Many manufacturing and processing facilities feature a laboratory for research, design, testing and quality control.  These labs require high-performance workstations to support equipment such as microscopes, spectrophotometers, 3D printers and operant conditioning chambers, while providing space to perform critical tasks.

“Because lab equipment is so sensitive and crucial to R&D, quality control and meeting regulatory requirements, the cleanroom lab table it is used on must be “rock solid” in terms of construction quality.  The workstation must arrive undamaged and support the weight of any equipment, samples and supplies for decades without any ricketiness, wobble or breakage that could compromise test results or new product development.” says Xano Wang, sales director at BenchPro, a Tecate, Calif.-based lab workbench manufacturer that sells to many Fortune 1000 companies.

Additionally, the workbenches must be adaptable and tailored enough to fit the available lab space, while suiting industry and process specific applications and accessories, which can be quite varied.

While it can sometimes be an afterthought for manufacturing and processing managers in charge of R&D, QA or Operations, outfitting their labs with workbenches featuring essential qualities and capabilities can be a key advantage for their organization.

So, to provide the durability, flexibility and functionality needed in a lab workstation, while meeting critical operation and production deadlines, there are six important features to expect from a lab workbench and its supplier:

Customizable

Due to the wide range of manufacturing and processing requirements – in industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical and pharmaceutical as well as food or chemical processing, and oil refining – lab workbenches often need to be customized to suit the specific application and available space.

“We get requests for custom sizes all the time. A lab may only have ‘x’ feet of space and still needs a certain number of benches to fit within it,” says LeVan, who notes that Genie Scientific often partners with BenchPro to outfit industrial laboratories and research facilities when such customization is required.

According to Wang, many manufacturers only offer a limited number of off-the-shelf sizes, configurations, materials, colors and design features due to an unwillingness to carry more inventory or alter their production process.

“More customizability is possible with a more modular approach that incorporates a choice of selected features,” says Wang.  “The manufacturer should also be able to incorporate customer sketches and supply 3D drawings.  The design process should be customer-centric.”

True Quick-Ship Capability

Due to production demand and logistics, industrial facilities often need their labs outfitted with workbenches, furniture, and equipment, ready for use by certain priorities or deadlines.  This is even more the case recently as companies seek to address the rise of COVID-19 with additional testing, etc.

While many suppliers promise quick-ship capability, however, supplies are usually limited to stock on hand, which can be as few as 5-10 lab tables, in a limited number of standard sizes and configurations.  In many cases, shipments with any level of modification or customization can actually require up to four months of lead time to produce and deliver.

Some producers, however, have organized their production to enable 3-5 business day lead times regardless of size, color, configuration or other customization.

“During the pandemic, we have received many more urgently needed orders from research and testing labs,” says LeVan.  “In these cases, BenchPro was able to accommodate the rush orders, with lead times of about half or a third of some of the alternative options.”

Easy Assembly

Virtually all lab furniture, including workbenches, will be shipped in various states of disassembly and then assembled onsite.  This is not only to minimize freight cost, but also to fit through facility doors and hallways.

Because of this, one often overlooked factor that should be considered is ease of assembly.  If a piece of furniture such as a lab workbench is difficult to assemble with added complexity and many parts, the likelihood of incorrect installation increases.  This could result in problems or performance issues down the road.  Of course, the time and cost of installation would also increase.

In the case of lab workbenches, some involve the assembly of as many as 30-40 pieces, with bolts and fasteners of various sizes. In contrast, some like BenchPro are ready to assemble in minutes with only three parts and four bolts, since the frame is pre-assembled to the top, which simplifies the process.

Cost-Effective Price

When manufacturers and processors most cost-effectively outfit their labs, they minimize capital outlay while still satisfying requirements like strength and customizability.

In this case, it is important to seek a supplier that has the financial flexibility to buy materials in bulk and pass along the discount, rather than order in small quantities at the highest rates.

When customization is necessary, it is also best to select a supplier that does not charge a premium for the service.

As an example, in the case of BenchPro, the company readily supplies customization of standard product, and often includes drawings, 3D modeling and design changes at no added cost.  In one recent large project, when the front frame of a workbench had to be hidden and recessed, this was done free of charge without reducing structural strength.

Strength and Durability

Besides tools and supplies, cleanroom and lab tables must reliably support a variety of heavy equipment used to test, analyze, sterilize, mix, separate, and preserve materials.  This can include instruments such as autoclaves, sterilizers, mixers, shakers, and centrifuges, some of which can vibrate the workbench or otherwise impart force on it.

Other equipment, such as environmental chambers and lab desiccators, stores samples and items in controlled environments, which can add to accumulated weight on the workbench.

Consequently, lab workbenches must be strong enough to sustain significant weight. Yet, each workstation should be light enough to move with relative ease, if a different arrangement of furniture and equipment is desired, for example if changes occur in products, production, or qualification standards.

However, the challenge is that typical lab tables are constructed with hollow legs and channel frames, which by design usually only hold about 750 lb.  Because this total could easily be surpassed by the accumulated weight of equipment, samples and supplies, it is better to be proactive and select one with greater strength and durability.

“Some lab tables are constructed to reliably support up to 6,600 lb, about eight times the typical capacity. Instead of hollow legs and channel frame construction, these utilize 0.25-in. welds on 2-in. tubing, which is much stronger and more durable,” explains Wang.

Garrett LeVan, president of Genie Scientific, a Fountain Valley, Calif.-based manufacturer and dealer of fume hoods, laboratory furniture and related products that sells nationally and internationally, says “BenchPro’s lab workbenches are robust without adding tons of excess weight, so provide sturdiness yet are light enough to easily move around, if needed.”

Comprehensive, Long-Term Warranty

Because labs involve a significant investment, any furniture or equipment ideally would have a complete warranty that would ensure trouble-free operation. However, many warranties for lab workbenches are limited and may last as few as five years for wood and metal frame products. In busy labs, tasked with QA for high production volumes, this may not be nearly enough.  Any failure could not only jeopardize necessary research, design, testing or quality control, but also could result in costly damage to delicate equipment as well as premature replacement.

Instead, it is best to select a supplier that will back up the long-term performance of its lab workbenches with an unconditional 25-year warranty on every part.  When every part of the workbench is guaranteed in this straightforward manner, the manufacturer and processors can be certain that it is designed for utmost reliability.

For more information, visit benchdepot.com