How the Growth Direct^TM System Makes Manufacturers More Scalable

When it comes to lean processes in manufacturing and quality control, one of the most important principles is scalability. While streamlining individual tasks is certainly useful, companies can realize their greatest savings by implementing entirely new processes that can be duplicated without proportional increases in costs. In such a demanding, high-risk environment as pharmaceutical quality control, that's often easier said than done.

Fortunately, The Growth Direct^TM System allows manufacturers to drastically increase the scalability of their microbiological tests. Through a combination of retaining the traditional sample preparation and high-tech automation to conduct the plate reading, recording and communication of results or problems, users can easily and efficiently scale up their testing volumes. In the long run, this capability allows for massive savings, greater productivity and more opportunities for growth.

Efficient High-Volume Testing

Unlike the compendial method – and unlike many other RMM technologies – The Growth Direct^TM System only requires manual work during sample preparation. Once users have prepared cassettes, the equipment can handle the plate colony counting and serial incubation transfers, and microbiologists need only analyze and approve the results. With the manual method, each sample requires human intervention during transfers, counts and recording. Due to this efficiency increase, manufacturers can easily scale up their testing volumes with a reduced amount of additional labor.

Shorter Travel Times

The Growth Direct^TM System can be placed directly on production lines, creating even more labor efficiency for the personnel who prepare each set of cassettes. Instead of taking time transporting samples between labs and production sites, samples can be captured and testing can be performed at or near the production area. For manufacturers with large campuses and multiple production sites, this capability can put a sizable dent in the costs of each test.

Automated Interim Counts

Interim counts are often a requirement from manufacturing and create additional activities in the lab. The Growth Direct™ System enumerates cassettes at pre-defined intervals. With the manual method, every interim count requires microbiologists to remove the sample from the incubator, make a count, and return the sample to the incubator. This process may have to be repeated multiple times when finished products are awaiting shipment. With automated enumeration, however, stakeholders will have access to counts on a regular basis, saving time.

Less QC Impact with Manufacturing Expansions

Finally, The Growth Direct^TM System's efficiency allows for long-term scalability in response to production growth. With the compendial method, increases in production volumes and greater product varieties that increase testing requirements typically meant proportionally more manual work for the lab. In certain instances, this increase may also mean the need for larger lab space, more equipment and more resources. When microbiological testing is automated, however, manufacturing increases may not impact quality control as drastically.

The Growth Direct™ System offers several benefits for your company. Discover them in this free guide.