Top 5 Signs That You Should Service or Replace Your Lab Washer
- The washer is not suited to the types/sizes of glassware you need to wash and cannot be easily or economically upgraded or modified to accommodate the glassware.
- Your current washer isn’t high-capacity enough to handle the high volumes of glassware you need to wash.
- You have an older machine that is loud or isn’t very efficient and is becoming too costly to use and maintain, in terms of both money and the environment. The machine may also be taking up too much space in the lab—a stackable unit may be better suited to the space.
- You are getting into new applications and your current instrument doesn’t have all the features you need, such as secure controls and cycle documentation and fail-safe cycles and program monitoring for pharmaceuticals applications.
- Any mechanical problems, such as the heating elements not heating the water to the desired temperature or taking too long to do so, strange noises, cleanliness of the water, or issues with the circulation pumps are usually signs that you need to do some maintenance or even replace your washer if these problems won’t go away.
Top 6 Questions That You Should Ask When Buying a Lab Washer
- How is the product manufactured? Ask about the quality of the materials used and the product life expectation based on manufacturing testing. Also find out about the product’s warranty.
- What differentiates the lab washer from others offered in terms of performance?
- Does the company offer application support and technical phone support before and after product installation?
- How sustainable is the product? Ask the company to provide details on energy and water consumption as well as the recycle ability of the product.
- If the product is discontinued, for how many years does the company provide accessories and parts for the washer?
- Finally, ask about the cost of the purchase—not just the price of the product being installed but the total cost of ownership, which includes price, service expectations, warranty, etc.
Article courtesy of LabManager Magazine
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