When creating or updating a laboratory, the equipment within will be the main focus of the process. These are the “stars” of the lab world, where the vast majority of the work will be focused. As such, purchasing laboratory equipment has its own set of crucial decision components that should be considered in order to put your lab in the best possible position to succeed for an extended period of time.
Here are three things you should consider when purchasing your laboratory equipment:
1. Usage
First things first – how will the equipment be used, and what area of your business will it utilized? The determination of situations and criteria under which the equipment is needed will go a long way in deciding what equipment to research.
Usage questions run the spectrum from basic (What actions or chemicals am I working with?) to the specific (How much room do I have in the laboratory for this piece of equipment?) and everything in between. Use this first step as a way to create a “wishlist” for what your new equipment needs to have, including size, specifications, actions, availability, etc.
2. Budget
Right after you decide the what, you need to decide how much. Depending on the equipment itself, prices can vary greatly between similar pieces depending on quality, availability and size. Know how much you can budget for not only the purchase, but shipping and installation as well.
Cost considerations should continue throughout the purchasing process, especially when there are specific choices that are in consideration. Price up front, in addition to price for extraneous situations such as replacement parts and maintenance, can be good items of comparison when looking to narrow down the potential options.
3. Support
No matter the quality or cost of a piece of equipment, there is a good chance that somewhere down the line, you will need to service the unit or be in need of some other type of support. This is especially important to consider when dealing with the rarer pieces of equipment. With the chemical industry, there is an increased chance of highly-specialized parts and machines that can be used in a few applications, and whose parts can become very pricey to replace or repair. While this is not a deal breaker if there are other positive aspects of the equipment, it is worth keeping in mind.
Additionally, the support for laboratory equipment isn’t simply the parts themselves, but also for those working with them. Ensuring there is adequate training support for personnel will make a difference both immediately and in the long run. Will those working on the machines need to pay extra for training supplies and instruction, or is the machine one that is user-friendly enough to cut down on training time?
Noah Chemicals works with manufacturers, developers, and researchers to provide high-quality chemicals as well as knowledgeable expertise. Contact us today to talk about our innovative chemical solutions.
