CXV Global’s Digital factory of the future solution which digitalises the line clearance process in Life Sciences wins two prestigious industry awards

CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant is recognised for reducing line clearance times and significantly boosting line efficiency and capex utilisation

May 11 2023 -- Cork, Ireland -- Crest Solutions, CXV Global UK & Ireland has announced that its patent pending CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant product has recently won innovation awards from both the Processing & Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) and Bionow, in recognition of the increased efficiency and safety it offers for pharmaceutical packaging and fill/finish production lines.

The Bionow ‘Product of the Year’ award is presented to products with innovative approaches to improve human healthcare, and the PPMA ‘Innovative Vision Solution’ award is presented to innovative image processing systems that significantly improve the efficiency of packaging and manufacturing.

The CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant uses a network of smart digital cameras and state-of-the-art deep learning technology to conduct the line clearance inspections required each time a line is switched from one pharmaceutical batch or product to another. The system checks an entire production line at the same time, notifying operators immediately of any rogue components. This can reduce inspection times by up to 85% compared with error-prone, inefficient, and time-consuming manual procedures which may include hundreds of individual steps.

Line clearance occurs on an increasingly frequent basis due to the trend for smaller batch volumes, which have also become more fragmented due to supply chain challenges and different regulatory and customer language requirements. The CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant increases efficiency which means that many more batches can be processed in the same amount of time, which can potentially increase revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars.

The CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant is inherently safer than manual inspection as it reduces the need for operators to inspect all hard to reach and dimly lit areas of the production line. If a deviation is spotted, operators only have to record and correct the relevant area. Patient safety is also enhanced because the system can detect the presence of tiny rogue elements which the human eye may not see, reducing the chance of product contamination.

With continuous electronic documentation, the CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant provides full traceability and supports regulatory compliance, including 21 CFR Part 11. It also avoids the need for printed Line Clearance Work Instructions, commonly printed at the start of each day for every line, thereby eliminating many tonnes of unnecessary waste and saving on printing costs.

Commenting on the awards, product manager Dave Taylor said: “With the increasing frequency of line changeovers, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and line utilisation rates in the pharmaceutical industry have plummeted over recent years. We recognised this problem early on and have spent over three years working with industry partners to develop the CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant. So, we’re really thrilled to have won these industry awards in recognition of this work, and the system’s ability to reduce line changeover times and significantly boost efficiency and capex utilisation, while making the process much safer for operators.”

About Crest Solutions, CXV Global UK & Ireland
CXV Global and Panacea Technologies joined forces in October 2022 to create a leading global provider of solutions that optimise operations for pharmaceutical, medical technology and other companies. The combined organisation offers a powerful platform of automation and digitisation capabilities supported by high-touch customer service. With a global workforce of 500+ employees, it supports 24×7 production activity and muti-site, multi-national and multi-lingual projects. The company has an extensive worldwide network with a strong presence in two of the world’s largest life sciences markets: Europe and the US. To learn more, visit cxvglobal.com and panaceatech.com.