Automation Trends Shaping the Industry in 2024

The cannabis industry is growing rapidly. The industry as whole grew 29% from 2018 to 2023, double the rate of growth for the U.S. economy as a whole in 2023 alone.

Advancements in technology are driving much of that expansion. From automatically rolling joints, to carefully counting edibles, and more, the cannabis industry has advanced far beyond mom and pop farms. 

Cannabis brands that want to keep up in 2025 need to be aware of the latest packaging technology, so let’s look at some of the innovations that are driving this industry forward at full speed.

Benefits of Cannabis Packaging Automation

Automation has advanced the cannabis industry in countless ways—from fields, to marketing, to offices, and more. One of the biggest impacts, however, has been on packaging. 

Pick and place robots and full-scale packaging machines are automating every stage of cannabis packaging processes. Some of the key benefits of automation technology include:

• Speed: Automation machines can speed up any stage of the process. Labor-intensive pre-rolls, for example, can be created in a fraction of the time. Pre-roll machines can produce thousands of perfect joints per hour.
  

• Quality: Modern automation machines can work quickly without compromising quality and consistency. Advanced technology can measure weights to the tiniest margins, visually inspect packages, and more.
  
• Creativity: Automating the mundane tasks frees up your talent to work on complex problems, develop new strains, design outstanding marketing materials, and more.

Packaging automation was fairly new in 2024, but the rapid growth of this technology is poised to determine who keeps up and who doesn’t in the next few years. That’s why 59% of cannabis industry professionals indicated that their manufacturing and production processes could benefit from advanced technology.

Let’s dive into some of the latest advancements in cannabis packaging technology.

1. Visual Inspection Technology

Visual inspection systems use advanced cameras and flexible vision technology to ensure quality and accuracy in cannabis packaging.

• Optical counters use dual vision scanners to accurately count produce pieces and check for quality tolerances. These systems are perfect for gummies and other edibles.
  
• Visual inspection systems are also available for pre-roll automation lines. These machines use dual 2.0 megapixel cameras to provide a complete inspection of fill length, cone color, tail length, bend, filter length, and more.

2. Weight Checking Technology

In an industry that weighs product by the gram, precision can’t be overstated. Accuracy and consistency are matters of professional integrity, and directly correlate to how consumers view the brand.

• Multi-head weigh fillers sort bulk products into small, individual packages or containers—weighing each one to within one-tenth of a gram.
• Check weighers are often used closer to the end of an automated line, to validate product counts or weights—from the weight of individual pre-rolls, to cartons and cases.
  
• Shake weigh fillers are perfect for measuring and dispensing milled, ground and shake cannabis to the gram.
  
• Bulk weigh fillers were designed for larger quantities, but still measure to the tiniest tolerances. Bulk fillers can be used on ground and shake, as well as dry flowers and gummies.

Many check weighers designed for the cannabis industry use EMFR technology, or electromagnetic force restoration. EMFR is much more accurate to tiny weight tolerances, because it relies on precise electronic measurements and is not affected by external influences. These weight systems are so acute, they are commonly used in pharmaceutical, jewelry, and aerospace industries as well.

3. Tamper-Evident Sealing

Many states now require cannabis packaging to be tamper-evident. The Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 453D, for example, requires tamper-evident packaging for cannabis products sold in the state. Other states with similar regulations include California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.

Automation technology offers a couple of options for meeting this requirement:

• Cap induction sealing machines quickly and efficiently apply a foil seal over the top of bottles, before they get a cap. These seals also serve to make liquid containers leak-proof, and preserve the freshness and shelf life of dry products like gummies and flowers.
• Tamper-evident labeling applies an adhesive, wraparound label to cylindrical bottles, cans, containers, and jars.

To keep cannabis packaging compliant, consider the latest cap induction sealing machines, which include a sensor that detects and rejects bottles with missing or inadequate seals. External labeling machines should also be equipped with a sensor that verifies the tamper-evident seal has been applied.

The Latest Advancement is Putting It All Together

Partial automation has been used in the cannabis industry for years. Pick and place robots, for example, have been packaging products into cases and trays, and labeling machines are not new.

The real advancement—and the key to modernizing production to keep up with this skyrocketing industry—is putting it all together in a complete automation machine.

Whether you’re sorting and packaging edibles or rolling and packing up pre-rolls, assembly and product lines can be completely automated.

• Flowers can be weighed, bottled or bagged, sealed, capped, labeled, and case packed from start to finish.
• Pre-rolls can be weighed, twisted, trimmed, weight checked, visually inspected, and loaded in tubes or trays, from A to Z.
• Gummies can be sorted, weighed/counted, packaged, sealed, capped, labeled, and cartoned from end to end.

Automating the entire process ensures product uniformity and quality, which translates to happy customers and a positive brand experience. It also reduces errors, keeping your packaging compliant with your state’s laws.

Finally, it’s infinitely more efficient. Automation can increase quality and speed up your processes, positioning your cannabis business for growth in the coming years.

Bonus: QR Codes on Cannabis Packaging

Packaging technology is expanding to the actual labels and packages themselves. Many cannabis brands are now including—and some states require by law—QR codes on labels.

The use of QR codes in general has grown in recent years, and consumers are starting to expect them. One study found that 57% of consumers have scanned a QR code on food packaging to get more information.

Including QR codes on cannabis packaging is helpful for several reasons:

• Improved product transparency: Content on the other end of a QR code can provide details about the product that won’t fit on a small label. It can also include user reviews, how-to videos, and more.
• Better user engagement: Getting users involved with a product is always good for business. QR codes get scanned by friends at family at home, too.
• More business data: QR codes offer brands more details about their buyers. When a consumer scans the code, you get info about the geographic location of the scan, the type of device used, etc. 

Supercharge Your Cannabis Packaging: Embrace Automation With Paxiom

The modern cannabis industry is driven by technology. Automation and machine learning are helping in almost every stage of production—from strain development, to growing, marketing, and especially packaging.

The challenge for cannabis businesses in the next few years will be differentiating their brands and keeping up with demand. Packaging automation and technology are a lynchpin. 

Ready to get serious? Get in touch today, and one of our experienced packaging automation experts will talk with you about your needs, your options, and how to get started.