We have witnessed how adversity can lead to creativity as the globe continues to face multiple obstacles as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic. We went from early vaccination studies and testing to providing real doses to vulnerable people all around the world in less than a year. More than 560 million doses have been administered — and counting. This makes it the world’s largest organized vaccination program.
Along with the scientific achievements that have gotten us to this point, vaccination deployment requires a massive logistical effort. One critical component in this chain is the quick manufacturing of enough glass vials to hold the vaccinations and syringes to administer them. This must be accomplished without sacrificing quality, which is a non-negotiable when dealing with something as important and sensitive as a vaccine. Stevanato Group, an Italian corporation, is looking for new technologies to help deliver on both.
The company, which has offices in the United States, Mexico, and Japan, got involved in the pandemic response early on. They produce plastic components used in virus detection kits and build essential vaccine inspection equipment used by several global pharmaceutical companies to ensure the integrity of their vaccines in addition to delivering glass vials and syringes to more than 70% of the global treatment and vaccine programs in the most advanced development stages.
Given that the company’s goods are used at nearly every stage of the process, from testing to immunization, ensuring business continuity while keeping on-site staff safe has been a top goal. Collaboration solutions like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams have played an important role in minimizing interruption and connecting colleagues and customers as much as possible.
“We all recognize the very real impact that our job has on the globe,” says Raffaele Pace, Stevanato Group’s Engineering Vice President of Operations. “For example, if we deliver vaccine inspection equipment to our clients late, it has an impact on vaccine supply chains.” That type of positive pressure is advantageous because it gives you the impression that you can make a difference.”
The pandemic also prompted the corporation to switch to remote testing of the inspection equipment it sells to pharmaceutical companies all around the world.
The factory acceptance test (FAT) is the final pre-delivery test that ensures the customer’s equipment is operational and allows the firm to fix any remaining difficulties. Before the final delivery, it is usually done in person at Stevanato Group’s facilities in Italy or Denmark, but as the pandemic swept through Italy and the rest of Europe in early 2020, it became clear that this way of working was no longer viable, although the need for quality inspection equipment was more pressing than ever. To address this issue, Stevanato Group began providing clients the option of remotely attending factory acceptance testing utilizing mixed reality technology for all of its equipment portfolios, including glass converting lines and assembly and packaging solutions.
Members of the company’s engineering teams wear a Microsoft HoloLens 2 headset and walk each customer through their equipment inspection process, demonstrating the general machine components, demonstrating how to run it, and sharing important documentation in real-time – all while the customer may be on the other side of the world.
“Some clients were apprehensive at first, but after they saw the technology in action, they saw the benefits extended beyond the pandemic, particularly in terms of cost and time savings when you eliminate the need to travel,” Pace explains.
This breakthrough has had a huge impact – not only are all FATs for Stevanato Group’s vision inspection devices now done entirely digitally, but the technology has also shown its worth early in the inspection process. Because conventional, in-person FATs are one of the final processes before equipment delivery, misunderstandings or difficulties that must be handled on a very short timeline may develop. Customers may now “view” the equipment for themselves an unlimited number of times.
The team has also started to provide remote audits and mixed reality meetings to incorporate clients earlier in the manufacturing process. For example, by using HoloLens 2 for early design review meetings, they can clarify the process, address any concerns, and provide the customer with a real-time sense of how their equipment is evolving – all of which reduces the likelihood of delays and issues affecting the overall production of medicines.
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