3 Reasons It’s Time to Digitize Your Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operations

In a short time, the pandemic has drastically increased our dependency on technology. Before the pandemic, pharmaceutical manufacturers had been averse to implementing new technology. Now, research shows an industry mindset shift happening, with 75% of pharmaceutical manufacturers agreeing that a more automated pharma industry will lead to improved productivity, quality, and efficiency.

Pharma manufacturers are increasing investments in digital solutions, including manufacturers that are just starting their digital strategy to those researching initial pilots and expanding their current digital assets. Digitizing your pharmaceutical manufacturing operations will not only help your organization navigate ongoing uncertainty but also overcome existing hazards within processes where efficiency and safety matter most.  
Digitizing Pharmaceutical Operations Avoids Downtime and Keeps Productivity High  
Nearly half of pharma manufacturing companies agree that the plant floor would benefit most from increased digitization. There is essential information buried within binders and filing systems on plant floors, which means operators cannot quickly access the information they need, significantly increasing compliance and quality risks. Replacing these paper-based systems with modern digital applications allows operators to gather critical data in real-time, communicate, and make smarter decisions for greater agility and efficiency. If there's an emergency, you want to make sure your people have the equipment to handle it.

For example, digital solutions, such as the aegex10 intrinsically safe tablet, explicitly created for hazardous environments, allow digital data capture and management right on the production floor. It also provides practical, real-time communication, which gives operators the ability to address issues before they turn into unnecessary downtime and emergencies. Digital pharmaceutical quality control reduces errors, lends to faster problem-solving, and removes the process gaps between quality management systems and content management, which speeds up overall productivity.

Digital Communication Creates a Safer Way for Employees to Work  
One of the most common communication issues in pharma manufacturing stems from safely communicating in hazardous areas where flammable gases, vapors, or other particles may be present. While these environments have both hazardous and non-hazardous areas, there's a high risk that workers may accidentally bring a non-compliant device into the area by mistake, risking their safety and the safety of others. While in these areas, workers often don't have immediate access to data or communication, creating a risky scenario where they can't communicate with the rest of the organization in real-time.  
With digital communication solutions like aegex10 tablets that are IP65 certified to enter dangerous areas with no risk of explosion, communication delays have become a problem of the past. In addition, employees have access to things like FMC, video, wireless sensing, and more, along with communication with management. But, most importantly, they are safe.

Seamless Digital Data Capture Enables Accurate and Real-Time Reporting  
Data is king - this is true now more than ever in every industry, including pharma manufacturing. There is data collection at every stage of the manufacturing process, and normalizing the deluge of data to make it actionable for the manufacturer is vital. In addition, gathering data is a team effort. Each employee needs to quickly and efficiently capture data to keep tabs on maintenance issues, especially during emergencies. Manual data collection can compromise data integrity. It can also cause delays in data reporting and communication when employees are in hazardous areas and cannot access the information they need. Solutions like the aegex10 tablets' emergency response application provide personnel with peace of mind for potential emergencies. In addition, the tablets offer instant data capture and reporting through video and camera capabilities, which remedies communication delays as the user can connect on the spot with their manager via Windows 10 applications.

Integrating New Technology Is Simple With Aegex  
One of the top concerns noted by pharma manufacturers when digitizing pharmaceutical operations is the perceived difficulty of integrating new technology with existing equipment. The Aegex NexVu system provides an affordable solution to retrofit existing infrastructure, and the Aegex tablet is part of a fully integrated platform to make integration concerns obsolete. Whether just beginning your pharmaceutical digitalization journey or further along in the process, Aegex can walk you through establishing a vision, building a business case, and implementing an approach to address your specific needs in pharma manufacturing.