Agricultural labor shortages and the drive for ever-higher productivity to control costs and keep prices low is driving the development of apple harvesters that rely on vacuum systems. These systems have been under development for several years, with promised introduction in 2018. Will this be the year that vacuum-driven automation reaches the orchards? Equipment developers [...]
The new VACUU·SELECT® controller brings a modern, touch-screen interface to lab vacuum applications. Scientists find the controller easy-to-use with intuitive navigation, much like their smartphones. Since the VACUU·SELECT® controller comes preloaded with common laboratory vacuum applications, users are able to get started in a matter of moments. To begin work using a rotary evaporator or [...]
The University of Notre Dame’s new McCourtney Hall of Molecular Science and Engineering is a research facility built around the University’s vision of multi-disciplinary “research neighborhoods,” which would co-locate scientists with overlapping interests. Completed in 2016, McCourtney Hall is a 219,500 GSF building, with 100,000 ASF of open lab and team spaces. Some of the [...]
Do you need additional vacuum capacity in your lab, and don’t have the budget either for a lab renovation or an additional pump? Maybe you need to run two rotavaps or two cell culture aspiration stations, and only have one pump. The VACUU•LAN® Mini-Network could be the answer. The Mini-Network is connected with vacuum tubing [...]
Summary: Scientific research must advance rapidly in order to yield timely, relevant results and earn continued funding. Using the right equipment can eliminate bottlenecks that slow down the pace of advancement. This case study reviews Shedd Aquarium’s choice to install a VACUU·LAN® local vacuum network to remove a bottleneck from their research into optimized microbiomes [...]
Several months ago, we posted about the vacuum unit conversion tool that we have added to our website. This calculator lets you convert between 8 different pressure units that are commonly used to measure vacuum. But why are there so many units used to measure vacuum? Some of it is caused by dueling measurement systems [...]
As laboratory designers and operators strive toward making their labs more energy efficient, several approaches can go a long way toward accomplishing the goals of bringing down both energy usage and costs. Efficient vacuum supply can play a part. In this post, we'll outline a few of the most important strategies to consider when operating an [...]
Establishing good control over vacuum processes has numerous benefits, such as helping to improve process yields, achieve more repeatable results, and reduce process times. And there are several options for controlling vacuum processes to achieve these various benefits. This post will briefly review some of the more common approaches to vacuum control. Subsequent posts will delve [...]
It’s worth remembering that the vacuum lines in the central vacuum system serving your lab are sucking gases and vapors and maybe bio-aerosols into a common conduit. Once there, they mix with the emissions from other vacuum applications. As long as they stay in the vacuum lines, they will cause you little problem (except for the [...]
In this post, we'll outline a few of the most important strategies to consider when operating an energy efficient laboratory. New construction Architects who pay careful attention to building design will be able to significantly limit heat gains and losses. Leveraging technology like exterior shading, high-reflectivity window films, low energy lighting and insulated door and window [...]
