Top 5 things to consider when choosing a centrifuge service provider

Keeping your centrifuges in tip-top condition is paramount, especially now when most labs are busier than ever. There is a myriad of different centrifuge service providers out there who can maintain and calibrate your equipment. But what are the most important things to look out for? In this month’s blog, I take a look at the top 5 things you should consider when choosing a centrifuge service provider.

Check if the centrifuge service provider is UKAS accredited

The first question you will need to ask yourself is: do I need to calibrate my centrifuge? If so, what level of calibration do I require? These two questions are essential because it will have an impact on the overall price. Some labs require their centrifuges to be calibrated to ISO 17025 standards. The accredited body here in the UK is UKAS and they are the ones who provide certification to this standard. It is always worth looking at any service provider’s UKAS schedule to see what they can actually calibrate and what their measurement of uncertainty is.

Response time of centrifuge service providers

When your centrifuge breaks down, it can cause a great inconvenience. You will want to be up and running as quickly as possible. This is why the response time of any centrifuge service provider is imperative. Any reputable provider will monitor their response times and they should freely communicate this with you.

Location of engineers

Don’t be afraid to ask where their engineer is based. This can really help keep travel costs down. In fact, it is also worth asking where their back-up engineer is located. If the company is local, they may have in-house technicians who can fill in should the allocated engineer be unable to attend site for whatever reason.

Stock of spare parts

A crucial question is: what stock of spare parts do you hold? If you have equipment which is no longer manufactured, it may be difficult to get spare parts. Some centrifuge service providers have considerable quantities of discontinued stock which are no longer supplied by the manufacturer, as a result, helping you in the event of a repair.

Price

Knowing the price of any centrifuge service provider is of course every important. When asking for prices, be sure to know the big picture. What is the cost of repairs? Are there any call out charges? What are the charges for calibration? Make sure that you ask more than just what the service cost is.

How can Henderson Biomedical help?

Henderson Biomedical is an established centrifuge service provider and have been involved in the maintenance and calibration of centrifuges for nearly 35 years. We have a team of experts who can support you and we are committed to continually improving the service we provide.

For more information on how we can help you, or if you would like a quotation, please call our friendly team on 020 8663 4610, email us at info@henderson-biomedical.co.uk or you can use our online form.