A Cannabis Equipment Supplier Turns to Automation to Extract CBD at Commercial Scale

The KPD machines use EtherCAT Box hardware for field-mountable I/O capabilities even in hazardous areas.Photo courtesy of Beckhoff Automation.EtherCAT devices also include a wide range of options that enable the modularity that the KPD machines require. For example, numerous I/O terminals are rated in IP20, IP67, and IP69K. The DIN rail-mounted options provide rapid communication inside the control center and explosion-proof enclosures on the machine. Machine-mounted EtherCAT Box modules allow direct installation in the field using cables with M8 connectors and no enclosures.

Operators interact with the machines via Beckhoff multitouch human machine interface (HMI) hardware with custom branding for Precision. A 24-in. CP3924 Control Panel resides in the control center and connects to the CX2040 via CP-Link4 – the One Cable Display Link. A CPX3721 Panel PC, which offers certifications for CE, ATEX, and IECEx Zone2/22, provides a robust HMI in the field. The 21.5-in. touchscreen also runs the HMI software directly on board via a quad-core Intel Atom processor, 8 GB DDR3L RAM, and 60 GB CFast card. “With the CPX panel, the operator on the equipment has full control to start, stop, or perform other tasks locally, which was important,” Kenney says. “Then the main 24-in. touchscreen in the control room supports control and monitoring of all processes and utilities, such as air compressors, chillers, cooling towers, and every piece of equipment on the KPD.”

A CPX3721 Panel PC offers optimal operator interface in the field with certifications for hazardous environments and custom Precision Extraction Systems branding.Photo courtesy of Beckhoff Automation.Extracting the benefits

The KPD 1500 and Vulcan have achieved the necessary modularity for fast commissioning and reliable, high performance for efficient extraction at scale, according to Nick Tennant, founder and chief technology officer at Precision. “The entire apparatus from Precision Extraction Solutions takes just four people to operate. Achieving this throughput from batch processing would require about 50 people and eight extractors running around the clock,” he says. “Our systems are also extremely simple, essentially plug and play. You can drop one onto a slab at a farm or an industrial processing facility. Automating the process as much as possible streamlines efficiencies and allows for extremely low business overhead, which grows more important as competition and regulations in this industry evolve.”

PC-based automation technologies also play an important role in achieving these goals. Beyond greater programming flexibility with TwinCAT, the use of Beckhoff components cut hardware costs by 30% compared to equivalent technologies on the market.

In addition, the CX2040 Embedded PC provides inherent connectivity to log performance data in a cloud-based historian and provide remote support. This feature was particularly useful when troubleshooting a KPD 1500 recently installed in Sicily, Italy. “It saved me an 18-hour flight to fix something small,” Kenney says.

Going forward, Kenney plans to use more Beckhoff technologies on the KPD machines and in other areas. He intends to upgrade the operator interface software to TwinCAT HMI and further reduce component costs by replacing the machines’ current drive technologies with Beckhoff AX8000 Servo Drives. A new VFD mode provides the same functionality while replacing two VFDs with one AX8000. In addition, when AMG Custom Controls builds electrical cabinets, it will use Beckhoff PC-based controllers and EtherCAT I/O unless customers specify otherwise.

Other stories about cannabis that you may want to read about:

Cheers to cannabis: Big alchohol stakes a claim in the legal marijuana boom

A sustainable yet elegant approach to cannabis packaging 

Looking at cannabis through the lens of big tobacco and the alcoholic beverage industry

OEMs Needed for $32 Billion Budding Cannabis Industry

Join us for “The Most Engaging Virtual Event for the Entire Industry” at PACK EXPO Connects, Nov. 9-13. Live demos of equipment and products, live chat with product experts, expedited product search, and more. Attendee registration opens Sept. 15. Be notified when the site goes live by clicking here.