February 18, 2020

Overview
When a Canadian based, turnkey design / build manufacturer of specialty equipment focused on Modular and Skidded systems for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical markets, with projects in both Canada and the U.S., needed assistance with software integration and design, they identified the need for a partner that had pharmaceutical experience and a presence in both countries. The abundance of Grantek offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, and Grantek’s pharmaceutical systems experience, drew this company to Grantek. Grantek engaged with this turnkey manufacturing solutions provider to deliver a fully integrated system for a Pharmaceutical manufacturing end user. The project was on a tight schedule, and they needed a partner that would immediately contribute to the success of the project.

Challenges
Grantek proposed multiple options when meeting with the Toronto base equipment manufacturer.   One of the biggest early decisions was deciding to work with either Siemens’ PCS7 or Rockwell’s PlantPAX. Since Grantek is a Siemens Solutions Partner in Advanced Factory Automation and in Process Control System SIMATIC PCS 7, and the end user already had another PCS7 plant, designing with the PCS7 platform was identified as the best solution for the client. Grantek had several design options for the client to consider on how to implement this new system. Some of the major decisions included designing with the equipment phase type concept, using custom windows and creating custom reports. These designs proved so successful that Grantek was asked to continue working and awarded the second phase of the project.

Another challenge that Grantek faced was a short timeline. Engineers from both our Toronto and Chicago offices worked months of overtime to get all the software ready for the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), and when the FAT needed to be completed even faster, Grantek worked split shift days allowing for 12+ hours of daily testing.

Solutions
Phase 1 of the project is in Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and Phase 2 of the project is about to begin FAT. Grantek was able to architect a great design for the pharmaceutical industry and please another partner and their end user.

The Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project will both run off one multi-project but contain a lot of power. 18 different Virtual Machines run the system and allow it to be both fast and efficient. Along with power, these Virtual Machines allow the system to have full redundancy, so production never goes down. The 5 formulation lines are powered by 6 different PLCs and information is displayed on the 13 standard HMIs along with additional web client HMIs. Each line has the ability to operate independently so that many different products can be produced at the same time. Even with all these capabilities and power, the system still needs to communicate externally. It seamlessly communications to the plant’s Water for Injection (WFI) System, Clean-In-Place (CIP) System and Filler Systems. This system also can add additional external communication in the future.