Lab Centrifuge
One of the primary functions of a hospital laboratory is to run tests to enable a diagnosis of the patient. Accuracy in the lab is critical to the health of those whose tests are being run. This requires that all equipment should be reliable and quick and easy to use for the technicians. In a hospital, one of the most used is the lab centrifuge. The ability of these to perform is determined by many factors including the specifications of the unit and its requirements in the lab. Finding the right lab centrifuges will necessitate examining the laboratory needs for the unit as well as its durability and longevity.
Lab centrifuges are used to break samples down into their various components by spinning them in the unit, until the substances in the sample settle themselves into layers of varying density. Blood is frequently spun in these in order to separate out the red blood cells, from the plasma, from the platelets. This is required most times blood tests are ordered. Depending upon the solution that is to be centrifuged, the speed of the unit will differ. When you are looking for a quality model, you should find one that has adjustable acceleration rates. This enables the widest range of materials which can be successfully separated through spinning them in the machine.
You need to find the highest quality of lab centrifuges. Poorly made units have uneven acceleration rates, or they might wobble, like an unbalanced washing machine. There should be smooth acceleration available in any model you acquire. In order to steadily and smoothly speed up, the unit should also have optional counter weights which can be added in the instance of running an odd number of tubes. There should not be any wobbling. Timing is also critical to the unit. Over processing can ruin a sample, requiring the patient to return to the lab for a replacement sample to be acquired. To prevent this, you will also need a lab centrifuge with a timer. An alarm with the timer alerts the technician to remove the samples.
When you acquire a lab centrifuge you will also need tubes in which to spin the samples. These tubes range greatly in size, material, and quality. For the most cost effective centrifuge tubes, you might want to look for disposable models. These are the most sterile and ideal for bio-hazard samples. There will be no worry about cleaning disposable models out after use. Look for polypropylene, which is the most frequently seen material for disposable, pre-sterilized models of tubes. The sizes of the tubes can vary from 1.5 to 50 milliliters. Colored tubes are available for ease in identification. You should also be certain to have an ample supply of racks for the storage of processed and unprocessed samples. These keep the lab neat and orderly, increasing its efficiency and, thus, the accuracy of its results.
A lab centrifuge is vital to a hospital laboratory, and sturdy models, with timers, smooth acceleration, adjustable rates and counterweights are desirable in high caliber models that will last through years of use.
