INDUSTRY MATTERS
From Small to Large and Back Again : Planning for Automated Processes Present & Future
By Michael Mottet , principal laboratory planner , HDR
• Consider key details early in the design process .
HDR Panther Trax U-Shaped
As technology advances on its unrelenting march forward , it profoundly changes how we live and work in our daily lives . In laboratories , automation is one of the key innovations that continues to reshape the laboratory environment . As laboratory planners and designers , we are paying close attention to this trend and working alongside laboratory management and leadership to create spaces that can accommodate automation now and into the future .
Today , modern laboratory equipment can deliver test results in hours instead of days . These machines can cap , decap and add reagents to tubes automatically — requiring little interactions from laboratorians during and after tests are initiated . These advancements greatly improved efficiency as laboratory testing practices became more and more specialized due to increased state and federal testing requirements , and events like the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the importance of efficient , fast laboratory results .
The rapid development of automated testing systems and equipment presents a challenge for designers and planners . On the one hand , advancements in technology have allowed automation equipment to be reduced in size , freeing up bench space . However , as demand for
higher throughput rises , the machines are once again larger to accommodate high volumes . The greater number of process steps that can be automated again requires machines to be larger . It ’ s a peculiar , somewhat complicated dance which requires planners to implement designs that can accommodate a range of instrumentation types and sizes . The following are three major considerations related to planning for an automated future .
• Embrace open labs with moveable casework .
Open laboratory planning allows the space to house any size of testing equipment and allows staff to easily rearrange the layout to accommodate the equipment they use .
• Upgrade utilities to meet increased demands .
Automation equipment is often highly specialized and comes with a range of operational criteria . Planning laboratories for ease of access to utilities such as electrical , special gases , 208-volt power , backup power , purified water and data connectivity for the laboratory information management system ( LIMS ) is imperative .
As laboratory equipment has become more specialized , it has also become more sensitive to indoor and outdoor influences , such as daylight . Vibration , temperature , humidity and sunlight must all be considered during the design process . Sunlight can be particularly troublesome as laboratories have started to prioritize glass walls and views of the outdoors to promote staff well-being . One way to counter this is by using mechanized shades outside of the laboratories boundaries . As another example , testing equipment require floor drains , so the layout of those drains needs to be planned for at the start of the design process .
The HDR-designed Alabama State Public Health Laboratory exemplifies many of these tenets in action . It features open laboratory spaces with overhead service carriers , allowing an array of utilities to be fed from above . The space features modular flexible laboratories and postoccupancy , the laboratorians reorganized the flexible casework systems tobetter complement their workflow and machines .
Automation is still in its infancy but is sure to revolutionize the next generation of laboratory design . Laboratory management should recognize and plan for it today , so they can be better prepared for tomorrow . g
HDR is an APHL Platinum Level Sustaining Member .
10 LAB MATTERS Summer 2024
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