Achieving Data-Driven Smart Manufacturing

APCI Co-Founder Delivers Keynote on Data-Driven Smart Manufacturing at BioProcess International Conference

Our co-founder and CEO Dr. Joseph Pekny spoke to biopharmaceutical industry experts about the benefits of using a digital twin to support smart manufacturing initiatives.

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In September 2023, our co-founder and CEO Dr. Joseph Pekny traveled to Boston to deliver the keynote address at the BioProcess International Conference. In his presentation, Dr. Pekny discusses how a digital twin like VirtECS can help pharmaceutical plants address smart manufacturing priorities, including optimization of resource allocation, maximizing total throughput, and responding efficiently to major industry disruptions.

Later in the presentation, our longtime colleague, Jon Forstrom from Sanofi, joined Dr. Pekny to discuss his team’s experience using VirtECS as a digital twin at their pharmaceutical facility. Jon speaks at length about Sanofi’s unique process modeling challenges and their desire to find a software provider that could accurately model their complex dynamics at a real-world scale.

“With the power of (VirtECS), we could model variability to get a real-world answer and not an over-simplified computer answer, which you get with most tools,” said Jon. “By having this digital twin, we can rapidly simulate scenarios where we fit new products into old plants. Where it would normally take weeks or months to do a full analysis, we’ve turned around some of these analyses with VirtECS in a day or two.”

VirtECS® for Biologics Manufacturers

The manufacture of biologics is similar to other processes in many ways, including certain production steps and the style of equipment, but there are also unique challenges to the clinical manufacturing of drug product and substance. VirtECS® provides flexibility, shared resource coordination, solution storage and many other features that address the specific needs of biologics manufacturers.

At each step, VirtECS® ensures schedule feasibility, prevents overlooked conflicts and maximizes utilization of all lines.

Biologics Clinical Manufacturing Brochure Mockup

IN THIS GUIDE, YOU’LL LEARN:

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How VirtECS® caters specifically to biologics manufacturers.

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The customization options available within the planning & scheduling platform.

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VirtECS®’ abilities that minimize manual labor and the number of errors made during scheduling.

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How VirtECS® Symphony facilitates feedback between users and allows for schedule changes in real time.

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