The Four Best Tips for Maintaining Laboratory Equipment

One should read the handbook before using any lab equipment.

Fremont, CA: Taking a newly prepared sample to an instrument and learning that it gets broken is one of the most annoying things in the lab. Specimens, reagents, and time are squandered, making no one pleased, from students to lab supervisors and managers. As a result, adequate laboratory equipment maintenance is critical.

· Read the manual

One should read the handbook before using any lab equipment. Though these documents are unlikely to be readily available in the lab an ancient centrifuge is unlikely to be retained with its handbook intact worth it's checking online or phoning the manufacturer to request one. Compiling a list of these documents is essential for troubleshooting when anything goes wrong and teaching others how to operate the system. One does not need to read the handbook on its whole; simply skimming through it is a good method to assess how to use it effectively and perhaps uncover alternatives they were unaware existed.

· Get it trained

Training is the most effective approach to learning how to utilize instrumentation correctly. Remember that the most common method to damage equipment is to use it incorrectly (everyone knows someone who didn't exactly balance tubes in the ultracentrifuge).

The surest way to avoid this is to train with competent individuals. On the other hand, don't take training for granted; if users have set aside time, try to undertake some experimental planning and troubleshooting, especially for instruments like flow cytometers and mass spectrometers requiring several steps and changes to process samples.

· After usage, clean it

Cleaning up after oneself is a simple way to maintain your belongings in good shape, yet it often gets ignored in the lab. Cleaning is crucial for equipment because it prevents potentially harmful particles and liquids from clogging the instruments. Furthermore, doing a normal lab cleanup can reduce dust formation, which can create difficulties if permitted to accumulate in and around the equipment for extended periods.

· Renovate

When it comes to maintenance, refurbishing existing equipment (i.e., taking it apart component by component to clean and fix) offers advantages. It allows you to check the present quality of the features and identify which ones need to be replaced or fixed. It's also easier to clean an instrument when it's disassembled. Just keep in mind how to reassemble it.