Proactive Support & Change Management Framework for a Digital Lab

Industry

Biotech / Life Sciences

Scope

Managed Services / IT/OT Support / Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) / DevOps

Timeframe

Ongoing, long-term partnership

  • 3

    Support Tiers (L1-L3) ensuring specialized attention for every issue

  • 100+

    Monitored parameters across IT and OT assets

  • < 8

    Hours Resolution target for "Regular Changes" to keep the lab agile.

01

CLIENT

A Global Life Sciences Leader. The client operates a cutting-edge Digital Lab in North America dedicated to Process Development (PD). This facility bridges the gap between research and manufacturing, utilizing advanced digital tools, bioreactors, and smart sensors to optimize bio-processes.

02

BUSINESS NEEDS

Following the successful deployment of a complex Digital Lab infrastructure (integrated in 2022), the client shifted focus from "implementation" to "sustainment and evolution." The primary business objective was to ensure zero-interruption capability for critical experiments. The client needed a specialized partner to maintain a complex, multi-vendor IT/OT ecosystem and transition to Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM).

03

CHALLENGE

The Digital Lab environment is highly heterogeneous, combining legacy lab equipment with modern IoT and Cloud solutions. To help our client achieve its goals, we overcome the following challenges:

  1. High Complexity of Assets

    High Complexity of Assets

    Supporting a diverse stack including Smart Pumps, PAT tools, DeltaV systems, and cloud integrations (AWS).

  2. Proactive vs. Reactive

    Proactive vs. Reactive

    Moving away from standard "break-fix" models to detecting anomalies before they caused data loss.

  3. Agile Change Management

    Agile Change Management

    Managing frequent, small functional adjustments (dashboard tweaks, alarm reconfigurations) swiftly yet safely.

  4. Remote Support Model

    Remote Support Model

    Delivering efficient L1-L3 support primarily from Europe for a US-based facility, requiring rigorous SLA alignment.

04

SOLUTION

A4BEE implemented a comprehensive Support & Change Management Service tailored to the dynamic needs of a Digital Lab. We moved beyond standard ticketing to a holistic "Health Monitoring" approach:

  • Multi-Tiered Support (L1-L3)
    • Established a clear escalation matrix from engineers to subject matter experts (SMEs) for complex integrations.
  • Condition-Based Maintenance
    • Deployed a robust monitoring ecosystem (Prometheus, Grafana) to monitor specific "heartbeats" of the lab.
  • Structured Change Management
    • Introduced a dual-track process: Regular Changes for minor optimizations and Work Orders for expansions.
  • Transparent Reporting
    • Monthly performance reports covering SLA adherence, ticket volume per device, and resolution metrics.

A Digital Lab is a living organism, not a static monument. Through a Condition-Based Maintenance strategy and transparent Change Management, we transformed technical complexity into operational reliability. This shift allowed scientists to push the boundaries of bioprocessing, fully supported by an infrastructure that stays out of their way.

Paweł Godawa

Service Delivery Manager

Technology used

AWS Prometheus & Grafana Docker & Linux OPC UA Python Condition-Based Maintenance

05

OUTCOME

The implementation of this Managed Service model transformed the lab's operational reliability. By bridging the gap between physical production environments and digital intelligence, the solution enabled the company to operate with greater agility and reduce downtime.

  • Proactive Uptime
    • Detected and resolved potential failures via CBM triggers before they impacted bio-process runs.
  • Seamless Evolution
    • Successfully processed continuous "Regular Changes," keeping the stack aligned with scientists' needs.
  • SLA Compliance
    • Consistently met "Next Business Day" reaction times with immediate escalation for critical issues.
  • Scalability
    • The model proved flexible enough to onboard new devices (bioreactors) without service interruption.

6

IMPLEMENTED SOLUTION

  1. Data Collection

    Data Collection

    Suite of exporters (Node Exporter, cAdvisor) scraping metrics from every layer of the OT/IT stack.

  2. Aggregation & Visualization

    Aggregation & Visualization

    Metrics aggregated in Prometheus and visualized in Grafana with Loki for rapid root-cause analysis.

  3. Alerting Logic

    Alerting Logic

    Alertmanager routing distinguishing between "Automatic" incidents and "Manual" user-reported tickets.

  4. Key Metrics

    Key Metrics

    3 Support Tiers, 50+ Monitored Indicators, and 24/7 Monitoring capabilities for critical runs.

  • 3

    Support Tiers (L1-L3) ensuring specialized attention for every issue

  • 100+

    Monitored parameters across IT and OT assets

  • < 8

    Hours Resolution target for "Regular Changes" to keep the lab agile.

Facing operational challenges in your digitized R&D or Manufacturing facility? Let’s transition your lab from "reactive" to "proactive." Contact us to build your Support Strategy.

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