Milling Equipment for the Cannabis Industry
The Cannabis sativa plant has reached a turning point in history, with recent scientific and legal advances paving the way for its use in various industrial applications. Still, those who work with hemp face unique challenges, from navigating transportation restrictions to developing new ways to process the plant while preserving its full benefits.
Cannabis Processing Considerations
One major advantage cannabis boasts is its strength and durability. While this makes it an excellent material for many applications, it first must go through processing to prepare it for further use. Due to federal and certain state restrictions, it is often necessary to complete cannabis hammer milling and grinding on-site. The plant's strength, however, leads to another complication hemp processors face.
Along with its exceptional strength, up to 20% of the plant is oil, which may separate during processing and clog equipment. The cannabis flower also produces a fine, pigment-like powder full of potent nutrients. During processing, this powder can clump together and requires intervention to separate, often needing more force than the average lab equipment can supply.
These challenges can slow down operations and cause the plant to lose valuable terpenes and cannabinoids, which could otherwise be harvested and distributed for profit. In turn, processing cannabis often requires specialty milling equipment.
Cryogenic Grinding Solutions for the Cannabis Industry
The solution to both of these processing concerns is the same — cryogenic grinding of cannabis.
With this method, freshly harvested flower is taken through a cryogenic tunnel, where liquid nitrogen freezes the plant in minutes, locking in all essential nutrients. It also freezes the oils and prevents major powder clumping. From there, the grinder can effectively break apart the cannabis into a more uniform size and move onto distribution without loss of cannabinoids.
Cryogenic freezing and grinding is a common solution for situations in which the flower cannot go through the curing process or needs to be broken up before it can go through pulverization. Pulva's Cryogenic Grinder takes care of hemp milling with ease. Our cannabis milling equipment can reach temperatures of -200° Celsius (-328°F), providing increased production rates and better industry safety.
Pulverizers for the Cannabis Industry
Pulva's catalog of cannabis milling machines further includes a line of quality pulverizers for industry leaders of every size:
- Small batch operations: The Pulvette is an excellent pulverizer to start with. It runs on a 1 HP motor that can process 50 pounds of matter in an hour and break up lumps with a diameter of .25" (6mm).
- Large-scale productions: These operations may be better suited to Pulva's Model A, which runs on a 5 or 7.5 HP motor and can handle 1" lumps and hundreds of pounds per hour.
Pulverizers in the Cannabis Industry FAQ
Here are some answers to the most common questions we get about our pulverizers in the cannabis industry.
How Does Temperature Control During Grinding Impact the Final Quality of Cannabis Products?
Pulva's cryogenic equipment addresses the oil separation issues common in cannabis processing by using liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze the plant before grinding. Additional liquid nitrogen may be applied during the grinding phase to balance out heat caused by grinding. As a result, all effective compounds will be present and active in the final product.
What GMP Standards Apply to Cannabis Grinding for Pharmaceutical-Grade Production?
The following GMP standards apply to cannabis grinding for pharmaceutical-grade production:
- Effective cleaning of all grinder surfaces
- Temperature-controlled processes to prevent contamination
- Corrosion-resistant, non-reactive grinding media
- Streamlined maintenance for consistency and enhanced function
For more information on how Pulva's grinding solutions can help your organization meet critical industry GMPs, please consult our cryogenic grinding product page.
How Does Pulva's Equipment Address the Oil Separation Issues Common in Cannabis Processing?
Temperature control during grinding impacts the final quality of cannabis products by locking in essential nutrients and oils before physically breaking the plant down. This process ensures the cannabis meets industry requirements for various applications, including quality control and GMP standards.
By reducing each object's temperature to its embrittlement temperature, our feeders can crush sensitive materials like cannabis plants without disrupting their chemical makeup. Learn more about our cryogenic grinding solutions on our product page.
What Facility Requirements Should Be Considered When Setting Up Cannabis Processing Operations?
When setting up cannabis processing operations, you must consider the following facility requirements:
- Strategic facility layout
- Construction standards
- Ventilation and HVAC requirements
- Quality control infrastructure
- Safety and emergency systems
Pulva's cryogenic feeder equipment can help you meet cannabis processing requirements by providing compliant processing solutions for your facility. Learn more about our regulations and standards on our resources page.
Explore Cannabis Milling Machines Today
Pulva Corporation has spent over 80 years delivering custom grinding, milling and processing solutions to entrepreneurial brands like yours. Our dedicated engineers create custom solutions where necessary and provide attentive customer service constantly to help our clients achieve success with our equipment. Request a quote for cannabis milling equipment today, or fill out our lab test form to see how our equipment performs before you buy.