How to Choose the Right Cannabis Extraction Method

Choosing the right cannabis extraction method for your desired end product is a complicated question, especially considering the price of high-quality extraction equipment. This is why it’s important to look into the different extraction methods available and determine which is best for your products. Once you know the types of products you plan to launch and the methods to produce them, you can choose the ideal extraction equipment.

We will explain why there are different extraction methods, what they are, and how to select the right one based on your intended product lines.

Why Are There Different Methods?

Companies manufacturing cannabis products process more than 120 different cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds during the production process. In any given operation, you will need to use a quality supply of raw material, develop high-quality end products, invest in the right equipment, and be able to scale or maximize yield.

There are several types of end product categories, including:

• Concentrates — extracts, broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, and isolates
• Common plant extracts — oil, wax, crumble, live resin, crumble, budder, shatter, and live resin
• Common cannabis concentrates — hash, bubble hash, kief, and rosin

The extraction method for each of these products will vary. For example, you will need a specific method to produce terpene-rich concentrates like high-terpene full-spectrum extracts (HTFSE). These methods can roughly be divided into solvent- and non-solvent-based extractions.

Solventless Vs. Solvent-Based Cannabis Extraction Methods

Depending on the types of cannabis products you want to produce, you will use either solventless or solvent-based methods. Each method offers unique advantages and disadvantages for different products, making it important to understand how both work before deciding on the right one for your end product.

Solvent-Based Cannabis Extraction Methods

Solvent-based cannabis extraction involves using a chemical solvent to separate the trichomes from the rest of the plant, producing high-purity cannabis oil. These are the main types of solvent-based cannabis extraction:

• Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) extraction — One solvent you can use for extraction is ethanol, which is a volatile and colorless liquid that has a long history in botanical extraction. It can extract THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids. Its versatility makes it one of the most popular solvents, as it can extract a wide range of hemp and cannabis products.
• Hydrocarbon extraction — Hydrocarbon extraction is effective for products intended for dabbing, but it’s less ideal for extracting cannabinoid products such as THC and CBD isolates. Hydrocarbons like butane, propane, and hexane serve as the primary solvent. The benefits of this extraction method include faster production times, high yield, and increased purity.
• Oil extraction — Fat-soluble cannabinoids may undergo oil extraction by heating the cannabis flower in different types of edible oils. These oils include butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. Oil extraction is most suitable for small-scale home extraction, as the extract is less pure and has a shorter shelf life than what you would get with other methods.

Non-Solvent-Based Cannabis Extraction Methods

Non-solvent-based extraction involves using CO2, water, or physical forces rather than chemical solvents to extract cannabinoids and other compounds. Some of these methods include:

• CO2 extraction — During the extraction process, the equipment uses pressurized CO2 to extract cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Because it is not flammable or toxic, CO2 is a popular choice to boost consumer appeal.
• Agitation — Agitation methods include ice water extraction and mechanical separation. Both methods cause trichomes to separate from the cannabis plants for easier collection. Agitation can yield cannabinoid concentrates with up to 70% THC content.
• Cold-pressed extraction — This process involves pressing chilled plant material under high pressure to extract hemp or cannabis oil. Although this process can extract cannabinoids with high purity, it often comes at the cost of low yield.
• Rosin pressed extraction — This method produces live rosin extracts by heating and pressurizing hemp or cannabis plants to press out the cannabinoids and terpenes. Rosin-pressed extraction tends to be a small-scale technique, producing a taffy-like rosin product.
• Screened and/or hand-pressed extraction — Manufacturers may use this process to produce kief, which is one of the oldest types of cannabis extracts. Made from the cannabinoid-rich trichome glands of the cannabis plant, kief is produced using a dry sifter or grinder.

Comparing Methods

To choose the right extraction method, it’s best to understand the specific benefits of each and which technique can best serve your production needs. For example, CO2 extraction is best for CBD oil, while screened extraction is ideal for kief. These methods will vary depending on the required efficiency, desired quality, output, and overall cost of operation to produce your particular end product.

The table below compares various criteria and end products based on the type of extraction method.

AMP Equipment for Every Cannabis Extraction Method

Regardless of the extraction method you use for your products, AMP Equipment can provide you with the ideal solution. We offer a selection of filtration equipment, ethanol and hydrocarbon equipment, and custom equipment based on your needs.

Reach out to your AMP Equipment engineers if you need assistance figuring out which method will provide the proper end product for you.

How is CBD/THC Oil Manufactured?

CBD, or Cannabidiol, naturally occurs in the hemp plant and contains less than 0.3% THC. CBD extract is non-psychoactive and often comes in the form of an oil mixed with a carrier oil for use in various body care products. 

THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, comes from the cannabis plant and can contain anywhere from 5% to 35% THC. Unlike CBD, THC is psychoactive and used for a range of medicinal and recreational purposes. Hemp and cannabis plants can both be used to produce CBD and THC; however, hemp has a higher concentration of CBD, while cannabis has a higher concentration of THC. 

Process of Making CBD/THC Oil

Manufacturing CBD and THC oil involves various steps, including pre-processing, extraction, refinement, and more. 

Pre-Processing Stage: Cannabis/Hemp

Manufacturers use mature female hemp or cannabis plants in their raw states to produce CBD and THC oil. Once the plants are harvested, they’re dried and sorted. Next, manufacturers must separate the buds from the stems and stalks and trim off any excess leaves. The flowers are then cured to equalize any remaining moisture and allow the flavors to develop.

Extraction Methods 

All extraction techniques involve the use of solvents to efficiently separate CBD molecules from other cannabis plant compounds. Once the solvents purify the CBD solution, they evaporate and what’s left is pure CBD oil.

Three common extraction methods in CBD/THC oil manufacturing include:

• Butane. Butane is nonpolar, making it great for extracting cannabinoids and terpenes without unwanted chlorophyll and other plant material. However, it’s important to remove all residual solvent prior to consumption. During this extraction method, cold liquid butane enters a tank holding the hemp or cannabis materials. This dissolves the cannabinoids and terpenes as well as any lipids and plant waxes. 

• Ethanol. Ethanol is polar and can extract all unwanted plant materials, such as fats, waxes, and chlorophyll. Extraction begins by soaking the cannabis and hemp materials in the ethanol. This draws out the cannabinoids and terpenes. Residual ethanol solution evaporates, leaving the crude CBD or THC concentrate behind. Refining this concentrate gives a purified CBD or THC oil.

Refinement Processes

THC and CBD oil must undergo refinement and distillation processes until purity is achieved. These processes include:

• Winterization. The extracted oil is mixed with alcohol and placed in a freezer at below-zero temperatures. Any undesirable elements, such as fats, wax, and lipids, will coagulate and freeze so they can be filtered out. Once all unwanted elements are removed, the mixture is heated to evaporate the alcohol, leaving behind pure CBD oil.
• Distillation. Distillation refines the CBD oil even further. This process involves boiling away unwanted materials, such as flavonoids, terpenoids, and other contaminants. The vapors continue through a tube until they’re cooled and collected in another container, leaving pure CBD behind.
• Filtration. This process removes any residual plant material left after the extraction process. Most of the time, manufacturers use a vacuum filtration system and filtration media to remove unwanted fats, chlorophyll, and waxes. 
• Solvent Evaporation. Solvent evaporation involves using specialized equipment to apply heat to the extracted oil in order to remove solvents like ethanol and butane.

End Products

Pure CBD and THC oils have many uses from topical body lotions and medicinal remedies to recreational purposes and more. Common applications for refined CBD and THC oil include: 

• Vape cartridges
• Edibles
• Tinctures
• Topicals
• Capsules

AMP Equipment Extraction Solutions

Refining CBD and THC oils requires extraction equipment that can effectively and quickly produce pure CBD and THC oils. At AMP Equipment, we design and manufacture Ethanol extraction skids that are modular and flexible. Our machines can process up to 2,400 pounds per day and are fabricated in the United States with high-quality stainless steel. All of our filtration skids can accommodate both low and high production volumes and can be customized to meet your specific extraction needs. 

To learn more about our products, or to get started on your custom extraction solution, contact us today.