Imagine you walk into a busy lab with equipment scattered all over the place. You need to find a specific instrument but you can’t seem to locate it anywhere. This is a common problem that many labs face. With lab equipment being moved around frequently and sometimes shared among multiple researchers, it can be a challenge to keep track of everything.
It can be a real headache, especially when there are multiple pieces of equipment to keep track of. But don’t worry, there are tools available that can help make equipment management much more efficient and hassle-free.
One such tool is asset management software. It can help you keep track of your lab equipment inventory, maintenance schedules, and usage history. It’ll even send alerts when equipment maintenance is due or when equipment is overdue for calibration. It’s like having a personal assistant for your lab equipment.
Technologies for tracking lab equipment
So, there are several technologies that are widely used for lab equipment tracking. The first one is barcode technology, which is a simple and cost-effective way to track lab equipment. By scanning the barcode label on equipment, inventory records can be quickly updated, making it easy to track equipment usage and location.
Another technology is RFID, which involves attaching RFID tags to lab equipment to track their location and usage. RFID readers can detect these tags from a distance, making it easy to track equipment in real-time.
GPS tracking is another technology that can be used to track mobile lab equipment, such as vehicles or trailers. This technology is especially useful for labs that operate in the field or in remote locations.
Bluetooth beacons are another option for tracking equipment location and usage within a lab or other indoor space. These beacons can be attached to equipment or placed throughout a lab to create a network of location data.
Lab Asset Management Challenges
Lastly, cloud-based software can be used to track equipment usage and maintenance schedules. This software can be accessed from anywhere, making it easy to update equipment records and track usage in real-time.
You can also use maintenance logbooks to track maintenance activities performed on each piece of equipment, including cleaning, calibration, and repairs. Calibration tools such as multimeters, thermometers, and oscilloscopes can help ensure that lab equipment is functioning accurately and that experiments are producing accurate results. And using equipment checklists can reduce the risk of equipment damage and ensure accurate results.
InThing’s Solution
At InThing, we understand this problem all too well. That’s why we’ve developed Visium and Trapeze, a powerful software solution to help labs keep track of their equipment. Our softwares allow labs to easily monitor the location, usage, and maintenance of all their equipment, providing a complete overview of their lab operations.
One of the biggest problems in labs is equipment downtime. Researchers need access to functional equipment to conduct experiments and gather data. When equipment breaks down, it can cause significant delays and setbacks, not to mention additional expenses. With Visium, labs can proactively monitor the health of their equipment, predicting when maintenance is needed before a breakdown occurs. This helps to minimize downtime and keep experiments running smoothly.
Another issue in labs is equipment availability. Labs often have limited resources, and it can be a challenge to ensure that everyone has access to the equipment they need. But when you use a software you can schedule equipment usage, ensuring that researchers have access to the equipment they need when they need it. This helps to optimize lab operations and improve productivity.
Lastly, it’s important to consider the cost of lab equipment. Many labs have tight budgets and cannot afford to replace expensive equipment frequently. When you have complete insight in your assets, labs can prolong the life of their equipment by monitoring usage and ensuring that maintenance is performed on schedule. This can save labs money in the long run by preventing premature equipment failure.
Effective lab equipment management is essential for ensuring that laboratory operations run smoothly and that experiments are conducted accurately and safely. Using advanced technologies such as high visibility software can significantly improve lab equipment visibility, making it easier to track equipment usage, location, and maintenance schedules. InThing company provides innovative solutions to track lab equipment using our softwares, ensuring that equipment is always available when needed, minimizing downtime, and reducing costs. By providing a comprehensive view of lab operations, we help labs to improve efficiency, reduce expenses, and accelerate research progress. At InThing, we’re proud to offer our platforms as a solution to the problems that labs face every day.
