Leveraging IoT for COVID-19 Treatment Development: A Case Study of MKS Instruments and Altium 365

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases
• Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

• Electronics
• Equipment & Machinery

• Product Research & Development

• Remote Collaboration

• Hardware Design & Engineering Services

MKS Instruments, a leading provider of mass spectrometers and other essential laboratory equipment, was facing a significant challenge amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which holds over 2,500 patents and employs over 500 degreed scientists and engineers, was under immense pressure to support the urgent need for the development of treatments for COVID-19. The situation was further complicated by stay-in-place orders, which made it difficult for MKS's engineering team to work around the clock from anywhere. The company needed a solution that would allow them to keep up with the frenetic pace of work, while also ensuring the availability of parts for their devices, which are used in labs worldwide.

MKS Instruments is a renowned company that designs and develops widely used mass spectrometers and other essential laboratory equipment for the life sciences industry. Their technology is crucial to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. With a proud history of innovation, MKS Instruments has shaped the evolution of key industries it serves. The company boasts annual revenues of over $180 million, holds more than 2,500 patents, and employs over 500 degreed scientists and engineers. Their technologies are relied upon by researchers in laboratories around the world.

MKS Instruments turned to Altium 365, the first-ever cloud-based platform for printed circuit board design and realization. This platform allowed MKS to continue their work with ease, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and stay-in-place orders. Altium 365 provided the infrastructure needed for MKS's team to work remotely, without any need for VPN access or connection to shared devices. The platform also facilitated collaboration between electrical and mechanical engineers, making it easier to design and update parts for MKS's devices. Furthermore, Altium 365 eliminated server downtime, a common issue that MKS had previously faced, thereby improving the efficiency of their operations.

• The adoption of Altium 365 has had a significant impact on MKS Instruments' operations. The platform has enabled the company to continue supporting the urgent need for COVID-19 treatment development, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and stay-in-place orders. It has also facilitated remote collaboration, making it easier for the company's engineers to work together and design parts for their devices. Furthermore, the platform has eliminated server downtime, thereby improving the efficiency of MKS's operations. As a result, MKS Instruments has been able to maintain its position as a leading provider of essential laboratory equipment, even in these challenging times.

• Altium 365 allowed MKS's team to work remotely without any need for VPN access or connection to shared devices, saving the IT department a week to two weeks of setup time.

• The platform facilitated collaboration between electrical and mechanical engineers, improving the speed of development.

• Altium 365 eliminated server downtime, reducing the frequency of random crashes.