Hefestus

Who Hefestus is and what it makes

Hefestus Technologies Ltd is an automation company based in Caesarea, Israel, that builds pre-roll machines and packaging equipment for licensed cannabis producers. Marijuana Venture reports that the family owned company was founded in Israel in 1993, and Hefestus says it spent three decades on food packaging automation before extending that engineering to cannabis about ten years ago. Its current lineup includes the AuraX pre-roll system, the LumineX compact machine, the TerpPreserve Grinder, the AutoTube nitrogen sealer, a tube labeler and the AuraX Weight Checker.

The Aura 2000 is the earlier Hefestus cone filling robot. A company authored article says Hefestus introduced it in February 2019, and it no longer appears on the current Hefestus product pages, which lead with the AuraX.

Where Hefestus machines fit by facility stage

Hand rolling and small cone fillers cover early volume. Once daily targets climb into the thousands, fully automatic machines like the Aura 2000 come into play: Hefestus rates it at 1,500 to 1,800 cones per hour with a single operator, or about 12,000 to 14,400 cones in an eight hour shift at rated speed.

Higher volume operations look at the current AuraX, which Hefestus rates at up to 2,000 pre-rolls per hour. Hefestus says it handles cones, straight rolls and blunt wraps, works with glass, ceramic and wood tips and runs infused and sticky material, which matters for the lines covered in our infused pre-roll guide.

Smaller rooms can look at the LumineX, rated at up to about 600 pre-rolls per hour. The rest of the Hefestus line covers the steps around the roller: grinding up to 330 pounds per hour on the TerpPreserve Grinder, nitrogen sealing at up to 30 tubes per minute on the AutoTube, labeling and weight checks.

How to size and plan a Hefestus Aura 2000 line

Size from your daily pre-roll target and the shifts you run, then check the room. The Hefestus spec sheet calls for 208 to 240 V, 50 to 60 Hz single phase power at 25 A, plus a 6 bar air compressor with an 80 to 120 gallon tank and an air dryer.

The machine measures 1,099 by 1,084 by 1,438 mm, has a gross weight of 346 kg and ships in a 120 by 120 by 160 cm crate, so confirm door widths and floor loading before delivery. It connects to the cloud over WiFi or LAN, so plan network access in the production room.

Plan the steps before and after the roller as well. A cone filler can only run as fast as the ground material feeding it and the packaging after it, so map grinding, weighing, tubing and labeling against the same hourly rate. Our packaging equipment guide covers line design and compliance.

Hefestus compared with other pre-roll options

Hefestus closes each cone with what it calls its patented Dutch Crown fold. A company authored article describes five Aura 2000 stations: cone feeding, material filling, tamping, folding and ejection. The spec sheet lists stainless steel and food grade materials, CE marking and UL safety certification.

Another option is a multichannel machine such as the JuanaRoll 4-Channel Pre-Roll Machine that Urth & Fyre also lists. Compare the two on cones per labor hour at your target volume, plus floor space and utilities, rather than on purchase price alone.

Within the Hefestus line, the Aura 2000 and AuraX share the one operator design, but the AuraX is rated higher at up to 2,000 per hour and adds touchscreen recipes that store cone size, fill weight and twist tightness. Hefestus quotes AuraX pricing by configuration.

Buying a Hefestus machine through Urth & Fyre

Urth & Fyre currently lists a Hefestus Aura 2000 cone rolling robot. Because Hefestus now leads with the AuraX, ask the seller for the build year and software version, and ask Hefestus about parts and service support for the Aura 2000 before you commit. Run a test with your own cone sizes and grind before you sign off on the machine.

Hefestus listed a North Las Vegas, Nevada office in 2022 and shows a 702 area code line on its current site. Request a quote on the Aura 2000 listing, or send Urth & Fyre your daily pre-roll target for a line plan from grinder to labeled tube.

• Confirm power. The Aura 2000 spec sheet calls for 208 to 240 V, 50 to 60 Hz, single phase power at 25 A, so plan a dedicated circuit.
• Budget compressed air. The machine needs a 6 bar compressor with an 80 to 120 gallon tank and an air dryer. The spec sheet lists the dryer as a requirement, so price it in if your site lacks one.
• Plan rigging. The machine weighs 346 kg gross and ships in a 120 by 120 by 160 cm crate, and its footprint is 1,099 by 1,084 mm.
• Provide network access. The Aura 2000 connects to the cloud over WiFi or LAN for remote troubleshooting.
• Check support for an older model. Hefestus now leads with the AuraX, so confirm parts, software and technician support for the Aura 2000 with Hefestus before you buy.
• Test your formats. One Hefestus customer ran 1 g, 0.7 g and 0.5 g pre-rolls on one machine, according to a company authored article. Run your own cone sizes and grind before purchase.
• Ask about training. New machines were sold with three to four days of on site training and a one year warranty in 2022. A resold unit includes only what the seller and Hefestus agree to.