LEVERAGING SIMULATION TO IMPROVE PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING

LEVERAGING SIMULATION TO IMPROVE PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING

Miebach Consulting enhances production efficiency and quality using Tecnomatix Plant Simulation – 7 exemplary case studies

Miebach Consulting is a globally recognized leader in supply chain consulting. Founded in 1973, Miebach’s comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and life sciences, combined with its core services of Supply Chain Transformation, Engineering and Implementation, and Operational Excellence, makes them a leading partner for improving efficiency and quality across the supply chain.

In the pharmaceutical sector, Miebach has demonstrated their transformative capabilities. In fact, 20 of the top 26 global pharmaceutical companies are Miebach clients. In R&D, product manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, this market has special conditions that add complexity to the supply chain.

Within manufacturing, cleanrooms, limited waiting times, lot tracking, and quality inspections are some unique conditions. Further along the value chain, transporting hazardous materials, product traceability, and regulatory constraints increase complexity even more.

Miebach selected Plant Simulation from Siemens Tecnomatix® digital manufacturing software portfolio as their standard tool for pharmaceutical projects. They valued Plant Simulation’s flexibility, object-oriented approach, library content, and data handling over alternative solutions.

Case Study 1: Production logistics of a pharmaceutical manufacturer

Miebach created a simulation model for intermediate storage of raw materials, packaging, and finished products. The model also simulated transport for supply and production disposal using automated conveyor systems. This simulation integrated all components to demonstrate potential efficiency improvements for the manufacturer.

Case Study 2: Production logistics for a Blister Packaging Pill manufacturer

Miebach modeled storage, assembly, and production processes with a production schedule. The model included supply and forklifts to determine required fleet size and utilization. Animated processes and a user interface allowed clients to optimize fleet use. Phase two simulated transport between multiple production buildings and a central warehouse.

Case Study 3: Production logistics for a Coronavirus antibody test manufacturer

This simulation modeled production and supply processes for coronavirus antibody test liquids, including inbound/outbound logistics, storage, and intralogistics with automated conveyors and forklifts. A production batch had to be completed before quality inspection, after which the batch could be shipped.

Case Study 4: Production logistics for a plasma-based drug manufacturer

This project simulated intralogistics for plasma-based drug production. The production schedule was used to determine raw material selection and packaging processes. Customer-oriented packaging variations such as size, language, and country-specific requirements were distributed globally to wholesalers and distribution centers. Modeling storage capacity helped define limits for raw materials, packaging, intermediates, and finished goods.

Case Study 5: Production line for oncology drugs

This innovative project was the first plan to scale up lab production to full-scale manufacturing. The model included patient samples analysis and drug production with continuous quality control. Objectives included minimizing total processing time, increasing throughput, and addressing waiting time constraints. Variations in processing time and occasional equipment failures added complexity.

Case Study 6: Picking process for a pharmaceutical manufacturer

This project simulated automated picking to ship to wholesalers and pharmacies during conceptual planning and implementation. The model included storage (conceptual planning as small loads, implementation as multi-level shuttles) with inbound and picking supply. Real data extrapolated maximum throughput and system bottlenecks.

Case Study 7: New warehouse for an online pharmacy

This warehouse simulation included receiving from wholesalers, storage in different systems, customer-oriented order picking, packaging, and shipping to end customers. The simulation supported both conceptual planning and implementation adaptation, capturing throughput and lead times, and testing material flows on peak days.

Source: Siemens

SDE Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (SDE TECH) was established in 2014. In 2018, we became a Smart Expert Partner – a leading Siemens Digital Industries Software partner in Southeast Asia – Pacific for Siemens NX (Unigraphics NX), Simcenter, Solid Edge, Tecnomatix, and Teamcenter solutions.