucking can be done with the labor force on hand. However, to scale a business and stay profitable, an investment in a bucking machine will ultimately reduce labor costs.
A bucking machine like the revolutionary MBX Bucker by Mobius can buck up to 150 lbs. of flower per hour. These machines cost approximately $20,000 and are ergonomically designed to reduce operator fatigue. User-controlled speed settings allow for wet and dry bucking.
The MBX Bucker is the only bucking unit currently on the market that offers integrated stem chipping, which will significantly reduce waste volume and the frequency of disposal, further reducing labor costs.
There will come a time when the debate will end that pits hand trimming against automated trimming. Labor is undoubtedly one of the most significant expenses for growers. You simply can’t scale a business without automating most operations. If you choose the right equipment to trim your cannabis, you will have a product that will be on par or perhaps even superior to hand-trimmed flower at a fraction of the cost.
A trimmer like the Mobius 108S can trim 30-60 lbs/hr of dry bud, double that for wet bud. Needless to say, it would take a lot of worker hours to trim that much bud! The Mobius trimmer features a patented AirThread Tension Tumbler made of stainless steel cable that will handle your bud with kid gloves.
Trimmers are a significant investment for any grow operation, so whatever trimmer you decide to purchase, read product reviews carefully and consult with other professionals in the business before making such an investment.
Like automated trimmers, bud sorters can save you a lot on labor costs. The new sorters do an excellent job of sorting buds while maintaining the quality of the terpenes and trichomes. Bud sorters are probably a little less debated than trimmers because growers recognize that the sorters can reduce the potential rough handling of the bud that comes from hand sorting.
Bud sorting is the last step before curing the bud. If you’re looking to scale up your operation, a bud sorter is a good investment. There are several benefits to adding automation to the bud sorting process, including:
• Decrease labor costs,
• reduce the rough handling of the buds that can damage trichomes and terpenes,
• minimize waste by separating tight buds from shakes that can be used for prerolls,
• and, of course, speed up the harvesting process.
To successfully scale a cannabis business, a grower needs to purchase a growing medium that works as hard as the automated equipment mentioned above.
Coco coir is the workhorse many growers turn to whether scaling their cannabis business or maintaining the status quo. For those growers looking to scale their business, quality coco coir, like Riococo produces, can reduce costs and improve yields partly because it is reusable after sterilization.
Scaling a business is a hefty task for any grower. However, automating your growing and harvesting operation with the equipment mentioned above it can be a successful one as well.
Cannabis bucking machines can dramatically increase the efficiency of the post-harvest process and reduce labor costs. When cultivators and processors integrate the right bucker into their operation, the machine can increase a company’s bottom line for years to come.
Certain types of operations are better suited to the bucking process than others, and it’s important for cultivators and processors to consider both their starting material and end goals before making a purchase. While most commercial bucking machines can process wet and dry flower, bucking works most efficiently and effectively with wet buds. Dry flowers are often too delicate to withstand bucking, even with simple bucking boards, and the process can damage the integrity of the bud if not performed properly.
While bucking is not always the ideal method to use for dry flower, the quality of some hemp and cannabis products can benefit from the terpene preservation achieved through mechanically bucking wet flower. Crops intended for fast freezing and extraction often produce higher quality end-products when they are processed mechanically with de-stemmers.
Cannabis equipment companies often design their products with a specific customer in mind, and many offer an abundance of high-performance customizations and variable speed controls to help cultivators get the most out of their machines. The bucking machines on the market today vary considerably in their price, throughput rates, customer support, portability, and integrative capabilities. Before making a purchase, cultivators should assess each of these factors to choose the machine that fits into their operation the best.
The EZ Trim Bud Bucker is a solid machine for any business trimming product by hand and seeking a way to increase efficiency. There are eight entry points on the machine that allow two operators to feed stems simultaneously. The Bud Bucker can de-bud a plant in three minutes, and with two operators, it can finish two plants in the same amount of time.
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The Bud Bucker is an adaptive machine that can be dialed in for businesses with precise needs, like those fresh-freezing products for extraction. Operators can adjust the roller speeds to accommodate specific strains, bud sizes, and moisture content. The machine is easiest to use with wet flower, but EZ Trim offers customers personalized guidance to ensure operators can confidently use the machine to de-stem product of any moisture level without causing any trauma to the buds. The adjustable entry point tips give operators the ability to adapt to different strains and gently remove buds from stems without over-compressing the product.
Notably light for its capacity and speed, the Bud Bucker is a 130-pound machine equipped with wheels, a shelf for a storage bin, a front table to catch buds, a rear table to catch stems, and a prep table to use as a work surface. In 20 minutes, all components of the bucker can be fully cleaned.
In addition to a three-year warranty and customer service available every day of the week, EZ Trim offers live virtual training that includes guidance on everything from prep and setup to maintenance and personalized tips.
Triminator’s most powerful hemp bucking machine significantly increased the capacity of its original bucker with a station configured for two operators. The original Buckmaster is capable of processing 150 pounds of flower per hour, while the Buckmaster Pro can strip twice the amount of flower from stems in the same amount of time. Because dry flower takes longer to buck, these bucking rates are achieved with wet product. Triminator offers a hybrid trimmer that trims flower of varying moisture levels and makes an efficient pairing with the Buckmaster Pro.
The Buckmaster Pro is a highly customizable machine with a variety of controls and an adaptable design. In addition to providing operators with precise control over the bucking process, the machine can be adjusted and situated for varying operational needs.
To accommodate different conditions at both farms and post-harvest facilities, the Buckmaster Pro is equipped with off-road tires and a one-horsepower motor. The hemp bucking machine also includes roller speed control providing infinite adjustment options, lockout-tagout controls that allow operators to use best practices for cleaning, and adjustable height to easily match up with a trimmer or conveyor.
For businesses that have good credit and over three years of operation under their belt, Triminator’s equipment financing partners offer payment plans with rates as low as six percent. For businesses that need a more flexible commitment and lower upfront costs, Triminator also offers equipment leasing programs.
The Mobius MBX is a commercial-scale cannabis and hemp bucker designed to integrate with the entire line of the Mobius Automation Suite, an end-to-end system for the post-harvest process. After buds are stripped from their stems with a gentle cut, the MBX chute funnels move flower to conveyors for the next stage of the operation. The automated system is an appealing option for multi-state operators who need to optimize their product consistency on a commercial scale.
With the ability to process both wet and dry flower, this machine can buck over 100 pounds of product in a single cycle. Seven feed holes designed for dual operators help speed up the post-harvest process and the one-half horsepower, variable-speed, stem-pulling motor helps pull the stems gently to keep cannabinoids and terpenes fully intact. The MBX also features two chipping blades and large-diameter rollers that help strip full-sized stems at controlled speeds similar to scissors.
This cannabis bucking machine is operated through a button panel designed to keep hands clear from the machinery. It includes a glove-friendly control panel with a safety stop and a reverse setting to quickly clear stem obstruction. Certified under general manufacturing practices, the 275-pound machine needs only a 115-Volt power source for operation. For easy cleaning, the machine is made entirely of stainless steel and includes cleaning guards to protect operators while they pressure wash.
Most notably, the MBX is equipped with an integrated chipper that cuts stems into smaller pieces as it bucks. This feature is designed to reduce the time and inconvenience of green waste removal for more cost-effective disposal. Waste produced from the MBX bucking process is less bulky and more condensed than unchipped stalks.
Munch Machine’s commercial bucker is designed for outdoor cultivators producing large cannabis plants, crops being fresh-frozen for live rosin, growers who wet buck, and businesses seeking more throughput from each machine.
The Cluster Bucker is constructed using an array of patent-pending technology, including dual-drive belts, keyhole die plates, and Munch Machine’s TANC system. TANC stands for Traction Amplifying Nonslip Cassette, which lengthens the area that grips the stems to accommodate a large range of branch sizes and reduces manual handling. Operators are able to feed larger branches into the machine and spend less time meticulously trimming stems, which increases efficiency and preserves the quality of the flower. Branches can be hand torn and bucked with minimal preparation.
Munch Machine offers operators who purchase the Cluster Bucker an optional integrated conveyor to further improve production efficiency. The conveyor attaches directly to the machine and moves with the bucker as an integrated system. Because the Cluster Bucker has such a high throughput, conveyors alleviate the bottlenecks that can occur with frequent bin swaps.
The bucking machine is also equipped with features that make maintenance more convenient. The unit as a whole is washdown rated for fast power cleaning. Without using any tools, operators can remove the faceplate, protection hoods, and belt cassettes. When repair is needed, the machine can be serviced in the field using standard tools, and Munch Machine keeps all parts in stock to ensure customers can harvest without long-term delays. While the Cluster Bucker is more expensive than many other commercial buckers on the market, its five-year warranty aims to provide customers with a reliable investment.
The Centurion Pro XL Megabucker lives up to its name measuring over 20 feet long and built into its own trailer as a portable bucker stand. The bucker is equipped with a two-inch ball hitch, 3,500-pound twin axles, and steel belted radial tires for portability.
The XL Megabucker can accommodate up to 12 operators at the same time and uses a multi-conveyor system to efficiently move large amounts of product in a short amount of time. The machine features two fixed-speed conveyors designated for stem and flower removal and one variable-speed conveyor for unprocessed product delivery to operators. The variable speed conveyor can be configured for both speed and direction, giving operations more flexibility and control over their automated process.
Centurion Pro included a variety of features that enhance the safety of the bucker and its ease of use. All parts of the machine comply with health and safety regulations. Two emergency stop switches are positioned on opposite sides of the machine to ensure operators can take fast action while the non-slip expandable metal decking keeps operators sure-footed. To decrease downtime, the variable-speed rollers in the bucker are reversible for clearing jams and easily accessible through removable panels.
Because the XL Megabucker is a significant investment and a big commitment, Centurion Pro offers customers a trade-in program to exchange their existing model for credit toward the latest model of the machine.