Life sciences automation faces a unique set of challenges, from strict regulatory requirements that continually change and expand to demands for scalable and efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Ignition, Inductive Automation’s industrial automation platform for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), human-machine interface (HMI), manufacturing execution systems (MES), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and more, is revolutionizing pharmaceutical automation and how biotechnology companies navigate these challenges.
By combining robust reporting features, scalable architectures, and advanced data management capabilities, Ignition empowers life sciences companies to enhance efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain a competitive edge. In this blog, we will explore how Ignition has modernized, enhanced, and optimized four life sciences companies’ operations for the future of automation.
1. Regulatory Compliance Simplified
Regulatory compliance is a critical priority for automation in the pharmaceuticals industry, particularly with FDA 21 CFR Part 11. Ignition addresses this by providing comprehensive audit trails that log system activity, ensuring traceability of changes and secure user actions. It also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Active Directory and Identity Providers (using SAML or OpenID Connect), enabling role-based authentication and secure user access. Furthermore, Ignition’s Reporting Module enables you to create automated batch records, simplifying documentation for regulatory audits, reducing human error, and ensuring the integrity of records.
These tools have helped companies simplify adherence to stringent regulatory standards while maintaining operational transparency, including the Boston-based chemical company Snapdragon. The Director of Chemistry at Snapdragon, David Ford, said, “We chose Ignition because it allowed us to meet the requirements in 21 CFR Part 11 while also providing a great deal of flexibility.”
Here is a guide to 21 CFR Part 11 compliance with the Ignition platform for more information.
2. Cost Efficiency And Scalability
Scaling life sciences automation often involves significant financial and logistical challenges. The VP of the London-based pharmaceutical company Autolus Therapeutics, Miranda Neville, says, “Unlimited licensing was a key consideration to help reduce our cost.” Ignition’s unique licensing model removes the typical financial barriers associated with expanding clients, users, devices, connections, or tags, allowing companies to scale their operations without additional licensing fees.
Ignition’s scalable architecture supports seamless growth, enabling life sciences organizations to transition from lab-scale experiments to full-scale global pharmaceutical manufacturing without reconfiguring their infrastructure.
3. Ease Of Use And Operator Empowerment
Ignition enhances usability for operators at all levels by offering intuitive graphical interfaces that streamline processes and reduce errors. Also, its compatibility with portable devices, such as tablets and laptops, ensures efficient workflows in cleanroom environments, making it ideal for regulated settings. Additionally, the platform integrates easily with existing systems, minimizing downtime during adoption.
As Tim Tran, the site manager for the leading biochemical company Bachem, said, “We picked Ignition because it can be described in one word: simplicity… It eliminated a lot of the complexity that we saw in other systems that we reviewed.” By simplifying operations and offering accessible tools, Ignition empowers operators to work more efficiently while maintaining high standards of precision and reliability.
4. Streamlined Data Management And Accessibility
In an industry where data is pivotal, Ignition simplifies the collection, contextualization, and storage of information, reducing the need for manual tasks and improving data accuracy. It provides real-time access to historical data and trends, enabling better decision-making and operational efficiency in pharmaceutical automation. Additionally, Ignition enhances data management by archiving data into structured tables automatically.
Ignition’s compatibility with MQTT also improves data management. For the largest cell and gene therapy and pharmaceutical CDMO, Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), using MQTT and Sparkplug B reduced tag deployment and verification efforts by 95%, eliminated the need for a traditional data lake, and enabled CBM to contextualize data and add metadata at the source. These capabilities make Ignition an indispensable tool for life sciences companies to manage and utilize data effectively.
5. Enhanced Process Control And Monitoring
Ignition provides cutting-edge tools for process control and monitoring, ensuring reliability and adaptability during critical operations. Its real-time alarm management capabilities enhance environmental monitoring for equipment such as incubators and refrigerators. For Autolus, Ignition is the foundation for its process control system, which includes data, alarms, and audit trails from T cell transduction, cell harvesting, cell counter, freezer, and sterilization processes.
With the ability to track data, update setpoints, and respond to alarms in real time, Ignition ensures that life sciences companies maintain consistent quality and operational efficiency.
6. Ignition’s Flexibility Accelerates Timelines
Flexibility is a cornerstone of Ignition’s functionality. The platform includes simulation tools that eliminate errors before deployment, significantly accelerating validation and startup processes. Its adaptability allows companies to transition smoothly between operations or facilities and integrates seamlessly with a variety of devices and systems. “95% of the compounds that enter development never make it to the end. So having a system that allows us to change from one product or one process to another without having to reinvent the wheel every time — that’s really important,” says Snapdragon President and CEO Matt Bio.
By streamlining pharmaceutical automation workflows and enabling rapid configuration, Ignition shortens drug development timelines from years to months, empowering life sciences companies to bring innovations to market faster.
Transform Your Life Sciences Processes With Ignition
Ignition redefines automation in the life sciences industry by offering a flexible, scalable, and user-centric platform that enables life sciences companies to maintain leadership in a dynamic and competitive industry.
Life sciences organizations leveraging Ignition improve efficiency, reduce errors, and increase productivity through automated workflows. Ignition simplifies audit readiness with tailored reporting and advanced filtering; its scalable architecture enables seamless growth and adaptation to evolving industry demands, and its innovative features provide a competitive edge.
Try Ignition for free to meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s opportunities.
