The Future of Automated Cannabis Manufacturing

May 19, 2025
It takes an array of sensors, including pressure transducers and thermocouples, to monitor metrics for optimal performance. With IoT-enabled robots providing telemetry data, potential issues can be spotted before they escalate.

In this final part of a three-part interview, Nohtal Partansky from Sorting Robotics talks to Machine Design about the technology available to sort cannabis biomass using high-speed cameras to determine the seeds from the stems and the buds in real time. “At the moment, there’s no computer vision inside of Stardust, but we’ve done other products before,” he said. “We have another product that does sorting of cannabis biomass, and that is almost entirely computer-vision powered.”

Integrated cameras on their Stardust system, however, allow them to provide customer assistance, Partansky pointed out. By viewing live video feeds, Sorting Robotics’ support team can diagnose issues and offer solutions.

A host of sensors can be found on Sorting Robotics’ machines. “There’s a ton of sensors on the machine,” Partansky said. “All of our robots are IoT-enabled, and so we’re getting data on everything.” This helps them to provide solutions for their customers.

Looking forward, he says the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and automation will likely shape the future of cannabis manufacturing, drawing parallels with advancements in the aerospace industry, where Partansky began.

“What I see in the future is as the AI improves, most of the quality control is going to start moving to the machine side. And so some of the advancements in QC that are required in...aerospace, those will definitely influence [the cannabis sector], and then we’ll be integrating those [AI solutions].

Watch additional parts of this interview series with Nohtal Partansky.

About the Author

Sharon Spielman | Technical Editor, Machine Design

As Machine Design’s technical editor, Sharon Spielman produces content for the brand’s focus audience—design and multidisciplinary engineers. Her beat includes 3D printing/CAD; mechanical and motion systems, with an emphasis on pneumatics and linear motion; automation; robotics; and CNC machining.

Spielman has more than three decades of experience as a writer and editor for a range of B2B brands, including those that cover machine design; electrical design and manufacturing; interconnection technology; food and beverage manufacturing; process heating and cooling; finishing; and package converting.

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @sharonspielman

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