How to Know When It’s Time to Retire Lab Equipment
18 Sep 2019
Laboratory equipment is designed to deliver reliable performance for years, sometimes even decades, but no equipment lasts forever. No matter how well you take care of it, you will eventually need to replace some of the equipment in your laboratory. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to determine when it’s time to retire your lab equipment. The good news is there are a few simple steps that you can follow to help you ensure that you are handling repair and replacement proactively to maintain the productivity and performance of your lab.
Things to look for include:
- Inconsistent performance: Laboratory equipment is designed to deliver consistent operation for every cycle and process, so it’s essential to monitor the performance of your equipment to determine whether it is beginning to fail. If your lab technicians consistently complain of inconsistencies with lab results or problems with cycle runs, you may need to consider retiring your equipment and replacing it with something new.
- Noisy operation: Depending on the type of lab equipment you have, some noise is to be expected. However, excessive or abnormal noise indicates that there is a problem with your lab equipment that needs to be addressed. If your lab equipment is getting noisier or you notice abnormal noises coming from your equipment, it’s a sign that something might be damaged or simply worn out.
- Better available technology: Even if there aren’t any apparent problems with your lab equipment, you should consider retiring your equipment if there are notable better options out there. Laboratory technology is constantly evolving and improving, and you might benefit from an investment in new technology if it will improve the efficiency, consistency, and quality of your lab processes.
What to Do Next
When your laboratory is showing signs of disrepair, damage, or even simple wear and tear, there are a few basic steps that you should follow. First, try troubleshooting the problem. Sometimes, all you need to do is to reset the control panel on your equipment or adjust some settings and configurations to fix the problem. If troubleshooting doesn’t work, however, you will need to get repair services for your equipment. There are a lot of different issues that can be resolved with professional repair services, and repairing your equipment can save you a lot of money over replacement.
Depending on the age and condition of your lab equipment, you might determine that it’s time for a replacement. If that’s the case, you should look for quality equipment that offers the greatest possible value for your investment.
At Labnet International, we strive to provide the highest quality equipment to our customers. Take a look at our inventory online today and contact us to find out more about our equipment.