Press Releases
Virtual technologies to enhance quality mindset and transform learning culture
Quality is a key component in biologics manufacturing to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality products for patients. As part of Samsung Biologics’ commitment to quality excellence, the company is adopting advanced technologies to train employees before they start work. This ensures the utmost quality, both inside and outside the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environment. The company recently introduced a new virtual reality (VR) training program, which offers an immersive, simulated experience to improve work efficiency and minimize risks and potential errors.
The importance of quality in drug manufacturing
Employees at Samsung Biologics must receive GMP training before gaining access to the clean rooms. This ensures that the staff works toward the common goal of manufacturing high-quality biologic drugs that are safe and efficient. In addition to its theory-based training sessions, Samsung Biologics introduced a VR training program last year, allowing employees to get hands-on experience in a digital setting that is identical to the actual facilities.
Through this system, employees can practice as much as is required to acquire the necessary skill sets. The VR training program offers an immersive experience where employees can prepare for various manufacturing operations and processes. New employees can take the training before entering the work environment, and existing staff can take it for cross-training purposes to understand the processes that happen outside of their job or function.
“We developed this VR training program as it is difficult for employees to practice at the actual manufacturing facilities … due to limitations in trying out various pieces of equipment and tools just for education purposes. Advanced experience-based training in a VR environment is expected to help train our employees to develop and manufacture high-quality biomedicines and contribute to helping save lives in a timely manner.”
- Technical Training Group
A completely immersive and simulated experience
During the VR training, trainees are given missions to complete, which involve various processes and tasks, from putting on protective gear to opening valves. In addition to the VR gadgets, there are wearable devices equipped with heat sensors and a vest equipped with a vibration function to give trainees an authentic experience. With the wearable devices, trainees can feel the heat that might come from hot valves and/or the cold from water leakages. The vest vibrates when they make an error.
While many VR training programs tend to focus on developing an individual’s skill set, Samsung Biologics’ program also offers a team play option. Multiple trainees can enter the same virtual environment to collaborate and support each other in completing each stage of a project. This environment builds on Samsung Biologics’ dedication to a one-team effort.
The program allows employees to learn how to share data and cooperate in real time and minimizes the potential for error since it enables some teammates to monitor the situation while others carry out the required processes.
Samsung Biologics based the design of its VR training programs on the actual accumulated experiences of its employees. These include everyday tasks—from basic steps that could be overlooked to more comprehensive operations that deal with key ingredients—to ensure the utmost quality at every stage of the manufacturing process. The programs offered include cell culture and purification processes for drug substance manufacturing.
Around 100 employees at Samsung Biologics are trained monthly through the VR program. Employees from the Manufacturing Science and Technology team who tried the training course said that it was helpful, as they could visualize the clean rooms and equipment, which the VR program displays in great detail. One employee from downstream processing who took the upstream processing VR course for cross-training purposes said the program “helped them understand the overall workflow of the project on top of the roles that he was responsible for.”
Quality matters at all times
Manufacturing biologics of consistent quality is crucial, as the drugs are administered directly to patients. Therefore, ensuring biopharmaceutical companies comply with certain regulations and standards is imperative, hence the existence of GMP. As one of the leading CDMO service providers that must always comply with GMP guidelines, Samsung Biologics offers agile and seamless services without compromising quality. Quality excellence is a core principle we are committed to achieving for the safety and efficacy of the biomedicines we deliver.
Samsung Biologics has received over 300 regulatory approvals from global regulatory agencies, since its foundation in 2011. Strict standards and the pursuit of accuracy have fostered a mindset for high quality among our employees, and we believe that every employee shares this responsibility. In addition to the VR training program, we plan to continue implementing new technologies to enhance the learning experience and gain deeper insights into maintaining high standards in quality assurance.
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Quality is a key component in biologics manufacturing to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality products for patients. As part of Samsung Biologics’ commitment to quality excellence, the company is adopting advanced technologies to train employees before they start work. This ensures the utmost quality, both inside and outside the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environment. The company recently introduced a new virtual reality (VR) training program, which offers an immersive, simulated experience to improve work efficiency and minimize risks and potential errors.
The importance of quality in drug manufacturing
Employees at Samsung Biologics must receive GMP training before gaining access to the clean rooms. This ensures that the staff works toward the common goal of manufacturing high-quality biologic drugs that are safe and efficient. In addition to its theory-based training sessions, Samsung Biologics introduced a VR training program last year, allowing employees to get hands-on experience in a digital setting that is identical to the actual facilities.
Through this system, employees can practice as much as is required to acquire the necessary skill sets. The VR training program offers an immersive experience where employees can prepare for various manufacturing operations and processes. New employees can take the training before entering the work environment, and existing staff can take it for cross-training purposes to understand the processes that happen outside of their job or function.
“We developed this VR training program as it is difficult for employees to practice at the actual manufacturing facilities … due to limitations in trying out various [pieces of] equipment and tools just for education purposes. Advanced experience-based training in a VR environment is expected to help train our employees to develop and manufacture high-quality biomedicines and contribute to helping save lives in a timely manner.” - Technical Training Group
A completely immersive and simulated experience
During the VR training, trainees are given missions to complete, which involve various processes and tasks, from putting on protective gear to opening valves. In addition to the VR gadgets, there are wearable devices equipped with heat sensors and a vest equipped with a vibration function to give trainees an authentic experience. With the wearable devices, trainees can feel the heat that might come from hot valves and/or the cold from water leakages. The vest vibrates when they make an error.
While many VR training programs tend to focus on developing an individual’s skill set, Samsung Biologics’ program also offers a team play option. Multiple trainees can enter the same virtual environment to collaborate and support each other in completing each stage of a project. This environment builds on Samsung Biologics’ dedication to a one-team effort.
The program allows employees to learn how to share data and cooperate in real time and minimizes the potential for error since it enables some teammates to monitor the situation while others carry out the required processes.
Samsung Biologics based the design of its VR training programs on the actual accumulated experiences of its employees. These include everyday tasks—from basic steps that could be overlooked to more comprehensive operations that deal with key ingredients—to ensure the utmost quality at every stage of the manufacturing process. The programs offered include cell culture and purification processes for drug substance manufacturing.
Around 100 employees at Samsung Biologics are trained monthly through the VR program. Employees from the Manufacturing Science and Technology team who tried the training course said that it was helpful, as they could visualize the clean rooms and equipment, which the VR program displays in great detail. One employee from downstream processing who took the upstream processing VR course for cross-training purposes said the program “helped them understand the overall workflow of the project on top of the roles that he was responsible for.”
Quality matters at all times
Manufacturing biologics of consistent quality is crucial, as the drugs are administered directly to patients. Therefore, ensuring biopharmaceutical companies comply with certain regulations and standards is imperative, hence the existence of GMP. As one of the leading CDMO service providers that must always comply with GMP guidelines, Samsung Biologics offers agile and seamless services without compromising quality. Quality excellence is a core principle we are committed to achieving for the safety and efficacy of the biomedicines we deliver.
Samsung Biologics has received over 300 regulatory approvals from global regulatory agencies, since its foundation in 2011. Strict standards and the pursuit of accuracy have fostered a mindset for high quality among our employees, and we believe that every employee shares this responsibility. In addition to the VR training program, we plan to continue implementing new technologies to enhance the learning experience and gain deeper insights into maintaining high standards in quality assurance.
Related Content
Samsung BIO Insight Scaling Up Quality and Flexibility with Trusted Partnership
Samsung BIO Insight Propelling Quality Through Innovation & Accumulated Expertise