Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen, the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL of RWTH Aachen University has launched a new industry working group for "Predictive Quality". The aim is to significantly reduce joint testing efforts on a pre-competitive basis and to realize higher productivity by eliminating physical testing processes, as well as to continue to achieve higher quality through a reduction in scrap, end-to-end quality monitoring and knowledge generation from the models, and increased sustainability through more resource-efficient production.

Predictive quality reduces testing efforts

Modern quality management has more and more data at its disposal faster and faster. At the same time, advanced algorithms enable ever more detailed images and models of production. These data and models form the basis for the field of predictive quality. Predictive quality describes the data-based prediction of quality characteristics. Using a learned relationship between process parameters and quality characteristics, time-consuming physical inspection processes, which are often only carried out in random samples, can be replaced by low-effort model-based 100% inspection. Predictive quality has already been successfully implemented in industry-related research projects in which testing efforts were significantly reduced and productivity increased.
has been increased. At the same time, more and more data-based quality management tools are being developed and deployed by manufacturing companies in digitization and Industrie 4.0 projects, software companies are providing advanced infrastructures for data acquisition and storage, and start-ups are forming business models via the provision of corresponding algorithms for data evaluation.

Faster dissemination of research results

The two Aachen institutes support companies from the manufacturing sector (e.g. automotive, metal processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical technology) as well as software companies specializing in the extraction, storage and processing of data (e.g. CAQ, MES, sensor manufacturers, cloud providers) in the working group with their many years of experience. The industry working group is financed by an annual membership fee and serves new members to
rapid dissemination and utilization of research results and networking and is based on three pillars. Two community meetings a year are intended to facilitate exchange between the members of the working group. In addition, current findings and results from industry and research are to be presented at the meetings. On a topic-specific basis, one study per year is conducted within the working group to gain insights into the current state of the art in the companies, challenges and new approaches. The topics are chosen by a majority vote of the working group members. In one demonstrator project per year, new ideas and approaches are specifically tested by the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL and Fraunhofer IPT. For example, different algorithms for quality prediction or preprocessing can be implemented and compared. The demonstrators can either come from the halls of the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL and Fraunhofer IPT or be provided by a company. Joint project results are available to the partners without restriction.

Source and further information: www.wzl.rwth-aachen.de

With the creation of an IT security consulting team at management level, Swiss Infosec AG is reorganizing its IT security division. With the establishment of the new competence center for IT security, the company is responding to current security needs, e.g. in connection with ransomware attacks, penetration tests or working in a home office, and continues to position itself as an established partner for comprehensive services in the broad field of integral security.

In this context, Niklaus Manser has taken over the function of Head of IT Security Consulting as of April 1, 2022. Manser previously headed the IT Security specialist team, an area that has long been one of the company's core competencies alongside information security and data protection. In addition to his new role, he will also become a member of the management team. He acquired his technical skills in various IT jobs and with a degree from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. At Swiss Infosec AG, as a certified ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, he has been supporting customers since 2017 as part of consulting projects, training or mandates as an external IT Security Officer. At the same time, he has helped to establish and expand the company's IT Security business unit, which he will now further strengthen in his new role.

Swiss Infosec AG, headquartered in Sursee, is one of Switzerland's leading independent consulting and training companies in the areas of information security, data protection and IT security. The company was founded in 1989 and, together with its sister company Swiss GRC AG, employs over 65 people. In the area of Integral Security, the company has supported over 2500 projects for small and large customers from all industries. 

Further information

After almost thirty years in the position as head of the Federal Pipeline Inspectorate (ERI), Ruedi Wendelspiess will retire at the end of March 2022. His extensive know-how will be available to the ERI until further notice, thanks to project-related support. His successor is Roger Bächtiger, who has already been working for the Federal Pipeline Inspectorate since 2019. In his new function, he is also a member of the SVTI Executive Board.

Roger Bächtiger holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, an M.Sc. in Industrial Technologies and an Executive MBA in General Management as well as further education in materials technology, among others. He brings both management and industrial experience from various areas, including his previous positions at a well-known Swiss manufacturer of rail vehicles and a listed mechanical engineering company in northeastern Switzerland. At the latter, as project manager and process engineer for large-scale industrial and process plants.

The Federal Pipeline Inspectorate (ERI) supervises the design, construction and operation of pipeline facilities for the transport of liquid or gaseous fuels in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, provided that these facilities are subject to the Pipelines Act. As an independent body - the ERI is not subordinate to the Federal Office of Energy - it is integrated in the SVTI, the Swiss Association for Technical Inspections. The purpose of the SVTI is the prevention of accidents, malfunctions and damage and the elimination of hazards in the manufacture and operation of technical installations of all kinds. 

Source and further information

Due to the war in Ukraine, sanctions are on everyone's lips and a topic in private conversations and in the press or news. The world has joined forces not to counter violence with violence, but to impose sanctions on Russia across the board. People have realized that this is a way to exert enormous pressure. The central weapon in 2022 is thus the control of financial flows. Anti-terror and boycott lists now include oligarchs, politicians such as Putin, his foreign minister Lavrov and those close to them, as well as over 100 Duma deputies. In general, supporters and co-decision-makers appear on the lists. The sanctions list check thus moves into the focus of all companies that have business relations with Russia.

Sanctions lists instead of embargoes

While other countries immediately imposed sanctions, Switzerland initially held back - probably in the belief that, as a financial center, it would not have to impose sanctions against Russia so soon. But after strong protests, it now followed the EU's line.

Sanctions lists were originally a reaction to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and UN Security Council Resolution 1373/2001 obliged all United Nations countries to implement them. This prohibits the provision of any economic resources, i.e., assets, services, goods or certificates, to terrorist organizations and individuals at home and abroad. These sanctions lists replace total embargoes on states and target companies, corporate networks and individuals. The U.S. issues sanctions lists through the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, there are lists from the EU, the UN and worldwide from countries such as Canada, Japan and Switzerland.

Business possible - but not without sanctions list check

Now, the sanctions have not ruled out business with Russia per se, but they have made it significantly more difficult, and in some cases no longer practicable. Companies are faced with the choice of doing without Russian business or accepting risks and resistance. Since parcel services no longer deliver to Russia, exporting goods has become much more difficult. The restrictions on payment transactions are even more serious, as many Russian banks are on the sanctions lists. For business partners abroad, payment or receipt of money has thus become impossible. Without Swift and IBAN, trading partners can no longer access their money. Retail chains are going out of business in Russia because commercial transactions are no longer possible without a payment infrastructure. 

In addition, there are embargoes on items that may not be supplied as part of export controls. This means that even Russian companies not on sanctions lists are barred from items related to gas and oil production and machinery. This also applies to restrictions on the supply of luxury goods to Russia.

All companies have a duty

All companies are affected by the sanctions list screening obligation - regardless of size, national or international business. They are obliged to carry out sanctions list screening for every business contact, regardless of the country in which the customer, supplier or trading partner is based. Swiss companies must screen their business partners and employees against their own Swiss list, but it also makes sense to consider the most important US lists.

No company today can afford to ignore the sanctions list check. Anyone who does so may be targeted by the U.S. authorities and will then have to negotiate penalties. If they fail to reach an agreement, they run the risk of being listed themselves. Companies thus damage their reputation, lose business partners and even risk insolvency. This is because the penalties are draconian: up to 10 years' imprisonment for a deliberate violation and fines of up to 500,000 euros for a negligent violation. The U.S. also threatens extraterritorial criminal prosecution - due to lack of access to the management, the entire company is then placed on a U.S. list. 

Compliance is generally checked as part of audits or by customs. However, stricter controls are not to be expected despite the current war.

Sanctions list screening needs software

Companies have always had to pay attention to the sanctions lists. Even before the war, the number of records, lists and updates was steadily increasing: in 2019, there were 30 lists and more than 110,000 records worldwide. In 2020, there were more than 600 updates. Since the start of the war, the number of updates on various lists has grown enormously once again - and with it the demand on the quality of the sanctions list check. At the latest, it is no longer possible to check randomly or manually. 

The Kempen-based company Sapper is a leader in compliance software with its domino® tool. They have reacted to the new circumstances: Previously, all available lists worldwide were maintained on a daily basis for business partner screening - based on publications by the US authorities, the EU and other countries with their own lists. Now, Sapper transmits the current status of the sanctions lists to its customers several times a day, because today it can no longer afford a greater frequency. This customer service is unique, Sapper can provide the infrastructure for this tighter cycle of list updates.

At Sapper, we also notice that existing customers who previously considered only a few lists necessary have increased their range and booked new lists. Sapper makes this possible within 24 hours. German companies with Russian subsidiaries have also woken up: The subsidiaries were often not adequately equipped - these processes are now being put to the test.

Permanent screening necessary

The sanctions list check is a challenge even without current conflicts. This is because a one-time comparison at the beginning of a collaboration is not enough. Companies must be able to prove throughout the entire business relationship that their partners are not on lists. Sapper's tool therefore automatically triggers new checks when updates are made. This also applies to applications that are fully integrated with SAP. Companies can thus be sure that they will know if business partners have ended up on a new list over the duration of the business relationship. For all business transactions that are mapped in the ERP, screening already takes place at the start of the workflow. CRM systems can also be connected to an early warning system. 

Ad-hoc checks ensure that business relationships with partners on sanctions lists are not initiated in the first place. Business transactions outside the ERP, such as management activities like consulting contracts, LOIs, rentals and leases, asset sales, and services can also be checked individually. The following applies to all: The audit must always be verifiable via reporting.

In view of the large number of checks required, it is important to keep the error rate as low as possible. This is because business processes are blocked in the event of hits. The error rate of the domino® tool is 0.1 to 0.3 per mille. This low rate in combination with speed and accuracy represent the USP. The tool checks over 84 million transactions worldwide every day. The algorithm scans each word and letter individually and can thus compensate for hearing and spelling errors such as misspellings. Even if the quality of the lists is poor, it finds hits.

Conclusion: Take sanctions list review seriously

Sanctions and the review of international sanctions lists have become more prominent in the minds of companies with the Ukraine war. They need to ensure that they do not have business relationships with listed individuals and organizations in order to avoid draconian penalties. This is only possible with modern software. Sapper's tool offers updating of the lists several times a day - so companies are on the safe side.

Author:
Marie-Helene Wessel is the managing director with power of representation of SAPPER INSTITUT GmbH in Kempten (Germany), manufacturer of the domino® software mentioned in the article. www.sapper.de

Transmission of Corona data by fax, no progress with the electronic patient dossier, security problems on healthcare websites: The digital transformation backlog in healthcare is significant. Leading associations have now called for the Alliance "Digital Transformation in Healthcare newly founded as an association according to Art. 60ff. ZGB: They develop joint positions that are submitted to the political arena. Four working groups started their work last year: the working groups "EPD", "Health Data Ecosystems", "Semantics & Interoperability" and "Economic Incentives".

The Federal Council will make a directional decision on the revision of the electronic patient dossier in mid-April. The Alliance has communicated to the Federal Council the most important adjustments from the point of view of the associations, which were developed in the "EPD" working group. The "Digital Transformation in Healthcare" alliance proposes short-term and medium-term measures.

"When it comes to innovative topics such as digital transformation in healthcare, policymakers are dependent on input from experts in the field. It is neither sensible nor possible to build up the necessary expertise within the administration," says Anna Hitz, co-president of the Alliance. "We call on the Federal Council to resume the participatory process that the FOPH exemplified during the pre-parliamentary phase of the EPDG," says Alexander Zimmer, MD, co-president of the Alliance. "Experts from the field must be involved in the revision of the EPDG so that we can benefit from practical experience from home and abroad. The implementation must finally be practical," says the third co-president Ulrich Schaefer.

At the founding meeting, the statutes were approved, a co-presidency and a board of directors were elected. The members were informed about the status of the work of the working groups and about the next steps of the newly founded association. The founding members of the Alliance for Digital Transformation in Healthcare association are: ASPS, ASSGP, Axsana, economiesuisse, FMH, GS1 Switzerland, Geliko, HL7, IG eHealth, IHE Suisse, Interpharma, Lungenliga Schweiz, mfe, pharmaSuisse, Schweizerischer Drogistenverband, Scienceindustries, SVDE, Swiss Medtech, Vips.

Source and further information: www.ig-ehealth.ch

March 31 is International Data Backup Day, World Backup Day. About its role are all IT managers in the clear - actually. But backup is still a broad field and a real backup is not simply done at the push of a button. Complex infrastructures require a backup strategy that must also keep in mind that backups are an important target for attackers. This view is shared by experts from IT security service providers Barracuda Networks, Bitdefender, ForeNova, FTAPI and NCC.

World Backup Day: a good time to think about what an effective data backup strategy needs to do.

"Events like World Backup Day are good times to think about what an effective backup strategy needs to do. A lot has changed in the last few years! More and more data is hosted in the cloud, ransomware is one of the biggest threats to data today. Does on-premise backup provide everything businesses need: Reliability and value for money? Is Office 365 data protected in the cloud? Is resiliency considered and air-gap copies of the data backed up? Is a solution in place that meets DSGVO requirements? How often are DR and recovery workflows run through? It's a lot to consider, but that's what's imperative if companies want to ensure they don't have to pay for a cyberattack or complete data loss with a complete business shutdown."

Charles Smith, Consulting Solution Engineer, Data Protection, Barracuda Networks, EMEA

The convergence of cybersecurity and data protection is a top priority in times of the Ukraine conflict.

"The current conflict in Ukraine makes all IT a target of cyberattacks. Even immediately before the invasion, HermeticWiper was used to attack systems of Ukrainian government agencies and organizations with the aim of deleting data. Such attacks are also threatening in this country. They threaten not only information, but also systems and applications. Successful deletion of data and configurations of these systems or applications then becomes an ultimate threat to the functionality of digital processes - especially if IT managers cannot restore systems, applications and data quickly enough.

As a result, the long-preached protection of existing backups - the convergence of cybersecurity and data protection - is now becoming a top priority. An endpoint detection-and-response (EDR) solution can protect backup servers. Managed detection-and-response (MDR) services must reprioritize their security analysis criteria in light of the threats. Those who are reviewing their backup and disaster recovery plans now should also be looking at protecting those backups against malware. They should also look in advance at how quickly systems can be brought back up."

Jörg von der Heydt, Regional Director DACH, Bitdefender

Network Detection and Response also protects backups.

"Performing backups is a matter of course - at least in people's minds. Unfortunately, testing backups and seeing whether it is even possible to restore systems and information, and whether the data also has integrity, is not yet. But it should be. The 3-2-1 rule with an offline backup is also increasingly being taken to heart, and word is also spreading that backups also fall under the competencies of IT security.

But many CISOs and IT admins think primarily about protecting the endpoints, i.e. the backup server and the media. But that's not enough, because professional hackers specifically prepare the attack on the secured information and systems - the last reassurance many organizations rely on. A security event that occurs across the network perimeter and, for example, immediately encrypts, blocks or even deletes assets, and against which an endpoint detection and response or firewall does not protect, can only be immediately blocked by a network-level defense. Thanks to a network detection and response (NDR) that detects suspicious attack patterns, it is often not even necessary to restore digital resources.

An NDR pulls further ripcords in case of emergency: A predefined playbook of the software, for example, automatically initiates a VMWare snapshot as soon as a suspicious network incident is reported and secures the current system and information status before a possibly successful attack. Most importantly, NDR provided valuable assistance in analyzing an attack once it occurred, showing when and how an attack was launched."

Paul Smit, Director Customer Services, ForeNova

Don't be afraid of decentralized data backup - you just need trustworthy partners.

"Do backups of critical business or project data really always have to be on-premise in the company's own systems? Not in our view. With on-demand hosted solutions, automatic backups are standard. Many companies have already recognized the need for this, but there are still doubts about the security of decentralized solutions and data backups. Yet the need is becoming increasingly clear: the number of cyber attacks is rising, the attacks themselves are becoming more and more sophisticated - 100 percent security of the company's own systems and information is virtually no longer possible.

Decentrally stored backups make it possible to still access company data and systems in the event of a cyber attack or massive system failure. A trustworthy partner is important here, both when it comes to the solution and the data centers used. Data should only be encrypted and transmitted to servers within the EU. To safeguard daily project work, automatic backups of corresponding data in virtual data rooms are suitable."

Ari Albertini, Chief Operating Officer, FTAPI Software GmbH

The right backup strategy is important - because after the attack is before the attack.

"The importance of backup is demonstrated by ransomware attacks - the preferred 'earning method' of cyber criminals. When it comes to business-critical data or confidential customer information - the 'crown jewels' - the pressure to act increases immediately for companies and authorities.

When this emergency occurs, the victims have three options: they can decrypt the files, pay the ransom or recover the data. But suitable decryption tools are not always available and often not all information is available again after a ransom payment. In the worst case, further extortion stages follow with no guarantee of getting all files back. We also recommend not to respond to ransomware demands.

This leaves backups as the 'last line of defense'. To make matters worse, criminals also deliberately target them to cause as much damage as possible. Corporate and government IT managers should therefore not only follow the familiar backup rules (3-2-1), but also require additional authentication before access and create immutable backups - which they store offline, off-site or off the main network.

And because after the attack is before the attack, IT managers must understand how the hackers proceeded. After all, when a backup is reverted to, the infrastructure with the same vulnerability that was exploited during the attack comes into play. In addition to a logging mechanism, the should also implement services such as managed detection and response to detect possible further suspicious activity on their network."

Dr. Volker Baier, Principal Consultant Risk Management, NCC Group

The Austrian software company RUBICON is one of Europe's leading providers of IT solutions for the digitalization of central business processes in public administrations (eGovernment) as well as in the enterprise sector. With RUBICON IT Schweiz AG, the company has been based in the city of Bern since 2004, where it currently employs nine people. The development of tailor-made IT solutions takes place at the location in Vienna. RUBICON Switzerland draws on specialists from the parent company as needed.

Successful eGovernment implementations fuel demand

"Now that we have distinguished ourselves as a digitization partner for the administration, our experience and know-how are increasingly attracting interest from the private sector," says Christoph Unger. The 42-year-old was previously responsible for the market development and establishment of Acta Nova for the GEVER system in the Swiss market. "We support Swiss companies in expanding their digital ability to act from A to Z - from electronic requests to execution and delivery," says Unger.

As a digitization partner for administration and companies, RUBICON covers a wide range of needs. These include solutions in the area of document and workflow management based on Acta Nova. In addition, there is template and output management with Document Partner, but also high-availability server and application operation, expertise in the areas of databases and networks, as well as auditing and software security via SignPath.

Federal administration: 26,000 people use RUBICON solution

The company's long-standing customers include the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ), and a large number of cantons and cities as well as over 900 Swiss municipalities. Since August 2021, more than 26,000 employees of the Swiss federal administration have been using the RUBICON application Acta Nova nationwide. This runs on GEVER, the federal government's digital platform for business administration, and guarantees uniform and stable document and workflow management. Since then, the processes have been gradually optimized during ongoing operations. In addition, RUBICON is constantly developing the platform further.

Acta Nova allows the digitization and automation of business processes and offers interfaces to online forms so that data can be captured easily and quickly and transferred without media breaks. In addition, the software automatically encrypts confidential documents and offers central data storage. At the same time, Acta Nova accelerates, for example, the issuing of permits, the response time to inquiries, increases the traceability of all processes and, last but not least, increases the efficiency of the administration. Since digitization also eliminates transport routes and mountains of paper, the use of Acta Nova also leads to substantial savings.

Since then, the processes have been optimized step by step during ongoing operations. In addition, the platform is constantly being further developed. Important topics are inbound and outbound management as well as digital interaction with countless business partners.

Source and information: www.rubicon.eu

Ozone, particulate matter, CO2 are substances that pollute our air. Fortunately, pollution in the air we breathe can now be measured very precisely. The manufacturer Microsyst has expanded its range of applications for easy visualization of the specific emission values: luminous LED displays are coupled with the measuring sensors using Microsyst's MKS software.

The software of the emission displays adapts to the data protocol of the measuring sensors and thus communicates with any system without any problems and across manufacturers. The connection is made via existing industrial interfaces, wired or wireless. Seven-color spectrum, variable display and character height as well as single or multi-line display ensure best visibility and readability. An integrated brightness sensor and pixel pitch of 4 or 8 mm guarantee optimum visibility. Whether indoors, outdoors, bright, dark, sunny or rainy: the LED displays are readable at up to 100 meters. The wide radiation of the LEDs ensures a large viewing angle.

Regardless of this, simple displays for integration in metal panels or pillars are available, as are full-surface LED display panels. Thanks to the modular design, almost anything is possible from small to large format: up to eight square meters of display area, possibly more after technical examination of the conditions on site, or multi-page versions. A programmable color change indicates when defined pollutant limits have been exceeded. In addition to numbers and letters, (warning) signs or instructions can also be set.

Further information: Microsyst

The supply chains are interrupted: "Currently not available - or only with a time delay and a high surcharge." This is the answer many companies are currently receiving when they want to order materials and precursors needed for their production. Figures published by the IFO Institute show how tight supply capacities have been for months in many sectors. According to these, 70 percent of manufacturing companies in the DACH region are currently complaining about supply bottlenecks that are hampering their production. The automotive industry is the most affected (91.5 percent), followed by mechanical engineering (80 percent). Among manufacturers of electronic products, too, 4 out of 5 complain of supply problems.

It remains unclear which companies are specifically meant by this. After all, sensors and chips are built into almost all technical devices today. That's why washing machines, razors and e-bikes are currently often described as "out of stock".

Many supply chains are more fragile than thought

Until the Corona pandemic broke out, many companies never imagined that their supply chains could prove so fragile. But then the virus arrived and led to a worldwide slump in industrial demand. So many manufacturers of intermediate products also reduced their production capacities. These are now lacking, as the global economy has picked up unexpectedly quickly, also due to many government stimulus programs. As a result, strong demand is being met by reduced production capacities for intermediate products and extraction capacities for raw materials.

Added to this: In the wake of the pandemic, global goods transport is also still disrupted. In addition, quarantine regulations in Asia, especially China, are repeatedly causing production facilities and ports to fail. This is exacerbating logistics problems and causing transport prices to rise. In addition, many companies are trying to rebuild and expand their inventories of intermediate products due to the continuing uncertainty. This too is exacerbating the shortage of goods and creating supply bottlenecks.

Purchasing maxims are reviewed

As a result of this new experience, many companies are currently rethinking their procurement management. Whereas before Corona quite a few of them operated global sourcing in purchasing according to the maxim "Buy where it's cheapest," factors such as supply security are now increasingly playing an important role in their purchasing decisions in addition to price and product quality.

Many companies that have been advocates of just-in-time production and stockpiling are currently considering increasing their inventories again. Others are considering producing more components themselves again and increasingly relying on local suppliers for procurement. In addition, more than a few companies are rethinking their previous strategy of minimizing the number of their suppliers for cost and administrative reasons. Instead, they are considering bringing on board a second and third supplier for important upstream products which they previously procured from one supplier, in order to reduce their dependence on individual suppliers.

Use software - if and as far as possible

For companies considering a change of supplier or wishing to increase their number, this gives rise to the following challenge: they must first obtain an overview of who could be potential suppliers and then evaluate them so that they can make a qualified selection.

This process requires a lot of time. This is often a problem, especially for small and medium-sized companies without a large purchasing department. This can often be alleviated with digital supplier auditing processes, in which companies first use an online questionnaire to ask potential suppliers to what extent they meet their supply requirements. Ideally, they can get an initial overview of which suppliers are "hot candidates" within a few hours and use this info for their supplier selection and contract negotiations.

Companies are and remain decision makers

However, such software programs are only a tool to systematize and simplify the pre-selection of suppliers. When the decision is made whether to cooperate with supplier A or B, it is important, especially in the case of strategically relevant primary products and materials, to also get to know the supplier's organization - in order to evaluate its self-statements, because: Paper is patient.

In addition, the strategic relevance of the individual products and services must be adequately determined in order to arrive at the right evaluation and selection criteria, because the last few months have shown how quickly even the absence of such small parts as seals, sensors and clamps can paralyze the entire production.

Getting to know the supplier and its organization in person is especially important when it comes to selecting suppliers and service providers with whom the company and its employees have to work almost daily in the service provision process. Then the "chemistry" must also be right, and the extent to which this is the case can only be determined through personal contact.

To the author:
Alban Maier is managing partner of the management consultancy Assention AG, Pfäffikon (www.assention.com). This supports manufacturing companies in analyzing, optimizing and redesigning their business processes, among other things.

The safe handling of chemicals is a major challenge. Companies have to react flexibly to the demands of the market, and the internal situation is subject to constant change: recipes and processes are optimized and rooms are repurposed, chemicals are banned, hazardous substances are replaced, and quantities are adjusted. Existing knowledge is often lost due to personnel changes. In addition, the legal framework is constantly changing and brings with it corresponding consequences for the user companies. Much is in "flux". It is therefore a must to regularly check the proper handling of chemicals in the company and to adapt it to the new conditions with well-founded know-how.

In the event of a lack of caution when handling highly flammable, corrosive, toxic, environmentally hazardous or even highly explosive substances, there is a risk of personal injury, property damage or environmental damage with far-reaching consequences also for the companies. A comprehensive legal basis exists for the areas of transport, disposal, handling and storage of chemicals, as well as for health protection and occupational safety. Companies are obliged to take safety measures. However, the practical implementation of these legal requirements raises many questions and often challenges both the chemical processing companies, the project managers and the enforcement authorities and insurers.

Getting the latest knowledge and expanding your network is the order of the day on May 17, 2022 in Zurich at the event "How to handle chemicals safely." In addition, the conference is recognized by important professional organizations as continuing education. It will be held under the patronage of the SSI Association. The conference is organized by SAVE AG, which specializes in the practical transfer of knowledge between security professionals on the topics of risk management, corporate security, building security, safety and health protection (AS&GS), fire protection, information and infrastructure security, civil protection as well as machine and process safety, incident prevention, natural and environmental hazards, guarding and integral security concepts. 

Further information and the complete conference program at: https://save.ch/event/chemikaliensicherheit-05-2022/

With the KDT600 Steinmeyer Mechatronik offers a large XY scan stage for fast scanning tasks, which can be used to examine biological or medical samples with high precision within a very short time. Even applications with a large number of samples and high-throughput processes require only a few loading cycles. Up to 12 well plates can be placed above the exceptionally large transmitted light of 400 mm with a travel distance of 350 mm. Transillumination of samples from below ensures perfect screening of bioreactions.

Scan table with fast positioning system

By using polished cross roller guides as well as ground stage plates, a repeatability of ±0.15 µm in straightness and flatness is achieved. Thanks to this high precision, only minor refocusing is required even for optics with a very short focus length. The ironless linear motor guarantees a sensitive drive without any disturbing influence on the process parameters. At the same time, the linear motor ensures high dynamics. Accelerations up to 3 m/s² and top speeds of 500 mm/s guarantee short scan times, extremely fast scan results are also achieved in start-stop mode. For equal acceleration values in X and Y, dual motors can optionally be used in the lower axis. The internal feedback system with 0.1-µm resolution and therefore possible positioning steps of 0.3 µm also allows the use of optics with the highest resolutions when using micro-wells.

Air bearing table replacement

The KDT600 is designed for maximum repeatability and achieves accuracies through compensation that were previously reserved exclusively for air bearing systems. However, it is significantly more cost-effective with comparable performance. This is particularly beneficial for applications in the life science and biotech sectors, as well as for active ingredient screening in the pharmaceutical industry. Clean room requirements are met, and a nickel coating is optionally available for surfaces that can be disinfected. When servicing is required, the table can be easily disconnected from the housed cable guide. This shortens maintenance and facilitates integration.

Source: Steinmeyer Mechatronics. Steinmeyer Mechatronik is part of the globally active Steinmeyer Group. As a competence center for positioning solutions, mechatronic systems and optical components, the Dresden-based GmbH offers innovative products and customer-specific solutions for individual tasks. 

Swiss hospitals are "living large" in terms of emissions: 6.7% of the national CO2e footprint is accounted for by the Swiss healthcare system alone. Sustainability should therefore be on the agenda of every hospital management. Some Swiss hospitals are highly innovative. But in many places, the perception of "investment without return" persists. PwC Switzerland has published an impulse paper entitled "Why sustainability pays off for Swiss hospitals". It was written in February 2022 on the basis of real-life practical examples and the know-how of PwC Switzerland's healthcare experts. In the sense of a transfer of experience, the publication contains various recommendations for action.

Switzerland among the leaders in terms of CO2e footprint

In the case of CO₂e-footprint of the healthcare industry, Switzerland ranks among the top countries internationally. In the ranking of the environmental impact of consumption, healthcare ranks fourth, immediately after nutrition, mobility and housing. Depending on the source, the use of healthcare services accounts for 5 to 12 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. In view of this fact, it is surprising that hospital managers and healthcare stakeholders do not generally regard sustainability as a matter of urgency. The aforementioned impulse paper now aims to change that.

Innovative role models are available

Some Swiss hospitals have already made considerable progress in terms of sustainability. The University Hospital Basel, for example, does not use the anesthetic gas desflurane, which is over 2,500 times more harmful to the climate than CO₂. Winterthur Cantonal Hospital is integrating green bonds into the financing strategy for its Minergie ECO-certified new building. As part of a plastic recycling initiative, the Lindenhof Group in Bern was able to recycle over 12 tons of plastic in 2020. The list of positive examples is long and highlights the wealth of opportunities sustainability offers for the Swiss healthcare industry.

Multi-layered potential for Swiss hospitals

"We are convinced that Swiss hospitals are using the key issue of sustainability to unleash a momentum of innovation and significantly shape the future of the healthcare industry," says Philip Sommer, Healthcare Advisory Leader at PwC Switzerland. The authors elaborate on what this momentum looks like in concrete terms in the impulse paper:

• Reduce direct and indirect costs: Swiss hospitals can save substantial resources and reduce (special) waste in the short and medium term.
• Maintaining energy supply security: Independent energy supply and heating with electricity is becoming increasingly important, especially for large-scale consumers.
• Attracting skilled workers: Those who position themselves sustainably gain a decisive competitive edge in the battle for qualified personnel.
• Meeting new reporting obligations: The extended reporting obligations of publicly traded companies since January 1, 2022, come into play for a hospital if, for example, it wants to finance a new building on the capital market.
• Preventing a health crisis: Hospitals will soon no longer be able to cushion a continued increase in illnesses associated with the climate crisis.
• Innovate and differentiate: The fine art of innovation is to combine digitization, data science and sustainability into resource-efficient solutions.
• Supporting national and international climate targets: If the world and Switzerland are to achieve net zero by 2050, everyone must help - including service providers.

In the final chapter of the impulse paper, the authors make ten recommendations for action. These can be summarized as follows: Those who embrace the facets of sustainability can actively position themselves in an increasingly competitive environment and better meet the growing regulatory obligations and demands of their stakeholders. The transformation towards sustainable hospital management requires innovation. It can significantly optimize profitability and future prospects. There are therefore many opportunities, and PwC's experts agree that this potential must be exploited. 

Source and further information: www.pwc.ch. The impulse paper can be download here.