Source: Songjiang District Economic Commission

Introduction: In 2021, 6 enterprises in our district were selected into the list of the third batch of service-oriented manufacturing demonstration enterprises in Shanghai. Given that, the District Economic Commission will successively introduce the cases of these 6 service-oriented manufacturing demonstration enterprises to promote the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing enterprises in the district towards service-oriented manufacturing.

一、Company Profile

Shanghai Morimatsu Pharmaceutical Equipment Engineering Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Morimatsu) was established in 2001 and has been focusing on life sciences (like pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, etc.), daily chemicals, food, electronics and semiconductors, fast-moving consumer goods and other industries by providing customers with overall engineering solutions that involve joint R&D, front-end design, core equipment, process systems, modular engineering and digital operation and maintenance.

二、Exploration and practice of service-oriented manufacturing

The business development model of Morimatsu is different from engineering companies focusing on integration and services, as well as manufacturing companies that manufacture individual equipment. Instead, it specializes in highly integrated products built on the core reaction equipment, including modular process systems and digital and intelligent integrated engineering solutions so as to meet the deep value demand of customers and the industry. Morimatsu's services also include front-end design, verification consulting, large-scale digitalization and other steps. In the early stage of the project, Morimatsu starts getting deeply involved. The combination of "service + product + service" allows it to help simplify the downstream procurement process and optimizes cooperation efficiency by providing customer value-driven products.

（一）Digitalization-enabled EPC project construction

Expanding from the process module to the overall modular factory, Morimatsu has long adopted an integrated EPC general contracting model to provide customers with one-stop solutions including engineering design, modular construction, on-site installation and commissioning, quality assurance services, regulatory affairs consulting and verification services.

The biggest problem in the management of large and medium-sized enterprises and the operation of complex systems is that it is difficult to perceive the most basic needs and problems in the operation. To this end, Morimatsu applies 3D technology, information storage and retrieval technologies to make information transparent and symmetrical in a visualized way, making enterprise operations more efficient.

In terms of design, Morimatsu has a solid foundation for design and development and strong development capabilities. In the process of product design, multiple types of 3D design software were applied, and each software has undergone a lot of secondary development through the scripting language of each software. Then the API programming interface enables the integration of various design systems and the output of design data. For design review, VR simulation was applied to enable immersive evaluation of factory design. The software and hardware facilities and industry knowledge base were built in the procurement and manufacturing process. In construction, QR codes were used to trace the life cycle of raw materials and to track construction and inspection processes. Additionally, intelligent special machines that integrate robots and vision algorithms were used to improve manufacturing efficiency. These intelligent devices also allow data collection of the construction process and information exchange with MES via OT technology and Internet of Things technology. During the on-site installation process, 3D simulation technology was applied to simulate the construction plan. And the application of QR code has realized digital packaging, digital installation and on-site material tracking and management.

（二）Morimatsu digital service (full life cycle service including factory construction and EPCOO operation)

Digital operation and maintenance services distinguished by Industry 4.0 have been applied in multiple fields and scenarios. Conventional engineering companies or equipment manufacturers can usually provide digital services that only cover the EPC (Engineering Design, Procurement and Construction) process.By contrast, Morimatsu has gone further than that by expanding the scope of the digital platform to involve two “O" stages, i.e. operation and optimization.

（三）Integrating process optimization, automation & digitalization to facilitate the operation and optimization of the factory

Based on its engineering background and equipment expertise and by using digital means and tools such as 3D, panoramic, VR and Internet technologies, Morimatsu enables customers to manage projects and to operate and maintain factories in the most effective and intuitive way through big data and cloud platforms so as to finally realize digitalization-enabled continuous optimization.

（1）Visualized operation and maintenance of factories. We will make prediction and prevention based on precise positioning, and provide factories with equipment operation and maintenance services including equipment file management, inspection and maintenance, equipment repair, etc.

（2）Data analysis and prediction. We will, according to the system operation data, predict the product quality, shorten the switching time of different products, and reduce the loss of production conversion. Our expertise and technologies can efficiently guide the adjustment and setting of process parameters of production lines when producing new formula products, translating data into the new energy for factory operation.

（3）Virtual factory that will let you feel the real experience as in the physical factory. Using AR/VR technologies, we provide services such as factory virtual roaming, operation training, emergency planning and performing, employee training & assessment, simulation services and so on.

（4）Engineering data center, which, in addition to realizing digital delivery, provides convenient information retrieval tools and rich guidance methods, building an information acquisition highway.

（5）Remote factory, a portable factory for you. It can simulate physical working places through cloud platform-based remote collaboration, enabling remote "intuitive perception and convenient interaction".

（6）Production execution systems and intelligent logistics, which integrate IT technology, robotics, and visual algorithms to achieve strict management of production factors (humans, machines, materials, methods, and environment) and flexible execution of logistics and production.

三、Typical cases

The Yuxi Walwax project delivered in September 2021 represents China's first factory for the industrial production of SARS CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. With a construction area of more than 5,000 square meters, the factory can handle the entire production process involving plasmid production for mRNA vaccines, stock solution preparation, formulations, and liquid product filling. The project has been completed within 7.5 months, first achieving the industrial production of SARS CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in China.

So how Yuxi Walvax first realized the industrial production of SARS CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in China quickly? Apart from Walvax’s own strength, another driving force for the project is the R&D, supporting process products and their integration provided by Morimatsu, helping Walvax to achieve the progress from clinical research to industrial production at the fastest pace and quickly seize the market opportunity. What’s more, the reason why Walvax chose Morimatsu among many suppliers more consists in the following considerations.

First, delivery of one-stop modular project.As a globally leading provider of overall engineering solutions, Morimatsu has cutting-edge engineering design concepts and rich experience in modular implementation. During the modular manufacturing, which was like erection of Lego building blocks, the core parts of the whole project were transferred to workshops for production and assembly, so that all critical process equipment and components could be processed and assembled in a safe and clean environment. During the implementation of the project, the modular solutions were adopted to ensure faster delivery, lower risks, predictable implementation and great flexibility of the project, so that the customer could feel the power of certainty. For the project, more than 80% of work were completed offsite before shipment, which improved the production quality of products and the delivery certainty of the project, and minimized the onsite work quantities compared to traditional construction. The total lead time was finally reduced by more than half compared to traditional projects. In addition, the one-stop services from design, construction, FAT, transport, field installation to debugging provided for the project also effectively reduced the communication interfaces, improving the project controllability and communication efficiency.

Second, rapid response.Morimatsu makes full use of its highly localized resources and supply chains to maintain real-time communication with customers and optimize the project execution process. In this way, it completed the conceptual design, basic design, and detailed design of the entire factory within 2 and a half months, and finished construction within a month. By virtue of the modern project management model, Morimatsu achieved customers’ high expectations, and earned high customer satisfaction.

Third, application of digital technology in the project.Pharmadule Morimatsu adopted the most advanced digital technology for the project. The plant equipment provided digital technology-based information throughout the life cycle of the project including design, production, installation and debugging, in order to ensure the implementation efficiency and data traceability of the project. In addition, after delivery of the project, the equipment maintenance plan and spare parts supply scheme were prepared through big data analysis in order to optimize the manufacturing process. The digital technology was helpful in the fast delivery of the project. It will also help Yuxi Walvax to achieve lean plant management, operation and maintenance in future.

In the project for the first industrial production of SARS CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in China, Pharmadule Morimatsu helped Yuxi Walvax to carry out the clinical study and industrial production as soon as possible, thus making substantial contributions to the fight of the epidemic. The implementation mode of the project has been noticed by global biopharmaceutical industry, and the project, probably as a typical project in this industry will be cited by numerous companies, with high referential significance.

About Shanghai Morimatsu Pharmaceutical Equipment Engineering Co., Ltd.

Shanghai Morimatsu Pharmaceutical Equipment Engineering Co., Ltd (Stock Code: 2155.HK) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morimatsu International Holdings Company Limited. Morimatsu, founded in Japan and taken root in China, has developed into a multi-national company that embraces globalization, masters core technology, and gains rich experience from project implementation in diverse fields including core equipment, process systems, and engineering solutions. The company has built advanced manufacturing base in China, established affiliates in Sweden, the United States, India, and Italy, built an efficient professional globalization team, and delivered a variety of products and services to more than 40 countries and regions.