Working in a laboratory can be an extremely stressful job, a fact that even those outside of the profession would likely agree with. Aside from working with generally hazardous material, few people understand the external factors that lead to trouble in labs around the world. One of the greatest issues laboratory technicians encounter is the limited budget they are forced to work with.
With the cost of tools, chemicals, and other materials increasing over time, trying to stick to a strict budget can be difficult. Thankfully, it is possible to balance those pesky numbers without fighting for an increase in finances. Below is a list of helpful, effective methods of saving money in the lab.
Repair Before Replace
One of the largest money sink in any laboratory’s budget is the collection of expensive equipment they need. Unfortunately, these machines can get old and eventually break down, which leads to spending even more money to replace it. However, lab equipment repair can cost a fraction of buying entirely new pieces of equipment.
Know Your Costs
Be aware of and understand the cost of each, or at least the most common, procedures that occur in your laboratory. This can be done by combining the costs of a single procedure across time, then dividing by the number of times it happened. When you have a price per occurrence, you can better manage your overall funds.
Get the Most Durable Materials
One of the best ways to manage your funds is to invest in materials that are guaranteed to last for the longest periods of time. A good example is PVDF Tubing, which is well known for its extensive usability and resilient nature. When searching for a type of heat shrink tubing that will produce the most effective results for the amount invested, polyvinylidene fluoride will protect whatever wiring or material is passed through it against interior and exterior degradation longest. Utilizing reliable materials such as this will reduce the number of times products need to be purchased, thus diminishing expenses.
Order in Bulk
If the supplies you are ordering are frequently used and unlikely to go out of date ordering in bulk can decrease the cost of individual supplies by a significant amount. This can be done for products that expire too, as long as you make sure not to over-order. Some materials can be purchased in bulk as uncut lengths, the price being reduced as the extra work of dividing the material falls on the purchaser.
