Scientific 710: Pioneering Engineering Innovation in the Industry
At SciPhy Systems we always seek to partner with people and organizations that are doing great things for the right reasons. From Scientific 710’s down-to-earth thoroughly positive energy, to their rigorous and methodical science-forward approach to solving key problems in the field, partners Clancy Callaghan and Jason Robbins exemplify the innovation and positive energy that helps the industry thrive. In this piece we will look at their design process and some fresh innovations.
In terms of Scientific 710 and SciPhy Systems shared background, we have collaborated closely on two projects, the Black Hole cold trap and the White Dwarf cold trap, both representing a forward push in terpene capture technology. Contact us for more information or view them on Scientific 710's website.
We sat down with their team and learned about the design process, collaborative work, a unique solution that can increase your yield, and the background that led to their current success.
Discovering and Solving Problems
The heart of Scientific 710 is solving problems. Beginning with innovative terpene capture and expanding from there, the company seeks to solve problems that no one has solved, and to take existing issues that exist in other products/concepts and re-engineer to improve them. Their most recent solution is something that precedes market demand, but that is doubling companies’ output, and therefore doubling their revenue; a hydraulic packer that solves major solvent channeling issues most processors and extractors don’t even know they are having (more below). This is a good example of their ethos in action.
As Founder Clancy Callaghan says,
“People have gotten used to old tech, some of which has been around for hundreds of years. No one has questioned it, no one has said there has to be a better way. So that’s what we do.”
Scientific 710 accomplishes a wide range of internal capacities, which is key to an efficient and effective design process. Clancy is fluent in fabrication and engineering, meaning there is no stop gap of practicality between design and fabrication, between engineering and the buildout. This creates a more efficient design and fabrication process.
But what is that process? Let’s take a look at how Scientific 710 is bringing products to market.
In-House Design Process
The calculated, methodical, and integrated approach to the design process here will help any business that is developing new internal technology.
Pre-prototype
Identify the problem.
Research the market through social listening and conversations with knowledgeable contacts.
If there is interest from the market, create a preliminary design.
Analyze fabrication needs, trying to keep as much as possible in house.
Based on analysis of fabrication and design, solid model in the design using CAD.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to simulate heat transfer while stress analysis software is used to simulate strength of materials.
All parameters including, inputs, outputs, flow rates, temperatures, pressures, etc. are modeled to test the design.
Based on simulation results, changes to the design are made.
Materials are sourced.
Prototype testing
The initial prototype is created.
Then the prototype is rigorously tested.
Most to all prototypes will find errors, “the first time there’s something that you didn’t think of.”
The design is iterated.
Fabrication
Machining, laser cutting, welding, etc.
Surfacing and finishing (coatings such as Teflon).
Assemble components.
Cleaning and electric polishing.
Quality control
Pressure testing.
Cycling (running the system ten times at least).
Now let’s look at this process applied.
Solving Solvent Channeling - The Iron Fist Packer
The Iron Fist packer is an example of a solution that anticipates and solves current problems that the industry may take as a given. In short, it creates a massive increase in efficiency with ingenuity and a clean design.
When packing columns, channeling is always a potential issue. Channeling exists where a solvent makes a river through a media, passing through part of it more quickly. The looser the material, the worse the channeling. A lot of your material may not be touched when channeling occurs. Worse, it even happens at a tiny scale as small density variations in material create uneven solvent flow.
The Iron Fist column packer solves this problem by easily condensing packed material 1000 times more efficiently than human hands can. The result is a 50%-100% increase in the amount of material that can be packed and the elimination of most channeling. This translates to much higher overall yields as well as higher percent yields; meaning, not only are you processing more material per solvent cycle but that material is also being extracted more efficiently than if it were packed by hand.
Once the material has been extracted, the device is used again to unpack the material from the column. It may seem simple, but the solution is ahead of its time to the degree that customers are shocked by their increase in production. Clear, prescient solutions like these have a huge impact on the efficiency and output of a business, and that’s what Scientific 710 strives to do.
In the future the Scientific 710 team is tackling more problems with fresh, innovative solutions. The newest prospect is capturing terpenes in the decarb process, working on preservation. The process now is that people are buying decarb ovens and putting material in them. Since there is moisture and terpenes present, they are pumped out from the oven into the surrounding environment as the material is heated. It’s humid, it “stinks”, and the EPA is likely taking a look soon or already has in some places. Scientific710 is looking at closing the loop on the ovens so there is no intake or exhaust, lowering oxygen content and preserving material. They have already solved the lab smell problem of the aromatic hydrocarbons for processors who don’t care about terpene preservation during the decarb process. R&D has now begun on terpene preservation within that process.
Conlusion: Foundations and Collaboration
Beginning as a post-graduate grower dedicated to discovering in house solutions to many challenges of cultivation, Clancy spent seven years developing his own techniques, procedures, and equipment. At the time only NASA was doing aeroponics, and so analysis of space station plant cultivation became a jumping point for prototyping. The overhead was high, the investment deep, and the results taxing but effective. It was only when Clancy hit a wall of scientific expertise that he realized he had to return to education. There he dove into chemistry and multidisciplinary science, before pursuing mechanical engineering and eventually receiving an Outstanding Scholar Award. This combination of a background in growing and the continued effort to increase knowledge base are a recipe for a unique potential to solve problems in our industry.
So naturally, viewing the industry as a scientific field is a critical component of their ethos, and one that SciPhy champions as well. From that standpoint Scientific 710 sees the development of the industry towards partnerships that increase learning opportunities and establish both solutions and standards.
In our conversation Clancy highlighted an important dynamic of teamsmanship, with the ultimate goal of shared success. The value of collaboration. This is one major reason we team with Scientific 710. But it goes beyond that. SciPhy Systems looks for technology partners that share professional and personal values. Personally their team is positive, solution-focused, highly innovative, and clear-headed.
Professionally, we respect Scientific 710’s design ethos, approach to problem solving, technology-forward processes, and use of fundamental concepts and new learning to create serious advancements.
That's what its all about.