ABM Equipment & A-1 Scales

Herb Processing Systems

ABM offers vertically-integrated, field-to-package systems for a number of end products. From handling and drying to extraction and edible manufacturing, we bring the automation and scalability of the food industry to cannabis.

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Dryer unit for single and dual stage herb dryers
Falling Film Evaporators
Batch cooker

Equipment

Service

Software

Fabrication

Engineering

Testing

Integration

Consulting

Herb Drying

Testing, design, integration, and supply of complete drying solutions. Circular fluid bed dryers process up to 3,500 lbs/hr of homogenized product with up to 94% Herb essence retention. Microwave dryers process up to 1,000 lbs/hr of premium whole flower with up to 97% Herb essence retention.

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Dryer unit for single and dual stage herb dryers
Falling Film Evaporators

Herb Extraction

Supply & integration of current-best extraction equipment. ABM manufactures and distributes the Yellowstone falling film evaporator, which recovers up to 80 gallons per hour of solvent at 99% efficiency and no chiller.

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Edible Manufacturing

Our fully automated, interfacable production lines drastically reduce labor costs and improve margins. Food and pharmaceutical-grade, USDA and FDA certified, our versatile offerings can deliver an array of top-quality end products that stand out in the cannabis market.

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Edible form filler machine

Browse Products

Browse some of the individual pieces you will find in a complete system.

Weighbelts

Weighbelts

Weighbelts are flat belt conveyors with weighbars beneath the belt to measure product flow. Knowing product weight and convey-rate, weigh-belts precisely meter product into the dryer by communicating with up-stream equipment and adjusting speed. Weigh-belts are critical between the shredder and the dryer because consistent feed-rates are critical for any continuous-flow herb drying processes to prevent burning product or leaving wet spots. They can also be used in various parts of the process to provide a number of data points such as moisture weight-loss.

Batch Cookers

Batch Cookers

The Batch Cookers are the market-leading solution for weighing, mixing, and cooking pectin or gelatin syrups for volumes of up to 25,000 edibles per hour. GMP-forward and FDA-approved, the Jellycook is made to accommodate a wide variety of recipes and scenarios. Among other features, a variable, high-shear mixer ensures consistent dispersion, scrapers ensure even heating, and easy-access points allow ingredients to be added automatically or on-the-fly. All lines and bins after the cooking vessels are insulated so the cooking temperature can remain as low as possible.

Herb Dryers

Herb Dryers

Fluid beds use evenly distributed airflow to suspend and fluidize product, like ping-pongs ball over airstreams. Heat is used to improve performance, but because it is not the primary driver of evaporation, does not burn the oils like other popular methods. Because fluid beds perform best with shredded material, they are ideal for pre-rolls and extraction biomass. Trichomes lost to abrasion are captured and returned to product in real time.

Dual Stage Falling Film Evaporators

Dual Stage Falling Film Evaporators

Dual stage falling film evaporators apply higher heat to incoming slurry when it is protected by extra solvent, and lower heat to outgoing crude when it is more temperature-sensitive. By using different levels of heat at different stages, dual stage falling films are able to further increase throughput, improve efficiency, and better protect yields. And with heat from the first column being used to heat the second, the system is able to recapture heat more effectively. As with the single stage units, these custom dual stage falling films operate without chillers and are significantly less costly to operate than any competing offering. Two-stage falling films are available in a number of configurations and virtually any size. Reach out for more information or to obtain a quote.

Microwave Dryers

Microwave Dryers

When most people think of microwaves they think of indiscriminate radiation blasting, uneven heating, and hot bowls with cold food. But comparing consumer to commercial microwaves is like comparing a nuke to a nuclear reactor. The Marion WaveMixe uses vacuum to reduce the moisture’s boiling point and tightly controlled microwaves to hold product, to the exact desired temperature within less than 1°F variance. This has the primary benefit of allowing us to ensure virtually no loss of herb extract, and the secondary benefit of being able to decarboxylate pellets.

Batch Cookers

Edible Slurry Cookers

The edible cookers we offer are GMP-forward and FDA approved, easy to clean, and designed to protect active ingredients. Coming from the food industry and optimized for cannabis, these Baker Perkins units are the world’s leading solution for starchless edibles. They can be used with many different types of products, including gummies, and bring a number of built-in efficiencies which significantly reduce costs in the long-run.

Herb Shredders

Herb Shredders

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Shredders slice herb it into small, homogenized particle sizes in preparation for drying. Shredders are preferable over mills for wet product because mills crush instead of cut; crushing inflicts unnecessary damage, makes screens difficult to clean, and compacts the flower which further reduces drying efficiency.

Our high-throughput, super-sturdy herb shredders come with variable controls to accommodate any drying method. They’re available in various sizes from 1–400 HP, with maximum throughputs ranging from 100–10,000 lbs./hr., and optionally available in stainless.
Most dryers will perform best with particle sizes between 3/4 and 1/4″, with the latter being ideal for ABM solutions. 1/4″ shred carries the added benefit of being suitable for extraction, allowing extractors to skip the mill. ABM provides turn-key integration and 24/7 emergency support for all components and systems in our wheelhouse.

Edible Depositors

Edible Depositors

The Edible Depositor is a starchless depositor developed specifically for bud that brings precise, accurate, and automated dosing to the industry. Starchless depositing has many advantages over other forming methods. It creates edibles of uniform size, shape, and weight, with a glossy finish and no sharp edges or air bubbles; this produces a smooth, high quality “mouthfeel”. The process is ideal for any kind of edible including jellies, gums, hard candies, lollipops, toffees, fudges and fondants. The Edible Depositor efficiently adapts to these products simply by changing the mold. Two colors or flavors may be combined as stripes, layers, or center-fills with the added option of using a softer filling. With no starch involved, the process is extremely hygienic, which makes it ideal for low volume functional, medicated, and pharmaceutical products alike.

Herb Sifters

Herb Sifters

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ABM’s Herb Sifters remove stalks and stems from premium biomass with far greater speed & precision than human hands, buckers, or other mechanical options. They are low-maintenance, easy to clean, and extremely long-lasting.

Using flow-assists and screw feeders to control the flow of shredded bud into the separating chamber, it uses specially-shaped paddles to propel it against the surrounding sieve. This pushes the desirable fines out through the apertures while the over-sized stems are rejected.

Surge Hoppers

Surge Hoppers

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Surge hoppers, or storage hoppers, stabilize product flow between continuous-flow and batch processes to maintain the system’s ability to run continuously despite some equipment needing change-time. They are commonly used before mixers to allow time for batches to finish, and before bulk bags to allow time for bag changes. These powder-coated or stainless hoppers can come in any shape or size required and come equipped with flow-aids to ensure smooth flow and prevent product from bridging.

Magnets

Magnets

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Magnets are a cheap and effective way to catch metals that may have been introduced to the field or the harvested bud. By passing herb across extremely strong magnets, metals that would otherwise damage the shredder and cause problems during drying or extraction are captured. Though magnets are typically placed immediately after the intake conveyors, they can be placed in numerous stages of the production line depending on the state of the product and the equipment involved. There are various simple and auto-clean types available, they are easy to install, and they last indefinitely.

Herb Conveyors

Herb Conveyors

As with all equipment that touches herbss, even shredders, herb conveyors must be as gentle as practicality allows. A certain level of destruction is necessary for any competitive process, but reducing this effect whenever possible throughout a line will increase yields and efficiency.

Trough belt conveyors are generally best for un-shredded and wet herb because they’re easy to clean and fibrous stalks can bind in augers and screw conveyors. And because herb biomass agglomerates and does not roll easily, belt conveyors can be inclined up to 30°.

When conveying dry, shredded product up slopes, screw conveyors are best for short runs and chain disks are best for long runs. Although chain disks’ capacity for herb maxes out around 150 lbs. of dried flower per minute, they can run over 2,000 feet and around 24 turns from a single drive. They can also accommodate as many inlets and outlets as needed.
Although the narrow augers used for milled grain are often thought of as an alternative, we only recommend them under special circumstances because of the inherent friction involved.

40+ Years' Experience

ABM Equipment has been optimizing & integrating bulk biomass processing systems for over 40 years. ABM has implemented and researched bulk drying & handling solutions for producers and co-ops in the hemp space since legalization.