Incubators are essential laboratory equipment that provides an optimal set of conditions for the growth of microorganisms. They are also necessary for hematological studies, biochemical experiments, and pharmaceutical research.
Incubators come in a variety of sizes and specifications to meet diverse requirements. Whether you are looking for a CO2 cell culture incubator or a general-purpose model, Next Day Science has many options.
Temperature Control
Whether your lab incubator is used for incubating cells, embryos, or bacteria cultures, temperature control is essential to maintain the desired environment. This can help you meet compliance requirements and improve overall laboratory performance.
Temperature monitors and data loggers can help you track your incubator’s temperature over time. These monitoring devices also provide alerts when measurements exceed an acceptable range.
A water-jacketed incubator keeps its temperature steady because water retains heat. This is beneficial if your power goes out since it will hold a consistent set point.
Incubators with forced convection heat circulate air within the chamber for a more uniform temperature than a water-jacketed model. These incubators can reach temperatures up to 100degC from the ambient (+7.5degC) temperature.
Humidity Control
Laboratory incubators provide a controlled and contaminant-free environment for working with microbiological or cell cultures. They offer temperature control and uniformity, humidity control, and CO2 control.
Lab incubators for sale vary in size and capacity to fit a wide range of research needs. Some are water-jacketed, and others use forced air circulation to regulate the internal atmosphere.
Humidity control is one of the essential features of a lab incubator. It is necessary when working with microtitre plates, which are prone to drying out.
Sheldon Manufacturing offers several lab incubators for sale with humidity control. These include water-jacketed CO2 incubators and various shaking, refrigerated, and illuminated growth chambers. Some units also feature high-temperature decontamination cycles and UV sanitization technology to reduce contamination. These features are beneficial in laboratories that are accredited or certified.
Digital Timer
Digital timers provide precise timing for time-sensitive procedures. They are available in 12/24 hour format and display elapsed time on bright LED screens.
They are broadly used in various industrial processes for controlling devices’ timing and checking equipment life cycles. These timers can be programmable and are compatible with multiple types of alarms.
Lab incubators with digital timers have several advantages over analog ones, including the ability to store past calibrated parameters and program a countdown timer. They also provide a convenient “set and walk away” operation that eliminates the need for external thermometers and the repetitive fine-tuning of an analog control knob.
General-purpose incubators from SHEL LAB deliver a degree of temperature uniformity usually found only in more expensive application-specific models due to a precise microprocessor controller and a unique warm air jacket design. Triple wall construction allows heated air to circulate within an open plenum between the inner chamber and exterior walls without the need for blowers or fans that could lead to cross-contamination and the drying effects of convection.
Alarm
A lab incubator for sale is vital to any laboratory, as they allow the growth of cells and tissue for testing or experimenting. The incubator’s environment must be stable, so monitoring temperature and humidity is key.
CO2 concentration is also critical for the cultured material, and an alarm system can ensure samples aren’t destroyed if the gas gets too low or too high. Many available models are also stackable, saving valuable space on the laboratory benchtop.
XiltriX offers lab managers an alarm system that keeps watching over a range of controlled parameters like temperature and pressure, logs the data securely, and alerts when it goes outside the set limits — even when no one is in the room. The system provides audit trails, graphical information, and reports, making it an ideal solution for any laboratory.