Skip to content
    back
    Pharma News

    OSD Academy: Learning beyond machine operation

    | 4 min read

    The June OSD Academy brought pharma professionals to Schopfheim for three days of hands-on learning and expert exchange on granulation. Our Senior Scientist, Ferdi Oda, reflects on the experience and explains what to expect from the next event in October.

    Explore the highlights of the June OSD Academy in Schopfheim, featuring expert insights from Ferdi Oda and a preview of the next event in October.

    Key Takeaways

    • Deepen your process understanding through a unique combination of theory, hands-on training, and expert exchange.
    • Gain practical knowledge for your production challenges, from troubleshooting and scale-up to process optimization.
    • Experience the OSD Customer Center firsthand and connect with Syntegon experts and industry peers to expand your professional network.

    Ferdi, looking back at the OSD Academy on granulation in June, what stood out most to you personally?

    What impressed me most was the atmosphere. We brought together participants from different roles from process development to production and within a short time they were openly discussing their own challenges. That is exactly what we want to achieve. Of course, we share knowledge through presentations by Syntegon experts or industry partners as well as hands-on sessions, but the real value comes from the discussions between participants and our experts. Seeing those conversations continue long after the official sessions had ended showed me that we had created something meaningful.

    osd-academy-trainings

    What makes the OSD Academy a different learning experience from other trainings?

    The OSD Academy is about much more than learning how to operate a machine. We want participants to understand the entire process – from the scientific principles behind granulation, encapsulation, compression or coating to the impact of critical process parameters on product quality. That's why we combine classroom sessions with hands-on training in our OSD Customer Center. Participants work directly on our equipment and can immediately connect theory with practice.

    Another important part of the OSD Academy takes place outside the training room. During our shared evening events – whether it's dinner or a friendly round of karting, where competitive spirits sometimes shift from process optimization to lap times – participants often discover that they are facing similar challenges. Those informal exchanges regularly lead to valuable discussions that continue well beyond the three-day Academy.

    “The OSD Academy is a great opportunity to refresh theoretical knowledge and deepen process understanding. Theory is immediately put into practice and lab-scale trials help illustrate and reinforce what you've learned. Finally, the evening events create a relaxed setting for exchanging ideas with other participants and learning from their experiences.”

    Patrik Barnieske, Head of Production at Losan Pharma GmbH

    “I attended two OSD Academies and experienced outstanding professionalism, expertise and hospitality of the Syntegon team. The experts have extensive industry experience and technical knowledge, allowing participants to gain valuable insights. One of the aspects I appreciated most was the strong emphasis on hands-on learning. Participants have the opportunity to work directly with Syntegon's equipment, gaining practical experience and a clear understanding of the technologies. I highly recommend the OSD Academy to anyone looking to strengthen both technical knowledge and practical skills.”

    Joaquín Santana Casillas, Pharmaceutical Development Technician at Laboratorios Cinfa

    osd-academy-trainings-2

    How does the OSD Academy address the individual process challenges participants bring from their own production environments?

    Every manufacturing process is different, and that's exactly where the OSD Academy creates value. Participants are encouraged to bring their own process questions and challenges. Together, we discuss real applications, troubleshooting approaches and scale-up considerations. Instead of talking about theoretical examples, we work through practical scenarios that participants can relate to in their daily work. They gain a much better understanding of their process, how individual parameters influence the outcome and where optimization opportunities lie. That's knowledge they can take straight back to their own production environment.

    This Academy took place in the OSD Customer Center in Schopfheim. What does this setting make possible that wouldn't be possible in a classroom?

    In our Customer Center, participants can work on lab scale equipment, explore our laboratories, meet the experts who develop and support these technologies and even take a factory tour. These real operational insights simply aren't available in a classroom. We also want customers to experience that when they choose Syntegon, they gain more than a technology supplier, but a strategic lifecycle partner who supports them throughout process development and scale-up to troubleshooting, process optimization and long-term operational excellence.

    osd-academy-trainings-3

    The next OSD Academy this October will focus on coating and will take place in Schopfheim again. If someone considers joining for the first time, what would you tell them?

    If you're looking to deepen your process knowledge, this is the place to be. The October OSD Academy will cover coating technology using the same combination of theory and practical sessions as well as peer exchange that made the June event such a success. Whether you are working with existing Syntegon equipment, evaluating new technologies or looking to optimize your processes, you'll leave with practical knowledge, valuable industry connections and new ideas you can apply immediately.

    ferdi-oda

    About Ferdi Oda

    Ferdi Oda is a Senior Scientist at Syntegon's OSD Customer Center in Schopfheim, Germany. He specializes in pharmaceutical process development, scale-up and optimization, helping customers deepen their process understanding and transfer new insights into production.

    Ferdi holds a Master's degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and combines deep technical expertise with a practical, engineering-driven mindset. As one of the experts behind the OSD Academy, he is passionate about sharing practical knowledge, driving innovation in pharmaceutical process development, and supporting manufacturers in solving real-world process challenges.

    Interested in joining the next OSD Academy?

    Find out more about upcoming topics, explore the program and register for the next session in October.
    Interested in our pharma solutions?

    Interested in our pharma solutions?

    Get in touch with us!
     
    Contact us

    Discover more about Syntegon

    OSD Academy: Learning beyond machine operation
    OSD Academy: Learning beyond machine operation

    Explore the highlights of the June OSD Academy in Schopfheim, featuring expert insights from Ferdi Oda and a preview of the next event in October.

    Learn more
    First Air and hygienic design in sterile filling
    First Air and hygienic design in sterile filling

    First Air and hygienic design are becoming increasingly important for sterile filling. Learn how Syntegon helps reduce contamination risks with UDAF-optimized components, CFD simulations, smoke...

    Learn more
    Monomaterials put to the test: Ready for the PPWR?
    Monomaterials put to the test: Ready for the PPWR?

    Learn how to test monomaterial packaging, assess retrofit needs and prepare food production lines for the EU PPWR.

    Learn more