Security in Pharma Distribution
In our second part of using automation for pharmaceutical distribution centers, we want to focus on more benefits that can make the decision to switch to automation a crucial one.
One of the most important questions in distribution and fulfillment in the pharmaceutical industry is security. Security in pharma distribution is not only vital to ensure the safety of customers, there is also increased pressure from the government regulation. The fact that the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) will go into effect in 2023, dictates that you have an industry where safety and security are top of mind.
How can AS/RS help with security of your pharmaceutical DC?
Security:
AS/RS by design limits the physical interaction that individual associates have with products. This limits not only the opportunity to tamper with pharmaceuticals, it also decreases shrink severely. The only time that an associate would have access to a highly automated split-case or piece pick would be under the watchful eyes at a pick station. In fact, an ergonomic automated pick station could even eliminate that one interaction.
A fully-automated operation can provide second-by-second digital tracking for each piece, case or pallet. This alleviates fear of expiration and makes tracking by lot much easier.
Insight:
In addition to security in pharma distribution, automated distribution in a pharmaceutical warehouse provides real-time insight. There is no need for physical checks since the Warehouse Management System, WMS, can give you real-time information about batches, expiration dates and serial numbers or anything else. You have the power to pinpoint precision to where every individual product or SKU is in your distribution center at any time.
This alone can save your company a great amount of time. Which is more efficient to find a certain lot? Pushing a few buttons vs. sending an associate to wall the aisles of a vast warehouse armed with, in some cases, a piece of paper with a number on it.
In our scenario above of a lone associate traipsing around your DC we also return to security with the benefit of limiting interaction and touches from associate to product, or mistakenly moving a product and “losing” it inside the warehouse.
Temperature:
One of the final advantages of automation again goes to monitoring. However, instead of just physical location, it is also temperature. The acceptable range of temperatures for some drugs can vary, although lately, there is more emphasis on drugs that can be maintained at 2-8 degrees Celsius. Because of the fluctuation in vast areas such as a distribution center, this is becoming a greater concern. Automation can ensure that temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals are stored in the absolute correct part of the distribution center.
In the event of a temperature aberration, the system can quickly and efficiently move a great deal of products. Much, much swifter than associates with forklifts could in a traditional distribution center. In the event of warm product coming into storage that must be cooled, the ASRS can be set up to monitor for “hot spots”. If an area is getting too warm, then the ASRS can direct incoming pallets to be put away in cooler parts of the warehouse.
We hope you have gained some insight into how automation can help improve your pharmaceutical intralogistics across the board. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us here.
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