Rockwell, Cytiva launch SCADA platform for biopharma operations

Rockwell Automation, a Milwaukee-based industrial automation company, and Cytiva, headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, have launched a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) platform designed to address digital integration challenges in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

According to the announcement, the Figurate SCADA platform is intended to connect equipment across multiple vendors and process modalities, enabling real-time monitoring and centralized control of bioprocessing operations. The system reportedly features an open architecture to support third-party integration and is designed to reduce reliance on disconnected proprietary systems that can create operational silos and data integrity risks.

The platform integrates Cytiva’s bioprocessing equipment with Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk software suite, supporting scalability from process development through commercial manufacturing without requiring system redesign. Additional features include pre-engineered templates to accelerate deployment, centralized alarms and batch reporting, and tools to support process intensification and cGMP compliance.

Rockwell Automation said the platform is designed to help reduce manual workarounds, lower operational costs and improve technology transfer by providing a unified digital control layer. The approach is meant to support growing industry demand for data-driven manufacturing and continuous processing as biopharma operations increase in complexity.

The launch builds on Cytiva’s broader efforts to expand digital and modular manufacturing capabilities. Last month, the company announced a project in Japan to deploy its modular bioprocessing platform to support biosimilar drug substance production, aimed at improving manufacturing flexibility and accelerating facility readiness.