Why it’s important to have a high quality dosing system attached to your wiped-film

What is a dosing system?

A dosing system is a device that accurately measures and dispenses precise quantities of cannabis oil into a distillation machine. Accurate measurement and dispensation is imperative because distillation requires precise control over the amount of material being processed to achieve your desired consistent results. Because a wiped-film is a continuous process that requires an exact flow rate, gaining complete control over your flow rate is crucial.

What should I look out for when searching for a dosing system?

A few things we recommend you look for when purchasing a new dosing system are:

• Proper heating applications
• Ease of loading/delivery
• Reliability
• Simplicity and ease of use
• Level of quality
• The ability to connect to any system easily

What does a dosing system usually consist of?

A dosing system will typically consist of a dosing pump, feed tank, piping/connections, heaters, and temperature controllers that work together to deliver a specific volume of cannabis oil into the distillation machine. For example, our 40L dosing system is equipped with a feed pump that allows the operator to not only control the flow rate but also have the freedom to load material into the flask without breaking deep vacuum. The dosing system you choose should also come equipped with all the proper heating applications, including an adjustable PID controller, a heated hose, a heated jacket or heating pad to keep your feed flask hot, etc. Our 40L system includes 3 independent temperature controllers for the feed tank, pump and heated hose. In addition, the heated hose has sufficient power to preheat the flowing material to over 150C so the oil can flow into the wiped film ready to distill – without sitting at elevated temperature for hours on end, sacrificing quality.

By using a dosing system for cannabis distillation machines, processors can ensure that their products are consistent in quality and potency. The system helps to minimize waste, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency in the distillation process.

Pro-tip: Why don’t you want to break deep vacuum?

Breaking deep vacuum in cannabis processing can compromise the purity of the final product. Exposure to oxygen and moisture from the air and the prolonged heating while the vacuum is brought back down to the desired level harms the quality of your end product. Returning to deep vacuum takes a long time – and this is time that could have been better and more profitably spent processing.

What is the recommended maintenance for your dosing system?

Maintenance is essential if you want your dosing system to have a long service life. To maintain all the different components, we suggest a few good habits such as thorough and regular cleaning and being aware of maintenance intervals. For example, discharge check valves should be inspected and cleaned daily, peristaltic tubing replaced every few days, and shaft seals rebuilt every 2 years. Items that have moving components – like pumps on your system – will wear, even though it may take many years. It’s important to have a reliable partner to keep your equipment performing at its best. You can rely on Beaker and Wrench to always have the parts and pumps in stock so your system can always be rebuilt for continued use.

Pro-tip: You always want to know the evaporator temperature, the feed rate, and the vacuum level of your system.

What are some good starting parameters?

If you are new to using a dosing system, there are starting parameters that are safe and easy to run. When you are starting out with our 6’’ wiped-film, which has a 40L feed tank, we recommend 175c on the evaporator body, 80c on the condenser, and 3L per hr feed-rate for running a cannabinoid distillation with the vacuum at 0-20 millitorr. Remember, these are beginning parameters. We always recommend that processors tune their systems according to the product they produce, making careful adjustments to achieve their desired results.

When looking for a dosing system, it’s important to remember that this process is not one-size-fits-all! For example, if you have a 2’’ system we would recommend you get a 5L feed flask. If you have a 4’’ system you can do a 5L or 20 L, but if you get to a 6’’ system we recommend a 40L since you’re processing more. The bottom line is that pumps should be sized appropriately for each system. If you have any further questions feel free to get in contact with us at info@beakerandwrench.com and we’ll make sure you have exactly what you need to get your best possible results.