We hear talk about the ‘digital factory’ all the time but what are its implications for medtech manufacturers? Lu Rahman asks why is Industry 4.0 such a game-changer?
It’s a smart world, and medtech is no exception. As an industry driven by quality and regulation, we’re seeing devices that improve the patient experience, allow clinicians to monitor conditions remotely and more effectively while gathering data and reducing healthcare costs. This transformation at the point of care is not without demands. Increasingly complex medical devices, the use of innovative materials and the implementation of the most advanced technology, adds a new level of expertise to the design process – and this can come at a cost to the manufacturer.
The global population is getting older. Healthcare systems are working to keep people alive and for longer. The demand on the manufacture of medical devices – be it implants, or hearing aids or the latest connected devices – has never been greater. Not only have medtech developers had to push healthtech to a new level but they have had to optimise the way in which they manufacture - and this while keeping one step ahead of market demands and competitors.
4th industrial revolution
Industry 4.0 has been described as the fourth industrial revolution. Why is it so important? The concept is often described as creating a smart factory, a process that brings together the physical and the digital / virtual. In real terms this means that manufacturers can create an environment that facilitates optimum workflow. Machines communicate with machines creating a dynamic, rather than linear, environment.
We’ve grown used to hearing about the internet of things and how mobile tech and the cloud will benefit business. But this is really something different. Referred to as the industrial internet of things (IIOT), this change in the manufacturing process promises far-reaching benefits on the factory floor, allowing the creation of goods and products in a way we haven’t seen before. From the use of automation and robotics to software-defined production processes, connection the manufacturing environment with the internet and its own machines, means we have a way of making things like never before.
Importantly for medtech, the development of sensor technology and microelectronics has helped transform what is made and the way it’s made. Innovation moves at a pace within the healthcare sector and the manufacturing sector is expected to keep up. Across the globe healthcare systems are under huge pressure to deliver first-rate care at maximum value. The key to achieving this is not just through innovative medical technology but through the way it’s made. The IIOT allows this to happen.
The end of the production line?
Industry 4.0 throws the concept of the linear production line on its head. A particular job can seek out the machine that allows it to achieve competition in the fastest and most efficient way possible. The system also benefits smaller product runs and is highly beneficial for the customisation of medical devices.
Issue of quality
One of the most obvious ways in which Industry 4.0 can bring benefits to the medtech manufacturer is by improving quality. Medical technology manufacturer, Raumedic, recently partnered with software provider Guardus Solutions, to design the manufacturing execution system (MES) for existing and future machinery.
The aim of the solution was to make significant improvements in quality management. Individual products can be tracked all the way back to the raw material and can also be digitalised, cross-linked, managed and documented from the time of their development to their delivery. The MES covers the entire product cycle.
“The use of digitalised processes will not just open up undreamed of possibilities. Above all, it will boost the value that we can and will generate for our customers,” said Martin Schenkel, head of operations at Raumedic.
“Medical technology and pharmaceuticals are sensitive business areas that have extremely high quality requirements,” CEO Martin Bayer said.
And compliance?
Regulatory compliance is a vital element of medical technology manufacturing. The beauty of the Internet of Things is that records are always available for the relevant regulatory bodies.
Zenith Technologies specialises in implementing digital technologies to manage, control and optimise drug and medical device production for maximum operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. The company was recently acquired by Cognizant, a manufacturing technology service.
The acquisition boosts Cognizant's capabilities for designing, implementing and managing end-to-end operational and information technology systems for connected biopharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.
The combined Cognizant-Zenith Technologies expertise will deliver a range of Industry 4.0 capabilities, from factory design consultation, machine sensor and controller instrumentation, supervisory control, and data acquisition, to manufacturing execution systems, batch automation, enterprise resource planning integration and managed services.
Getting ready for Industry 4.0
While it’s all very well for us to be singing the virtues of smart factories and the benefits advanced automation can bring to the medical technology manufacturer, it of course comes at a cost. Initiatives which help drive the implementation of new technology are therefore, highly welcome. In the UK, nine companies based in the North West are the first to benefit from a government programme that will boost manufacturing productivity and growth through the adoption of digital technology.
The businesses are part of the £20 million Made Smarter Programme, which will help them to grow by adopting new digital technologies.
Based in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the Liverpool City Region, the companies are set to introduce 12 advanced manufacturing methods including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), 3D printing and robotics.
But what about the businesses that can’t access this can of help? Creating a smart manufacturing environment isn’t going to happen overnight.
The first thing to do is make sure you get what you want and what you need. Work out your end goal or highlight any problems your current manufacturing process may have and start from there. Don’t buy into a host of digital solutions that aren’t the solutions you need. How much connectivity does your process really need? The best approach Industry 4.0 is to think small and scale up.
One of the key drivers for making Industry 4.0 really work is to have your whole workforce on side. Too often employees rail against the idea of automation or smart machines for fear it could lead to job losses. Making sure the whole business understands the benefits that a connected production process brings, means it’s more likely to be a success. Automation technology supplier Festo, has created guidance on Industry 4.0 that’s worth a read.
- 84% of global business leaders said they could new income streams from the Industrial Internet of Things - Source: Accenture
- 35% of companies adopting Industry 4.0 expect revenue gains over 20% over the next five years - Source: Forbes
- 72% of manufacturing enterprises predict their use of data analytics will improve customer relationships - Source: Forbes
