The Hefestus AuraX, the machine behind the numbers below.
The three questions worth asking, about any machine
Not throughput on a spec sheet. Three real questions:
- Does it hold the number on the box once it's running your actual product, at your actual volume, not a demo sample.
- What happens the day something looks off. Who do you call, and what do they actually do.
- Can you see it prove itself on your own line before you're the one holding the risk.
On RollCraft MRB's specs: we don't have its verified numbers on file, and we're not going to publish a guessed-at figure just to make this page look complete. That's the same standard we hold our own claims to. If you want their real numbers, ask them.
| Specification | Hefestus AuraX | RollCraft MRB |
|---|---|---|
| Throughput | Up to 2,000 prerolls / hour | Not independently verified |
| Operators required | One | Not independently verified |
| Labor reduction | Up to 90% | Not independently verified |
| Infused and sticky material | Handled | Not independently verified |
| Formats | Cones, straight rolls, blunt wraps | Not independently verified |
| Tip compatibility | Glass, ceramic, wood | Not independently verified |
| Proof available before purchase | Trial on your own product and line | Not independently verified |
What we can actually show you
Seed & Smith, Denver, Colorado. Daily output: 1,200 to 1,500 prerolls, scaled to 10,000 to 15,000 or more. Crew: down to 2 people. Cone SKUs: consolidated from three or more to one. Downtime since installation: zero.
Their words: "We're producing more, at a higher quality, and with less stress across the board." And the line that answers question two above, directly: "This machine paid for itself quickly. And the support? That's 80% of the value."
Most vendors, ourselves included in every page except this one, lead with the machine. The support behind it is usually the smaller footnote. We think that's backwards. It's the bigger half of the decision.
Question three: a demo doesn't answer it, a trial does
A demo tells you the machine runs. It runs someone else's product, in someone else's building. It cannot tell you what happens with your product, your volume, your crew.
Before you commit to AuraX or to anything else, we'll trial it on your own line, with your own product. That's the only way question three actually gets answered, for either of us.
When RollCraft MRB might be the right call instead
If your operation is small and staying that way, a machine sized for that scale can be the sensible choice, and we'd say so rather than pushing AuraX where it doesn't fit. AuraX is built for the kind of growth curve Seed & Smith went through, not for a line that plans to stay flat.
Whichever machine you're leaning toward
Ask both vendors the three questions above. Then trial the answer instead of taking either spec sheet's word for it.
Have a narrower question first? The preroll automation FAQ covers cost, compliance, and demo logistics directly.