The Importance of Preventative Maintenance for Lab Equipment

In 2012, billions of dollars and over a decade of ground-breaking Autism research was lost when a freezer malfunctioned at a Harvard-affiliated research center. The freezer held 150 brains, one third of which made up the world’s largest collection of Autism brain samples. As brain samples are extremely difficult and expensive to acquire and maintain, Autism researchers are still making up for the lost samples a decade later. The root of the malfunction was clear- the freezer had not been regularly serviced for preventative maintenance. Unfortunately, when preventative maintenance measures are not routinely performed on lab equipment, these catastrophic losses are not uncommon. Luckily, MarathonLS can support your lab’s preventative maintenance needs. 

What is Preventative Maintenance?

Preventative maintenance is the regular and routine evaluation and repair of an asset to prolong and conserve its lifetime. Preventative maintenance is a common practice among several different industries; transportation, technology, and equipment – you can even view a routine check-up at the doctor as personal preventative maintenance. Preventative maintenance is essentially to combat issues and breakdowns before they occur. It is a critical step in prolonging the life cycle of any integral asset.

Types of Preventative Maintenance

Preventative maintenance, or PM, can include any routine service from cleaning and deep cleaning to repairs and replacement. Marathon offers this entire range.
When a MarathonLS engineer is onsite performing a PM, they will finish the project by cleaning the instrument. If your lab is looking to get an even deeper clean and sanitization, consider scheduling a full lab disinfection with the SteraMist. Much like your car, lab equipment, too, need oil changes which is why Marathon offers them included in our Preventative Maintenance plan.

Preventative Maintenance with MarathonLS

Preventative maintenance takes minimal effort from lab managers or end users. Simply schedule your annual visit, (or more frequent depending on the lab instrument) and be sure to move products from the instrument beforehand. Preparing for your PM appointment will allow the engineer to be in and out efficiently, so you can get back to your critical research. Preventative maintenance visits are quick – a PM can be less than half hour depending on the instrument and its condition. Before the engineer leaves, they’ll clean the instrument and provide a record of the appointment, so you know when the instrument needs a PM next. If the instrument requires extra labor or new parts, a Marathon team member will follow up with a quote before moving forward with any additional work. Getting your lab equipment routinely serviced can add up in cost, however if you are concerned about the price, rest assured that a routine PM is far less expensive than brand new parts or an instrument replacement. In addition, the most savings and value you are getting with routine PM is peace of mind that your equipment will run seamlessly, and your lab will experience no disruptions.

MarathonLS Service Offerings

In addition to preventative maintenance, MarathonLS also offers other services including, but not limited to full-service contracts, calibration, time and material, lab disinfection and relocation services. You can choose the plan that fits your lab’s needs for optimal uptime and maximum instrument performance. Marathon promises same or next day emergency response time, an extensive spare-parts inventory, relentless communication and has provided over 85 years of laboratory servicing experience. Marathon’s team of engineers are manufactured-trained, meaning that they are experts in their field of service, ensuring your lab receives the highest quality work from those who know best.

Schedule Your Lab Asset’s PM Today

Do not allow something preventative throw off your lab operations’ objectives.
Is it time for your equipment to be serviced? Contact MarathonLS today to book your service.