Digital Manufacturing Technologies
Digital Manufacturing Technologies
Navigating Complexity with Precision
In the highly regulated landscape of life sciences manufacturing, modernizing processes requires the implementation, configuration, and customization of advanced technologies. These digital manufacturing technologies often have to integrate with legacy systems and equipment while delivering tangible improvements across operations, product quality, and compliance.
Our consultants at NNIT have a deep understanding of the entire manufacturing ecosystem in the life sciences sector. This understanding has been developed over three decades, it covers the full manufacturing technology stack, and it encompasses platform types across all manufacturing, laboratory, quality, and supply chain functions.
With this expertise and experience gained through thousands of projects in the life sciences sector, we can translate strategic objectives into validated, production-ready digital manufacturing solutions, from data enablement and improved productivity to enhanced operational resilience and audit-ready compliance.
Foundational Digital Manufacturing Technology Standards
Our approach to digital manufacturing technologies is built around two key principles: vendor neutrality and technical specialization.
Vendor-neutral strategic advisory ensures optimal technology stack development and solution architectures for our customers. We couple this with deep technical expertise up to tier-one partnership level with the world's leading life sciences platforms.
Expertise, knowledge, and our core vendor-neutral principles guide us in the delivery of consultancy services as well as project planning, development, and execution.
Digital Manufacturing Technologies: Core Principles
With our two pillars of vendor neutrality and technical specialization, we help manufacturers in the life sciences sector transition from fragmented, system-centric architectures to integrated, data-driven manufacturing ecosystems.
We go beyond deploying a new LIMS or MES to instead get an understanding of how IT and OT (operational technology) converge at the edge. We conduct comprehensive technical analysis and digital maturity assessments, and we map technology roadmaps and digital manufacturing strategies to wider business priorities and objectives.
Vendor Neutrality
Vendor neutrality involves providing unbiased advice to ensure the most suitable technologies are adopted for your requirements today and in the future. Our consultants operate with full flexibility in project delivery to ensure the platforms selected deliver on your GxP requirements.
NNIT's vendor-neutral approach:
Digital maturity assessments ensure there is an unblinkered and unfiltered understanding of your current position.
We consider scalability requirements and core operational needs when assessing platform suitability.
Data integrity is prioritized based on ALCOA+ principles, where data must be attributable, legible, contemporaneous, original, accurate, complete, consistent, enduring, and available.
Technology roadmaps and system architectures are developed to avoid technical debt, ecosystem rigidity, and vendor lock-in.
IT/OT convergence is a priority alongside optimizing compliance and product quality.
Technical Specialization
Vendor neutrality doesn't mean an absence of preference for quality. Our consultants prioritize quality, performance, and real-world results, so we maintain high-level partnerships with industry-leading vendors. This includes platforms that have a proven track record in highly regulated manufacturing environments.
Our strong and deep-rooted relationships with system vendors enable our consultants to develop optimal solutions for our clients while maintaining vendor-neutral principles.
Technical specialization delivers:
Not just excellence, but certified excellence.
An enhanced ability to navigate the complexity of GxP environments in the life sciences sector.
Accelerated validation and compliance.
Optimized integrations, including with legacy systems.
The NNIT Certified Digital Manufacturing Technology Ecosystem
Our expertise at NNIT extends across all technology platform categories required in the life sciences sector. This includes Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Chromatography Data Systems (CDS), Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs), and Scientific Data Management Systems (SDMS) in the lab.
It also includes Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Process Analytical Technologies (PATs) [DG2.1]on the factory floor, as well as Quality Management Systems (QMS) for QA and QC functions. NNIT's expertise also extends to integration with business and planning platforms such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
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Apprentice.io
Apprentice.io, is a cloud-native MES that offers a no-code authoring environment for key functions such as recipe changes. It includes Tempo MES for handling electronic batch records and Tempo LES (laboratory execution system) to digitalize lab workflows.
NNIT helps life sciences organizations implement and configure Apprentice.io, supporting platform deployment, workflow design, and integration with existing manufacturing and quality systems.
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AspenTech
AspenTech is an asset performance management platform that supports continuous manufacturing strategies and real-time release initiatives by creating digital twins of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. It includes a process historian (Aspen InfoPlus.21) and Aspen Mtell for prescriptive maintenance.
NNIT supports the implementation and configuration of AspenTech solutions, helping life sciences manufacturers deploy process simulation, optimization, and advanced process control capabilities.
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Azure
Azure is the industry-leading cloud computing platform from Microsoft. It is the technology infrastructure backbone for many manufacturers in the life sciences sector, with specialist features that include Azure Data Factory for integrating siloed data and Azure Purview for maintaining data governance.
NNIT designs and implements Azure-based data and integration architectures for life sciences manufacturers. This includes the security and compliance frameworks required in regulated environments.
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AVEVA
AVEVA is a global leader in industrial software. Key components include the AVEVA PI System process historian, AVEVA MES, and the cloud platform AVEVA Connect. The AVEVA platform supports real-time production monitoring, batch management, electronic batch recording, and asset performance management.
NNIT supports life sciences organizations in implementing and configuring AVEVA solutions, including historian deployment, SCADA application development, and integration with MES and enterprise systems.
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Canary
Canary is an industrial data historian and analytics platform. It enables the collection, storage, and visualization of time-series data from manufacturing operations. It can be integrated with PLCs and SCADA systems to collect high-frequency process data, making it a flexible solution in life sciences manufacturing.
NNIT provides implementation and integration services for Canary, connecting the historian to plant floor data sources and enterprise systems.
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Emerson
Emerson is a global technology company with an extensive automation portfolio. This includes its DeltaV DCS (distributed control system) that supports batch management and can integrate with MES for full electronic batch recording capabilities. Emerson also offers an instrumentation portfolio and asset management solutions.
NNIT delivers DeltaV implementation, configuration, and validation services, supporting life sciences manufacturers through system design, commissioning, and qualification.
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Empower
Empower is a CDS developed by Waters Corporation. The Empower platform supports the acquisition, processing, reviewing, and management of data generated by chromatographic processes such as HPLC and UPLC. It has configurable workflow tools that help labs meet data integrity requirements under the FDA's 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11.
NNIT supports the implementation, configuration, and validation of Empower in regulated laboratory environments, including 21 CFR Part 11 compliance assessments, method migration, and integration with LIMS platforms.
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GE Digital
GE Digital provides operations management and analytics solutions. Its Proficy suite includes MES and SCADA capabilities to manage manufacturing workflows and electronic batch records. It also has historian capabilities to manage time-series data, as well as OEE monitoring and analytics capabilities.
NNIT offers implementation and integration services for GE Digital's Proficy suite, including deploying MES and historian solutions and connecting them with existing control and enterprise systems.
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Ignition
Ignition by Inductive Automation is a platform that facilitates the development of flexible SCADA systems, data historian solutions, and MES applications. It utilizes an unlimited licensing model with a drag-and-drop designer environment and extensive integration capabilities.
NNIT is a certified Ignition Premier Integrator. We design, build, and validate custom Ignition applications for life sciences manufacturers, developing tailored HMI, SCADA, and data collection solutions that meet GMP and 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.
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Kneat
Kneat is a cloud-based validation lifecycle management platform designed specifically for the life sciences sector. It enables paperless equipment, system, and process validation/qualification with reusable validation templates, automated workflows, and an audit-ready validation documentation repository.
NNIT supports the deployment and configuration of Kneat, helping life sciences organizations design validation templates, onboard users, and establish a scalable paperless validation program.
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LabVantage
LabVantage is an enterprise LIMS platform used across the life sciences sector to manage samples, data, workflows, and resources in quality control, quality assurance, and research laboratories. In life sciences manufacturing specifically, it is used to manage processes such as raw material testing, in-process sample testing, and finished product testing.
NNIT provides implementation, configuration, and validation services for LabVantage, supporting laboratory workflow design, instrument integration, and the deployment of modules for stability management and QC batch release.
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LabWare
LabWare is a LIMS and ELN platform widely used in the life sciences sector. It is a long-established and highly configurable platform that supports lab processes such as the end-to-end testing of raw materials, intermediates, and finished drug products. It also has built-in audit trail, electronic signature, and access control functionality.
NNIT delivers comprehensive LabWare implementation services to support compliant laboratory operations and efficient batch release processes. This includes system configuration, validation, and integration with MES and ERP platforms.
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Lonza MODA
Lonza MODA is a manufacturing operations and data management platform developed by contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza. It supports the digitalization of manufacturing, quality, and compliance workflows and includes modules for electronic batch recording and materials management. It also includes MODA-ES for environmental and sample management.
NNIT supports the implementation and validation of Lonza MODA, helping manufacturers configure electronic batch records, establish environmental monitoring programs, and integrate the platform with broader manufacturing systems.
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PAS-X
PAS-X is an MES developed by Körber specifically for the life sciences sector. It is a commonly used platform for the management of GxP workflows (electronic batch records, material dispensing, etc) that has industry-specific functionality that helps reduce implementation and validation complexity.
NNIT offers PAS-X implementation, configuration, and validation services, supporting life sciences manufacturers through MES deployment, process modelling, and integration with ERP, SCADA, and serialization systems.
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POMS
POMS is an MES designed specifically for the life sciences sector and managing GMP production activities. It is a highly configurable and flexible platform that doesn't require extensive coding. Its capabilities include managing complex, multi-step pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing processes.
NNIT provides implementation and validation services for POMS, working with manufacturers to configure complex process workflows, establish electronic batch records, and integrate the system with automation and enterprise platforms.
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Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is an industrial automation company with a portfolio of hardware and software solutions. This includes the Allen-Bradley family of PLCs and Rockwell's FactoryTalk suite of software that includes MES (specifically PharmaSuite MES), historian, SCADA, and analytics capabilities.
NNIT supports the design, implementation, and validation of Rockwell Automation solutions, including control system development, FactoryTalk application deployment, and integration with MES and quality platforms.
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Siemens
Siemens is a global technology company that offers a comprehensive range of automation, digitalization, and manufacturing intelligence solutions under its Digital Industries portfolio. This includes the SIMATIC family of PLC, DCS, and HMI (human-machine interface) platforms. It also includes the Opcenter Execution Pharma suite that delivers MES, electronic batch recording, and production scheduling capabilities.
NNIT delivers implementation, configuration, and validation services across the Siemens automation and Opcenter portfolio. This includes everything from process control system design to MES deployment and enterprise integration.
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Tulip
Tulip is a cloud-based operations platform for the digitalization of manual and paper-based production and quality processes. It facilitates no-code and low-code application building for solutions such as digital work instructions and quality inspection workflows.
NNIT helps life sciences organizations deploy and configure Tulip, designing digital work instruction and data collection applications that replace paper-based processes and integrate with existing manufacturing and quality systems.
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Wonderware by AVEVA
Wonderware by AVEVA is a suite of HMI, SCADA, historian, and manufacturing operations management solutions. This includes the InTouch HMI platform for real-time visualization and control, Wonderware Historian for capturing and storing time-series data, and System Platform for the development of object-based automation and MES applications.
NNIT supports the implementation, configuration, and migration of Wonderware solutions, helping life sciences manufacturers modernize legacy HMI and historian deployments and integrate them within the broader AVEVA ecosystem.
Defining Modern Digital Manufacturing
To meet changing demands in the life sciences sector, manufacturing and laboratory technology infrastructures must evolve. At NNIT, we make sure that evolution meets operational, compliance, and business requirements today and in the future.
Our experienced consultants and SMEs, along with our vendor-neutral principles, ensure the best of both worlds – deep platform and system expertise across industry-leading vendors without favoring any particular solution.
These technology advisory, implementation, and support principles apply across the manufacturing tech stack and further enhance our life sciences-specific unique service offering. The result is high-impact solutions, reduced complexity and risk, and continuous digital manufacturing improvement.
FAQs
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How can you be vendor-neutral while maintaining strong partnerships with specific technology providers?
Our vendor-neutral principles mean we prioritize your manufacturing and business outcomes at all times. Our relationships and partnerships with vendors ensure we have the internal expertise and direct engineering access to ensure solutions are fully optimized. In practice, we remain completely vendor agnostic during the selection and advisory phase of projects, but become highly specialized during implementation and validation phases.
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Where possible, why shouldn't we use a single vendor for our manufacturing technology stack?
While a single-pane-of-glass approach looks promising in marketing messaging, no single vendor can meet the needs of all life sciences organizations. Our vendor-neutral approach also helps you avoid innovation lock-in, so you can integrate the best solution for your requirements while using open standards to ensure seamless integration and data transfer.
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How does your expertise with specific platforms reduce project risk?
We proactively develop deep expertise across all our digital manufacturing consultants to optimize the solutions we deliver for clients. This includes understanding and being able to effectively navigate challenges based on past knowledge and experience. Our strong relationships with industry-leading vendors also mean we can quickly escalate technical hurdles directly to core vendor product teams, bypassing standard support delays.
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How do you help us choose a platform if you are vendor-neutral?
We view our role as being your technical architect. Our experienced consultants will provide a rigorous evaluation framework based on your specific requirements, current infrastructure, and existing digital maturity levels. We then compare this with the capabilities of platforms to provide strategic advice on the best solution and approach.
