SEFA 8 Testing Standards for Lab Casework

SEFA 8 is a performance-based international standard used to assess the durability, safety and structural integrity of lab casework. The acronym SEFA is used to stand for Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association, which maintains different standards associated with laboratory furniture such as metal casework, fume hoods, installations, work surfaces and many more.

The Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA) was started back in 1988 to meet the requirements of a crucial industry of laboratory designers and manufacturers of lab furniture. SEFA’s recommended practices for laboratory casework are laboratory grade metal casework (8M), laboratory grade phenolic casework (SEFA 8PH), laboratory grade plastic laminate casework (SEFA 8PL), laboratory grade polypropylene casework (SEFA 8P) and laboratory grade wood casework (SEFA 8W).

SEFA 8 is designed to give manufacturers and users a standard tool for testing the functionality and performance of laboratory casework. At present, SEFA 8 testing needs 3 kinds of testing to establish compliance namely:

• Mechanical or resistance tests like loads on surfaces, cabinets, and drawers.
• Dynamic tests like the impact of forces on drawers and doors and cycling tests on those components.
• Work surface finish testing like exposure to a list of 49 chemicals which include acids, alkalis, solves and staining agents.

The following is a detailed guide on the SEFA 8-M tests:

1. Total Load Test

This test is used to evaluate the strength and structural integrity of a cabinet.

2. Concentrated Load Test

The test is used to check how doors and drawers perform when a concentrated load is placed on top of the cabinet.

3. Torsion Load Test

This test evaluates the integrity of the cabinet’s construction under stress.

4. Door Hinge Test

It is used to test the strength of the door hinge and connection to the cabinet. The door should be able to move freely.

5. Door Cycle Test

The test checks the strength of the hinge and the connection to the cabinet over many years of use.

6. Drawer Static Test

This test checks the performance of the head and drawer hardware under a point load.

7. Drawer Impact Test

It is used to evaluate the integrity of the drawer bottom under the force of a falling load.

8. Drawer Internal Rolling Impact Test

This test is used to check the integrity of the drawer back and the joints under the force of a falling load.

9. Drawer Cycle Test

It is a test that evaluates the performance of a drawer and hardware over lifetime use.

10. Chemical Resistance Test

This test is applied to lab grade casework, work surfaces as well as fixtures. 49 volatile and non-volatile chemicals are tested on the finished work surface.

Due to the fact that the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA) is an association, all the members have a chance to participate in the growth and monitoring of its recommended practices. SEFA’s recommended practices are valuable tools for proposal writing, making contract negotiations, installation, work processes and determining liability and responsibility. They help to promote greater understanding between members and end-users.

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Benefits of Custom-Designed Laboratory Casework Cabinetry

Modern-day labs in assembly work areas, inspection stations, and research laboratories are designed to offer technicians and researchers with a functional, safe working area, but they need to also be way more than that. Work surfaces are essential and so are other elements like laboratory casework cabinetry.

Custom casework that is designed to suit the needs of your lab specifically might be pricier than the standard manufactured casework, but it comes with many advantages. Here are some of the benefits of custom laboratory casework.

1. Every Lab is Unique

Custom casework offers you the casework option that best fits your laboratory. Every lab is built in its own way; some are spacious and have their own floors while others have limited floor space.

Custom lab casework gives you the ability to decide what height you want for your counters, the number of drawers you want in your cabinets, etc. This is a huge benefit particularly for laboratories that want to renovate because it gives you the opportunity to install new casework that matches the design of your lab.

2. Saves on Space

Custom casework can be a big advantage to labs that do not have much space. Due to the fact that custom lab manufacturers can make casework with unique dimensions, smaller laboratories have the chance to pick functional design options that work for them.

Standard casework dimensions may be big and bulky, which does not work well for small, squeezed labs. Moreover, custom casework can be easily configured to maximize on space and increase the storage capacity for a small lab design.

3. Increased Flexibility

Labs have to handle multiple jobs per day. With advancements in technology, labs are responsible for increasing processes, and they require great flexibility to be able to tackle new jobs and accommodate new workers as the lab procedures continue to grow. Custom casework is made with future expansion plans in mind and is made to provide labs with great flexibility.

4. Consistency in Appearance

Custom casework cabinetry is designed to fit your exact specifications, meaning that a manufacturer can make casework that has continuity not found in most standard designs. Moreover, custom casework provides better design choices for laboratories looking to make small renovations. A custom designer can match new casework to the color, shape, and material of your current casework, which ensures that you maintain your design continuity.

5. Assured Durability

In most cases, custom casework manufacturers make the casework using high quality, durable materials such as top-grade stainless steel. This is because many of them take great pride in what they do and want to provide high-quality custom products to their clients. Custom lab casework is made with every client’s needs in mind, meaning that the necessary coating and materials in the cabinetry to prevent it from wearing out too quickly.

Custom casework provides you with a lab that is made specifically to suit your work and available space, and you will get a product that is guaranteed to last for many years. If you have more questions or suggestions about custom casework, please leave your comments below.

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3 Easy Steps To Design A Laboratory Table

Laboratories around the world are meant to provide the appropriate environment that researchers need to find solutions to medical therapies, developing innovative approaches of challenges facing the world. Most successful laboratories are because of good planning and designing lab tables that fit the needs of researchers.

The tiniest detail of a lab table can lead to hazardous results since every detail impacts the working condition in a lab. Keeping in mind the needs of a user and the space that will favor the users is critical in the initial process of designing. Discussed are tips to keep in mind while designing lab tables.

Size the Lab Table According to the User Requirements

Ensure that when you are designing a lab, you design it according to the needs of a user. Designing according to the user’s requirement ensures that there is a minimal inconvenience like inadequate space to properly set the tables and storage space caused during designing and planning.

During planning, engaging with the managers and users in the design team helps you size appropriately by can appropriately size the lab by defining the type and number of users. The layout of diagrams, workflows in the design team ensures that there is an efficient use of space by maximizing opportunities for any shared space and unity between scientists.

Determine The Control Areas Early in Design

Technology has led to the emerging of new design trends that gears up towards transparency. During design, it is important for the lab designers to know the necessary control areas. This step will help in the creation of a building design that considers all codes and safety measures.

Determining the control areas earlier in designing emphasizes on looking for the perfect type for the tables. The type of table impacts the stability of the apparatus during research and the durability of the table.

Collaborate with Other Engineers for Well-Coordinated Outcome

In a lab, very many activities occur. Imagine entering a lab and you find that the wall fitted pipes interferes with the shelves, electrical wires, and devices? Clearly, this will result in an automatic answer to a poorly coordinated laboratory with MEP disciplines.

The poor arrangement can be corrected by involving other Engineers who will show which table is spacious and will fit the devices without conflicting with each other. Proper involvement will make it easier for the future maintenance and cleaning of the tables.

To come up with a well-coordinated custom lab table drawing, the lab planner, and MEP engineers should work together to ensure that MEP engineers and architects work hand in hand and double check the work thoroughly.

Conclusion

Laboratory tables made either from wood or stainless steel should be made with care and the material should be durable and significant for a long time. If possible, the steel should be made of the welded steel frame.

Find a designer who will make a table that suits your need whether adjustable height microscope tables. This assures users that their tables will endure all the heavy devices subjected to it. For further discussions, post your comment below about designing lab tables.

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Lab Tables: The Ideal Solution For A Modern, State-Of-The-Art Laboratory

Modern laboratories—whether in schools, assembly work areas, commercial, research and inspection station settings—are designed to offer students, researchers, and techs a functional, safe space. Today’s labs design their lab tables in modular lab casework.

These tables offer provisions for the base, storage, and supply cabinets. Laboratory tables can be reconfigured; therefore, they allow the laboratory to be completely redesigned whenever the need arises.

Laboratory tables have to be highly resistant to various chemicals and other corrosives that they may be exposed to. For this reason, most lab tables are made of steel, and some are made of sturdy, heavy-duty plastic material. They come in various shapes and sizes to accommodate a variety of purposes for which they are intended to be used.

Benefits of Using the Right Lab Tables

Reconfiguration Options

Lab processes may change with time. Having tables that can be reconfigured gives you flexibility and makes your laboratory primed for expansion. You can also reconfigure the lab tables to support new lab functions without the need to start over again.

Cost Effective

Lab environment can change anytime, and a company may need to scale up or scale down based on its changing needs. Modular laboratory furniture with lab tables that can be reconfigured offers a budget-friendly way to develop your lab and accommodate future changes.

Safety

Safety is paramount in every lab environment. Modular laboratory furniture effectively supports adherence to industrial safety standards. Such tables are manufactured to standards that ensure that safety is maintained even when working with volatile and corrosive chemicals.

Maximizes Tech Productivity

Ergonomically designed lab tables ensure that the technicians are comfortable while working to prevent stress and injuries. These designs preserve the health and wellness of students or professionals working in the laboratories.

Laboratory tables should be designed to protect technicians in order to remain highly productive to achieve their work objectives. Ergonomically designed tables allow lab occupants to be comfortable and focused on their work for long hours.

Total Adaptability

Some lab technicians have specialized needs to complete their laboratory functions. If the lab tables do not meet their unique needs, their productivity will be affected as their ability to accomplish the assigned tasks will be compromised or hindered significantly.

Modern laboratory tables allow technicians to effectively customize their workstations to meet their specific needs.

Furniture Materials

Lab furniture should be durable and adaptable. The surface choice is one of the critical factors to consider when selecting laboratory tables. This factor is important as chemical and bio resistant surfaces make the tables safe and convenient. It is worth noting that the material choice highly depends on the type of processes to be conducted in the lab. Some popular lab fixture material includes:

• Stainless steel
• Phenolic resin
• Metal
• Plastic laminate
• Polypropylene
• Wood

Getting Started

You should put careful thought when selecting lab tables that suit your work or classroom environment. Purchasing the right lab furniture enables students and professionals to be safe and productive in the workplace as they will be free from excessive exposure to chemicals and other corrosives.

Let’s continue with the discussion about laboratory tables. Feel free to share your thoughts and views by commenting below.

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