Restoration: Establishing or Re-establishing a Complex Lab Ecosystem

A4BEE restored 100% connectivity for a global R&D hub in 3 months. Learn how we integrate complex lab OT with IT.

Solution

Digital Lab

Industry

Life Sciences / R&D

Scope

System Integration / IoT / Connectivity / Network Segmentation / Disaster Recovery

Timeframe

3 Months

Months - sprint to full set up.

New Device Types – Integrated into the data loop.

100%

Validation of data integrity post-construction.

The client

A major R&D hub undergoing significant physical reconstruction looking to restore and upgrade the "Digital Nervous System" of the lab to minimize downtime and resume critical research.

Business needs

The client sought to rapidly restore digital connectivity disrupted by physical reconstruction by integrating a heterogeneous mix of legacy equipment and new, advanced analyzers into a unified, secure digital platform under strict time pressure.

The challenge

01

Vendor Complexity — Integrating devices from multiple vendors (Beckman Coulter, Roche, Hamilton) that use different communication protocols.
02

Network Security — Implementing strict VLAN segmentation to secure the OT (Operational Technology) layer while allowing data flow to IT systems.
03

Operational Pressure — The lab needed to be fully operational for science teams immediately after physical handover.

Our solution

Vendor-Agnostic Integration

Built custom drivers and connectors to ingest data from diverse instruments (Cell Counters, HPLC, Auto-samplers) into the central SCADA/Data platform.
Network Orchestration

Reconfigured the entire connectivity layer, ensuring secure and reliable data transmission from the edge to the cloud.
Rapid Deployment Teams

Mobilized a distributed team to validate data integrity from sensor to dashboard in real-time as physical devices were powered up.
Legacy & Future Bridging

Simultaneously restored legacy systems and onboarded new smart sensors, ensuring no gap in data continuity.

OPC UA
TCP/IP
VLAN Network Segmentation
SCADA
Industrial Drivers
BioHT / Vi-CELL / NovaFlex

The outcome

The lab achieved full digital operability within the quarterly sprint cycle, with an upgraded device landscape. By restoring 100% connectivity and expanding the ecosystem, we ensured a seamless handover for scientists returning to the renovated facility with zero friction.

100% Connectivity Restored — Full data availability for all critical process units post-construction.
Expanded Ecosystem — Successful integration of 6+ new device types into the central monitoring platform.
Seamless Handover — Zero friction for scientists returning to the renovated facility.
Data Integrity — 100% validation of data integrity across the entire lab network.

What we implemented

System Integration — Centralized SCADA/Data platform integrating diverse instruments like Cell Counters and HPLC.
Connectivity Layer — Secure and reliable data transmission reconfigured from the edge to the cloud.
Real-time Monitoring — Sensor-to-dashboard validation ensuring data availability for all process units.
Device Onboarding — Integration of 6+ new smart sensor and device types into the digital ecosystem.