Designing Work Surfaces For Cancer Research

The first step in selecting an appropriate work surface for a cancer research center is to decide among available work surface materials.  The primary materials used in laboratory work surface construction are laminate, wood, solid surfacing, or smooth stone, including but not limited to granite.  The standard for the laboratory industry is some kind of proprietary composite based on a laminate.  Every vendor claims to have their own secret surface that is measurably better than the competition.  What do you think is the best work surface material on the market today?  What characteristics are you looking for in selecting a work surface?

3 Tips for Selecting Laboratory Furniture for a Globally Competitive Research Center

High quality laboratory furniture is the among the most significant investments a research center makes, outside of the direct costs of research.  It is not a decision that is undertaken without multiple levels of formal corporate review and careful financial consideration.  With so much riding on the investment decision, we have put together a list of best practices to help guide your decision making.

1.  Choose Quality over Quantity and Price

When making a large capital investment, its tempting to save a buck here or there.  This can be ill advised.  Remember that this investment in laboratory furniture is for the long term, and a little money saved up front could mean a compromise in quality and potential headaches down the road.

2.  Identify Exactly the Pieces You Will Need

Conduct a thorough inventory audit of your current supplies.  Monitor the workflow around your research center.  Take note of what areas get the most use.  Often clients notice that their current space is either improperly designed for their needs, or is in some other way inadequate.  Eliminating equipment you don't need and replacing it with only what you do can be a source of significant savings.

3.  Shop and Compare

There are multiple vendors for Research Center laboratory furniture.  JUst as if you were buying a car, take your time and shop around.  You may uncover a vendor you had not previously considered by conducting a thorough investigation.

Proper Fume Hoods Vitally Important to Safe Medical Research

Perhaps the most important investment you will make in constructing your laboratory is your choice of fume hood.  From a safety perspective the fume hood is the first line of defense a researcher has against noxious fumes.  When selecting a fume hood, look for one that has been tested to ASHRAE standards. A fume hood should be built with rigid frame construction, with low vibration and sound levels.  In addition, the inclusion of Radius corner posts and air foils plus easy operator control of interior baffle settings assure a high level of comfort, safety and efficiency.  What are some of the key factors that you look for when comparing fume hoods?  

Designing a Workstation for the Modern Research Center

The modern research center workstation should be as advanced in its construction and design as the research activity that is conducted on its work surfaces.  Choosing the appropriate workstation for the job is an important task allowing research to reach its full potential.  What do you look for when evaluating a workstation? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Serving The Industrial Furniture Needs of Modern Government Agencies

Government Agencies have very specific needs when it comes to fulfilling their contracts according to prescribed institutional standards.  Does your industrial furniture manufacturing organization have complete knowledge of the hurdles that may stand in the way of your earning a major new piece of government business?  Wouldn't it be a smart investment of your time and organizational resources to set up a system that lessens the bureaucratic pain for your customers?  A common goal of many sales departments across industries is to make it easy for your clients to do business with you.  When dealing specifically with government agencies, one way to build your reputation is to extend the arms of your organization to undertake tasks that your client would typically be doing themselves.  Does this require more work?  Unequivocally the answer is yes, but a strategic investment in knowledge of your clients operational processes, and identifying where projects get bogged down and how you can streamline workflow, is likely to pay dividends the form of new business winnings.