Ontology-Driven Ecosystem for Biomanufacturing Data

Industry

Bio-pharmaceutical / Manufacturing

Scope

Data Lakehouse / Semantic Modeling / System Architecture / Validation

Timeframe

7 months

  • 75%

    saved time for OPV
    report generation

  • 4

    hours to deploy data
    platform from scratch

  • 10

    team members

01

CLIENT

A leading European bio-pharmaceutical manufacturer operating in a highly regulated production environment (GxP).

02

BUSINESS NEEDS

The primary objective was to establish a Unified Data Platform to serve as the "Single Source of Truth." The client needed to break down data silos between SCADA, LIMS, and paper records to replace manual compilation with near real-time analytics for Ongoing Process Verification (OPV).

03

CHALLENGE

To help our client achieve data unity, we overcame the following challenges:

  1. Source Heterogeneity

    Source Heterogeneity
    Integrating vastly different data structures, from transactional SQL databases to high-density time-series data from OT sensors.

  2. Regulatory Compliance

    Regulatory Compliance
    Ensuring every data operation is fully auditable and validated according to strict GxP requirements.

  3. Restrictive Environment

    Restrictive Environment
    Building high-performance infrastructure in isolated on-premise networks requiring precise offline dependency management.

  4. Validation Continuity

    Validation Continuity
    Creating an environment that ensures Data Integrity at every stage – from ingestion to final reporting.

A high-tech dashboard displaying AI-ready research data and proactive equipment monitoring in a modernized digital lab.

04

SOLUTION

We implemented an agile Ontology-Driven Data Lakehouse architecture. This approach separates business logic from code, allowing the system to "understand" physical connections. The solution entailed:

  • Semantic Process Model
  • Using ontologies to map physical production parameters to universal business classes for rapid onboarding.
  • Streaming Readiness
  • A hybrid architecture designed for both batch processing and continuous real-time data ingestion.
  • Modular Transforms
  • Pre-validated processing components that automatically align source data with the target business model.
  • Rapid Deployment
  • Full containerization allowing the complete deployment of platform components onto infrastructure in just 4 hours.

Patryk Konarski, FullStack Developer at A4BEE

In classic ETL, business logic is deeply embedded within the code. In our solution, the logic resides in the Ontology. This empowers non-technical Domain Experts to influence the data model without writing code. Unlike traditional approaches that provide only "raw joins," this system "understands" the physical connections within the biotechnological process. This delivers data in its full business context, creating the essential foundation for Advanced Analytics and Digital Twins.

Patryk Konarski

Data Platform Leader

Technology used

Protégé (Ontology) Apache Spark Kedro (Pipelines) Apache Airflow Delta Lake Kubernetes (k3s)

05

OUTCOME

The project delivered a validated data engine that transforms raw process information into business value. It enables a unique correlation between R&D parameters and mass production, serving as the foundation for the client's upcoming Digital Twin project.

  • Efficiency Gains
  • Reduced multi-week compilation processes for OPV reports to a fraction of the time, saving 75% of the effort.
  • Eliminated Silos
  • Successfully merged data from SCADA, LIMS, and ERP systems into a unified view of every production batch.
  • On-Demand Scalability
  • New production areas can be onboarded without rebuilding IT foundations thanks to reusable ontological models.
  • Full Compliance
  • The system ensures full auditability and data integrity, confirmed by a comprehensive GxP validation package.

06

IMPLEMENTED SOLUTION

  1. Logic Separation

    Logic Separation Business rules reside in the Ontology, not the code, allowing experts to manage the model effortlessly.

  2. Automated Lifecycle

    Automated Lifecycle The system automatically recognizes relationships between objects (e.g., LIMS Samples vs SCADA Batches).

  3. Advanced Analytics

    Advanced Analytics Moving beyond "raw joins" to deliver data in full business context, enabling future Digital Twin capabilities.

  4. Hybrid Handling

    Hybrid Handling A unified model capable of handling both batch-oriented data and real-time streaming simultaneously.

  • 75%

    saved time for OPV
    report generation

  • 4

    hours to deploy data
    platform from scratch

  • 10

    team members

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