Installation of a large capacity rectangular Priorclave at Teesside University recently demanded proper attention to detail, and the use of a heavy crane
When Priorclave sold an autoclave to Teesside University it turned out to be quite a tall order.
When designing a new laboratory facility there are those whose foresight in its planning has been a little short of the mark.
Detailed attention to the location, space and services required for large laboratory equipment such as an autoclave is often completely overlooked.
Come the eventuality, installation after the building has been built delivers nothing but cost and problems.
It could be that the proposed location was never intended as a laboratory.
Alternatively, that some believe most autoclaves have a life span longer than the building; a nice thought but sadly untrue.
And if it were so, getting it out would be really quite easy - but what about getting it in, in the first place?.
Likewise, there are some vendors who don't see this as a problem at all.
You want an autoclave sir? we'll deliver one right to your doorstep - but no further.
Priorclave says it takes its commitment to its customers more seriously, and that this was demonstrated when Teesside University recently purchased a large capacity rectangular Priorclave from them.
It was to replace an existing autoclave that was sited on the third floor where there was no lift large enough to extract the old and insert the new.
Priorclave carried out a full installation survey and decided that the only safe way to proceed was to erect a scaffold tower on the outside of the building and with the use of a heavy crane lift the unit onto the top of the platform and roll it through shutter doors in the outside wall.
The customer's old machine was removed for safe disposal by the reverse route.
The whole job was done with minimum fuss and maximum safety.
However, especially when specifying and designing a new laboratory, consultation at the concept stage with manufacturers such as Priorclave can avoid the pitfalls from the outset and make the installation so much easier.