MES (manufacturing execution system) platforms are becoming increasingly indispensable tools in manufacturing facilities, including in the life sciences sector. There are many MES options available (including PAS-X), so it’s important to get the right advice and support to ensure the implementation of a solution that works for your organization today and into the future.
In this blog, we are going to look at PAS-X, including what it is and why it could be the ideal MES solution for your pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
First, though, a recap on the more generalized benefits of MES platforms. When properly specified, configured, integrated, and optimized, an MES platform will improve your production processes, increase automation by digitizing manual workflows, and enable real-time monitoring and line management capabilities.
The benefits that result from these functions and capabilities include everything from improved allocation of resources to shorter production cycles to reduced time to market.
What is PAS-X?
PAS-X is an MES platform developed by German software developer Körber that controls, synchronizes, and monitors production processes. It can be integrated and connected to all equipment, systems, and lines in modern manufacturing facilities. It can also be integrated with ERP platforms as well as more specialized systems, such as LIMS systems.
Crucially, PAS-X is suitable for all segments of the pharmaceutical industry, including pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and biotech. It is also suitable for all product types, including liquids and solids.
Why Choose PAS-X?
The main point to consider is the fact that PAS-X was designed specifically for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. It is also used by more than 50 percent of the 30 leading pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies in the world. This point alone is not absolute, so it doesn’t mean PAS-X is the right option in all pharmaceutical facilities. However, it is tried, tested, and trusted in the pharma industry.
What about other factors to consider when looking at PAS-X? Here are the main points:
- PAS-X helps you achieve paperless manufacturing with the automation of manual and repetitive processes that are common in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in relation to record-keeping.
- It meets the requirements of the FDA, European regulators, and regulators in other parts of the world. This includes the FDA’s 21 CFR Part II.
- It facilitates real-time monitoring, including remotely, of all data that your facility produces during production and packaging processes.
- PAS-X provides access to usable production data for everything from operational decision-making to quality control to process optimization
- Helps you digitalize production and documentation processes in your pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, including compliant electronic batch records (EBRs).
- Enhances quality assurance efficiency by enabling review-by-exception, whereby an automated process checks batch reports. Only when a deviation is identified is the batch sent to the quality assurance team for further quality processing. This functionality, alongside the EBR capabilities of PAS-X, accelerates batch release processes.
- Enables fully digitized traceability of all batches and production processes.
- Helps to standardize processes across your production line.
- PAS-X has a modular structure so you can implement the elements that you need, adding new modules at later dates according to business requirements.
- It comes out of the box with pre-configured templates, accelerating implementation.
SL Controls – Your PAS-X Solutions Partner
At SL Controls, we have wide-ranging experience in PAS-X implementation, optimization, and scaling projects, with specific expertise in integrating production line equipment with the PAS-X platform.
Our team can help with all stages of the project, including everything from creating a business case and defining the project scope to development, commissioning, and testing. In most situations, we’ll work with the preconfigured templates that come with PAS-X to customize your implementation while minimizing timescales and project costs.
To find out more about PAS-X, to discuss a project you are planning, or to find out how we can help you overcome current challenges, please get in touch.