In 2018, the pharmaceutical group Merck Millipore decided to refresh its range of laboratory cross-flow filtration systems, under the name Cogent®Lab. To help make this project a success, the group called on three Actemium business units based in Mulhouse, Basel and Porrentruy. 

“To develop an innovative product based on web solutions required major coordination and full commitment from every individual,” explains Pierre Romann, Automation & Industrial IT Engineer at Actemium Switzerland. “This enabled us to merge IT and OT by applying tools and methods from computing to the world of automation. This is a novel but increasingly popular approach.” For this project, Actemium teams proposed hardware architecture already familiar to the customer, in combination with advanced web technologies. This approach reassured users while incorporating modern, high-performance functionality, all within a tightly controlled budget. 

One of the project’s biggest challenges was the integration into a laboratory system of functionality more typically found in production environments: dashboards, acceptance testing, report generation, etc. Thanks to a bespoke software development process, the teams were able to meet these requirements while reducing licensing costs and increasing flexibility. 

Actemium also avoided any configurability limitations by developing a unique software package that can be adapted to the entire range of products. Development was completed to the project deadlines and brought to market in 2022. The project followed a structured process, from technical research through to design, prototyping, testing and industrialisation.  

In addition to the application of IT technologies to an automation solution, the Cogent®Lab project was an opportunity to develop a system upgrade solution. “The software is not fixed in time – we are continuously working to enhance it,” says Laurent Wehrlen, a software engineer at Actemium Switzerland. “Recently, we incorporated electronic signatures on production reports in order to guarantee the integrity and authenticity of the data. To take advantage of these new functionalities, the customer can download a single file to perform their own updates and manage the life cycle of the product.” 

This project was also notable for its collaborative and agile working methods. From the outset, Merck and Actemium adopted a co-creation approach, with regular iterations allowing targets to be adjusted within time and budget constraints.  

And to accompany the marketing of the new Cogent®Lab range, Actemium developed a virtual marketing portfolio, accessible via an iPad and web application. This media package incorporates 3D technology and augmented reality to create an immersive experience presenting the products in Merck’s Bioprocessing Systems range.