Making customization standard
SOLUTION BY DESIGN
Project Profile
Making Customization Standard
Drawing on our in-house capabilities and a broad base of customizable standard products, Vollrath Manufacturing Services (VMS) created a vessel for a closed-loop oil extraction system for a client in the cannabis industry. Building off a design the client brought to us, we modified an existing product to deliver a customized solution that
saved the client time and money, allowing them to get product to market more quickly.
| OPPORTUNITY | CHALLENGE | SOLUTION |
| Develop a product for the highly customized cannabis oil extraction industry. | Create a vessel that could stand up to varying temperatures, resist corrosion, and meet food safety standards. | Draw on our extensive offering of standard products to modify and produce a piece specific to the client's needs. |
A new industry with a timeless need
As more states legalize cannabis, the market is attracting entrepreneurs with unique ideas and product development plans. These start-ups are scouring the food service industry for products that can be used as-is or easily modified to suit their needs to save time and expense.
Although the products in this industry are very individualized, one thing that’s consistent is safety, particularly if the extracted oil will be used in food products. VMS has more than 140 years of manufacturing expertise and a broad portfolio of in-house capabilities including deep drawing, annealing, and more to call on. This level of expert advice and a streamlined, cost-effective process certainly benefits all of our clients, but especially start-ups who may need some guidance as they navigate the process of getting their product to market. In this instance, our experience making food-grade products, our thorough understanding of UL, NSF and other certifications, as well as our robust in-house services, made us a natural fit for the oil extraction project.
As part of the Vollrath family, VMS has a wide array of standard products we can customize for a number
of industries including food service, medical, biotechnology, and more. Our robust inventory of standard
products and in-house manufacturing capabilities ensures we can help get products to market quickly in
a cost-effective way.
For this project, the client needed a tank for their closed loop oil extraction system. The process
involves using a vessel that does not come in contact with the outside environment or any contaminants.
The cannabis is mixed with a solvent to draw the oil out. Then, the solvent must be extracted from the
oil mixture.
This process involves flowing product from one vessel to another and back to the original, creating a
“loop.” The vessel must be able to withstand corrosion and drastic temperature change in addition to
meeting food safety standards.
To create the pieces the client needed, we used stock pots from our commercial foodservice division
(created using deep draw and aluminum stamping for the two different sized tanks), and modified them
to meet the client’s requirements. This provided cost-savings to the client by eliminating the need for
customized tooling.
Delivering customized solutions
safe, corrosion-resistant closed-loop oil extraction system that’s built to last. VMS delivered precisely
what the client needed, and by modifying an existing product, saved them time and money in the design and
engineering phase.
It’s something we do every day for clients in a multitude of industries. Our in-house capabilities, and our broad base of customizable standard products (which can also be sourced for private label use), set us and our clients apart from the competition.
Work With Us
We provide custom manufacturing and engineering design consulting, standard and made-to-order parts, and custom tool fabrication.