Continuous Manufacturing: The Future is Now
Continuous manufacturing has always been thought of as future technology. That is no longer the case. This technology is here and now.
A process called “batch manufacturing” has been used in the pharmaceutical industry for years. This is a multi-step, lengthy manufacturing process that involves bulky equipment. This leads to more downtime do to:
- Cleaning
- Material movement
- Changeovers
- Product transfers
- Hold times
There is a better way. Continuous Manufacturing is a process that moves material nonstop within the same facility. Material is fed into an assembly line of integrated components/equipment.
Continuous manufacturing:
- Saves time
- Reduces human error
- Provides better process control
- Can run for longer periods of time
- Adapts faster to market changes
Many companies in the chemical, petro-chemical and food industries have already been using continuous manufacturing. This transition has been slower for the pharmaceutical industry mainly due to initial start-up costs and infrastructure changes. Though this holds true, the benefits once the switch is complete will be well worth the investment. The FDA has also been taking steps to facilitate the implementation of this technology. The time to act on this technology is now.
