Opportunities To Digitise Pharma Operations

Pooja Patil, Corporate Communication, B&R Industrial Automation, gives an insight on how pharma companies can digitise their operations, increase efficiencies, enhance product quality and fulfil regulatory compliances

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INDUSTRY 4.0 IS ALL about creating seamless connectivity in between machines, processes and people within and beyond manufacturing facilities to increase quality, productivity and profit from the power of advanced data analytics. By these next-generation automation solutions, pharmaceutical manufacturing companies can digitise their operations, increase efficiencies, enhance product quality and fulfil regulatory compliances.

In addition, pharma companies are tasked with examining data at every stage of their manufacturing process, right from the time raw materials arrives until the final product is packed and sent for distribution. In traditional pharma facilities, the references and information about drug formulation, production and equipment and data of QA-QC are manually entered in data sheets, which are prone to human errors and can even be manipulated. With such non real-time information, it is difficult for management to take corrective actions and make timely decisions. However, with connected plant and IoT solutions, manufacturers can access data in real-time to monitor production, quality, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and condition of equipment. It also enables, mass customisation and batch size one with cost-effective production.

Improved operational efficiencies

With IoT, manufacturing facilities can monitor data from shop floors in real-time enhancing process efficiencies. In pharma industry, appropriate quality assurance is important. Without it, companies cannot guarantee that the product conforms to necessary quality and safety standards. Many a times, product quality suffers because of machine downtime. In such cases, monitoring conditions of assets in real time can help in increasing equipment availability, preventing unplanned downtime.