Calibration Management Increases Plant Availability

Thanks to a result-based calibration contract with Endress+Hauser and the simplification of the operation, this major biotechnology plant has significantly reduced overall effort and calibration costs. The calibration time has also decreased, with positive impact on the plant’s process availability.

The challenge: The site is composed of several business units. Due to their independant operation and separate resources, the internal management of the calibration of the more than 1,000 devices used on site was not optimized: lack of cost control, of monitoring of suppliers’ presence, of optimization of the internal resources, several standards used throughout the site, etc.

Our solution: Endress+Hauser took the responsability to manage and execute the whole calibration process of most of the devices operating on site. In the scope of a result-based contract we set up and are now operating:

• Common standards and processes site-wide
• A centralized coordination and a workflow management
• Resource sharing to match workload variations
• Reporting meetings at regular intervals
• Relevant KPIs
• A continuous improvement approach

Our approach enables full transparency for the management and in regards to the total cost of calibration.

Simplifying operation and securing process quality

The customer has entrusted us with the management of calibration operations and the actual execution of calibration activities according to a result-based contract. All internal work was shifted to Endress+Hauser. We implemented KPIs to provide full transparency to the management of the performed actions, to monitor non conformities and to define a corrective action preventive action (CAPA) plan, thus allowing continuous improvement of operations, in accordance with the GMPS. The KPIs are periodically updated during meetings involving both parties’ experts.

Expertise close at hand

One of the customer’s objectives was to have resources at hand for technical support. With the presence of the dedicated team from Endress+Hauser, full-time on site, the internal resources permanently benefit from experienced and skilled staff. The technical support covers not only all calibration aspects - including support in the resolution  of non-conformities - but also standardization (in case of the renewal of a device) and obsolescence (via a recapitalization plan).

Complex and sensitive project

Smooth operation required Endress+Hauser to work in an integrated manner as well as according to the customer´s internal processes and quality management systems. All that in a right-the-firsttime approach!

Benefits at a glance

• Significant decrease of overall calibration costs after 3 years
• 10% reduction in calibration time, allowing a higher process availability
• Over 80% of the time spent by internal resources has been reallocated to the core business
• Full transparency in the management of the performed actions