Automation and Industrial IT From a Single Source
For the construction of a completely new production facility, our customer needed the perfect mix of automation and IT, both in production and in the office area. Based on our experience in the planning of greenfield projects, we supported the customer with our expertise and a comprehensive offer.
Bacthera was founded at the end of 2019 as a 50:50 joint venture between Chr. Hansen and Lonza with the aim of specifically serving the needs of the emerging living biotherapeutic products (LBPs) industry. LBPs are a new class of drugs that contain living microorganisms to treat or prevent various diseases.
In order to expand its CDMO services, Bacthera has built a new production facility in Visp (VS, CH). The building has seven floors, of which the lowest three are currently used for production, the laboratory, utilities and offices. In future, all floors will be managed.
A reliable IT/OT infrastructure is an essential component for efficient and safe production. As an experienced provider of IT/OT infrastructure and production DCS (Distributed Control System), we were mandated with the planning and commissioning of the necessary systems.
Reliable IT system landscape
Thanks to our experience from other projects, we were able to determine the requirements at an early stage and identify the right solutions for the office IT infrastructure.
All areas of the production building were to be equipped with wireless connectivity. To this end, CTE planned, configured, and commissioned approximately 110 accesspoints.What are access points?Access points connect mobile devices to the network. Multiple access points extend the range and ensure stable Wi-Fi coverage even in large buildings. In addition, IT sockets were installed on the three floors. What are IT sockets?IT sockets are endpoints for network connections. They enable data exchange, with ports precisely routing traffic to the correct application. to ensure productive work in the future. The entire network is based on CISCO componentsWhat is CISCO?CISCO is a provider of network and IT components that ensure secure, stable, and reliable operation even under heavy load., which are known for their reliability and performance.
A redundant virtualization cluster was set up as the server platform, on which various virtual machines (VMs) for the domain, file server, or RTDS (Real-Time Data Services) are deployed with high availability. The RTDS enable real-time monitoring and control of production processes. The server nodesWhat are server nodes?Server nodes are server units in a network that collectively provide computing power or services. They distribute tasks efficiently to increase availability and reliability. are also operated on two different floors to increase reliability.
Qualified industrial IT in the GMP environment
As a highly regulated sector, the pharmaceutical industry is subject to strict GMP guidelines. Accordingly, the IT infrastructure in the industrial environment (OT) is also subject to strict quality standards. As a result, servers and networks also had to be qualified.
In general, the server and network architecture in the OT was structured in the same way as the IT infrastructure. In addition to file servers and domains, the OT server also included jump hosts. What are jump hosts?Jump hosts are secure access computers used for the remote maintenance of internal systems. They verify and log remote access attempts (e.g., via VPN and MFA) to protect critical infrastructure., which allow package unit suppliers to explicitly access their machines via remote maintenance. This increases the efficiency and flexibility of maintenance work. In the production area, the integration of approximately 14 packageunitsWhat are package units?Package units are pre-assembled, tested functional units for various industries. They simplify processes, shorten installation times, and enable quick plug-and-play commissioning. from various suppliers, and their integration into the OT systemWhat do we mean by OT systems?By OT systems, we mean everything that enables the ongoing operation of a plant: from controllers and control systems to user interfaces, the OT network, and data connectivity. was carried out .
DCS (Distributed Control System)
A DCS is a system for controlling and monitoring production processes. Based on an evaluation supported by CTE, Bacthera chose Zenon from COPA-DATA. This system, in combination with Soft-Logic, offers a high degree of flexibility and scalability while requiring relatively little hardware and installation effort. The remote I/Os in the field were connected to the Soft-Logic system via Profinet. The Zenon services themselves (SCADA and Logic) run redundantly on different hosts; visualization was implemented via terminal sessions on thin clients. What is a thin client?A thin client is a computer with minimal hardware. Data processing takes place centrally on a server, which saves on maintenance, costs, and energy while optimizing space requirements and efficiency.
The DCS was mainly used to monitor and alarm GMP equipment such as freezers or refrigerators. These devices are important for storing the LBPs under optimum temperature conditions. In addition, we have implemented pure water production, communication to various package units and communication to the building via the DCS. All critical alarms are also escalated via SMS service. This ensures a rapid response in the event of a problem.
Conclusion
Our customer Bacthera, and ourselves, are delighted with the result achieved together. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them once again for the trust they have placed in us in order to implement all three complex disciplines of automation, OT and IT in one innovative project. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with Bacthera.
