Rockwell Automation has launched a serialisation solution that can trace counterfeit packaged goods and offer business benefits.
Offering device-to-cloud interoperability, the solution will help manufacturers comply with regulations relating to counterfeit pharmaceutical, medical and consumer packaged goods, with manufacturers able to trace products down to the individual saleable unit across the supply chain.
Rockwell Automation says its offering can strengthen supply chains beyond the level of compliance.
The holistic serialisation solution, powered by PharmaSuite MES software, is integrated across all four enterprise and control system levels of the ISA-95 data model. It leverages the Microsoft Azure cloud-computing platform and services, and seamlessly connects and shares data. Data is shared between the plant floor, the enterprise, supply chain partners and the retail point of sale. The common serialisation data thread, which provides real-time visibility to a company’s products and customers, can increase the efficiency and productivity of departments in The Connected Enterprise, from manufacturing, quality and finance to supply chain, logistics and marketing.
Rockwell Automation's global serialisation lead Joe Whyte believes life sciences, food, beverage and consumer packaged goods companies should be implementing or upgrading track-and-trace systems to meet the growing number of serialisation regulations worldwide.
“Our serialisation solution offers manufacturers compliance, but also helps manufacturers achieve real commercial and business benefits," he says.
"The offering can help manufacturers avoid millions in inaccurate chargeback or rebate payments, and add millions in revenue by eliminating gray market product diversions. The system can reduce the cost and improve the accuracy of product recalls. Production rates that are driven by real-time consumption data can lead to optimised manufacturing and supply-chain inventories. Once the common data thread is understood, the benefits beyond compliance are nearly limitless.”
Whyte explains that many existing 'black box' serialisation solutions were custom developed, created at the machine or enterprise levels.
"These systems often result in integration challenges with batch-, processing- or plant-level systems, and can be difficult to maintain long-term," he says.
"The holistic serialisation solution is designed for interoperability across every level, including integrating with different controllers, networks and serialisation devices on the production line, as well as with MES and ERP systems at the site and enterprise levels."
As a standard solution, the system integrates into existing production lines to help minimize production interruptions and validation burdens. Rockwell also offers remote support capabilities, including real-time diagnostics monitoring and application-level support to help minimise potential downtime for this mission-critical asset.
