Efficiency is an important aspect of any workplace looking to grow, especially laboratories. The most efficient workplaces strive to produce their products quickly without hindering quality or increasing costs. Two of the best ways to increase chromatography lab efficiency are to evaluate the current processes in place and optimize the equipment in use.
Evaluate Processes
The first step to reaching optimal efficiency in a chromatography laboratory is to evaluate current processes. To do so, a thorough investigation of your laboratory should take place. Look for ineffective work procedures where changes can improve timing and quality. For example, you may find that you aren’t conducting enough research on protein samples before testing. This can result in the use of too many testing preparation techniques on more simple samples or not enough techniques on complicated samples. Implementing specific steps, like studying and identifying the features of the material, can help determine the amount of preparation that is necessary. This can make processes more efficient because you won’t be wasting time over-preparing, and it can improve quality because you won’t have a lack of preparation creating poor results.
Equipment Optimization
Using the right equipment is imperative to efficiency in your chromatography lab. Investing in the best equipment is a worthwhile venture to improve production levels. High-quality equipment will create high-quality results, less maintenance stoppage, and quicker operating times. Two examples of equipment to invest in are 96-well plates and quality evaporators. As their name suggests, 96-well plates have 96 wells, offering larger-scale testing than 24-well plates. These well plates are also compatible with automated testing, which can increase chromatography lab efficiency. This machine reduces the amount of time needed to dry samples, creating a faster overall testing process, thus, reducing the cost of running tests for longer periods.
Evaluating your chromatography lab’s current testing processes and using the most optimal equipment in your laboratory are some of the most successful ways to increase efficiency. Increased efficiency will scale your lab’s current abilities without damaging results.
