Virtual Reality in pharmaceutical planning: Driving digital innovation with Exyte

Virtual Reality (VR) has become an established tool in pharmaceutical planning and production facility visualization. Exyte is a leading force in the market, actively integrating VR into its engineering solutions. With their virtual campus ‘Pharmaverse’, they offer their clients a virtual space for immersive design reviews, interdisciplinary collaboration, and training scenarios. By combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) with VR, the engineers of Exyte  create virtual environments where stakeholders can experience and optimize facilities before they are built. 

From simulation to practical application

One of the pioneers of VR advancement in pharmaceutical manufacturing is Ruben Hornung. As a BIM Modeler at Exyte, he develops virtual simulations that make complex processes and laboratory workflows more tangible.  

His interest in VR started to grow during his mechanical engineering studies, where he learned about interactive 3D simulations in Unity 3D. "My first VR project during my studies was an isolator mockup, which we compared to a wooden mockup built by the supplier. That was the moment when I realized the potential of this technology," Hornung recalls. 

In 2018, he joined Exyte as a working student, gaining valuable insights into qualification, 3D modeling, and process planning. Since 2022, he has been working as a VR developer, helping make Virtual Reality a core tool for planning and training.  

Exyte regularly integrates virtual reality (VR) into design reviews, enabling enhanced collaboration and early-stage visualization of facilities, well before construction begins. An example of this innovative approach is a recent project developed in collaboration with Bayer AG. Through VR, users were able to get an immersive tour of the tablet production facility. With 75 interactive information points, the guided tour supports knowledge transfer from engineering to operations, making it easier for new team members to understand workflows and facility layout. Even before the physical factory was completed, operators could train in this simulated environment, without interfering with construction, commissioning, or qualification activities. 

Challenges and future prospects of VR in pharma and other industries 

As VR continues to evolve, so do its possibilities - and challenges. One key challenge the VR Team   is mastering is the seamless merging of traditional 3D planning tools with interactive VR environments. "For most facilities, BIM or CAD software is used for modeling, but the data is not optimized for direct use in VR. Our job is to make it work," explains Hornung. 

Beyond technical integration, usability is the focus of the VR team’s work. VR apps must be intuitive, not only for engineers and operators, but for all potential users. The team constantly explores new possibilities such as implementing hand tracking to navigate within the app without controllers. "We constantly ask ourselves: Which new features do truly add value? What helps users better orient themselves in virtual space?" says Hornung. 

Interdisciplinary collaboration as a success factor

Interested in how Virtual Reality can support your next pharmaceutical project?