In a burgeoning industry constantly seeking efficiency and scalability, an unlikely pioneer is leading the charge: a former NASA engineer. Nohtal Partansky, whose aerospace background includes a pivotal role on the Mars Perseverance rover’s MOXIE project—an instrument now producing oxygen on the Martian surface—has channeled his expertise into the rapidly expanding cannabis sector.
Partansky, driven by a desire for faster-paced innovation than traditional aerospace, founded Sorting Robotics in 2018. After an initial foray into e-commerce robotics, he pivoted to the cannabis industry in 2019, identifying a significant market ripe for technological disruption.
Sorting Robotics: Engineering Cannabis’s Future
Based in Los Angeles, Sorting Robotics, co-founded by Partansky, Cassio Santos, and former COO Sean Lawlor, is at the forefront of industrial automation for the cannabis industry. The company specializes in leveraging robotics, computer vision, and AI to address critical bottlenecks in cannabis production, aiming to enhance efficiency, reduce labor costs, and ensure unparalleled product quality and consistency. Their approach is deeply informed by direct experience, as Partansky also established Rise Co-Packing in Oakland, California, in 2020, allowing for a firsthand understanding of client pain points.
The Stardust and Jiko: Advanced Cannabis Tools
Sorting Robotics’ lineup of advanced cannabis equipment is making waves. Their flagship offering, the “Stardust,” is hailed as the world’s first fully automated kief-coating robot. Launched in 2024, this cutting-edge machine, priced at $250,000, can process an impressive 1,200 to 1,500 pre-rolls per hour with just one operator. The Stardust streamlines the creation of “fuzzy” style pre-rolls by precisely applying an adhesive layer—using distillates, concentrates, or even cigar glue—before uniformly coating them with kief, bubble hash, or crushed THCa diamonds. This automation not only minimizes waste and messiness but can also save businesses upwards of $10,000 per month by replacing the work of five to ten manual laborers.
Another key innovation is the “Jiko” machine, introduced in 2021. Selling for $90,000, the Jiko is designed for automated pre-roll infusion, injecting joints with THC concentrates to create the coveted “donut” effect, where concentrate vaporizes centrally upon ignition. It boasts a throughput of 800 to 1,000 infused pre-rolls per hour, also requiring only a single operator.
Sorting Robotics also offers the “Omnifiller,” a machine capable of filling 6,000 vape cartridges per hour, further expanding their footprint in trending cannabis manufacturing solutions.
The Shifting Landscape of the Cannabis Market
The impact of such tools and equipment is particularly significant given the rapid evolution of the cannabis market. The pre-rolled joint segment has firmly established itself as the third-largest product category, with sales reaching $4.1 billion in the U.S. from January 2023 through June 2024. Notably, infused pre-rolls are driving much of this growth, accounting for nearly 45% of total pre-roll sales in 2024 and demonstrating a 23.8% year-over-year increase in unit sales. In California, infused pre-rolls commanded a remarkable 66.3% of the pre-roll market between December 2024 and February 2025. This surging demand highlights the need for consistent, high-volume production capabilities that automation provides.
Looking ahead, pre-rolls are even projected to surpass traditional flower as the top-selling cannabis category in Canada in 2025. This news underscores a broader industry shift towards convenience, consistency, and potency, all of which are optimized through automated processes.
Automation’s Promise and Challenges
The move towards automation in cannabis manufacturing is seen as an operational necessity rather than a luxury. It promises reduced labor costs, increased throughput, and crucial consistency in product quality, especially vital for brands looking to expand across state lines with varying regulations. Advanced systems incorporate AI and computer vision for real-time quality checks and predictive maintenance, integrating with the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring.
However, the widespread adoption of such technology faces hurdles. The initial investment for machines like the Stardust can be substantial, posing a barrier for smaller operations. There are also ongoing discussions about the potential for job displacement due to automation and concerns among some consumers about the “human touch” in cannabis production. Despite these challenges, companies like Sorting Robotics are forging ahead, positioning themselves to capitalize on the industry’s inevitable move towards more automated, precise, and scalable manufacturing.
