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| image courtesy of www.boeco.com |
Maintenance and calibration of centrifuge in the laboratory is usually done by engineers either provided by the laboratory or by the equipment supplier. But it's also a good thing if a laboratory technologist knows how to maintain a centrifuge because they are the one who's using it in the first place. Proper maintenance is done during the following:
Weekly or biweekly depending on usage: Clean interior components with soap and water followed by freshly made 10% v/v bleach solution, including sample buckets. Wearing protective gloves, wipe interior sides and bottom, taking care when removing broken pieces of glass.
Monthly: Place two equally balanced containers into the centrifuge, cover, and operate at the most commonly used speed, listening for unusual vibrations. Check the braking mechanism to ensure a smooth, gradual stop. Check the timer of the centrifuge at 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and 1 minute for the time the centrifuge motor is spinning (reaches the desired rpm until the motor shuts off) using a stopwatch.
Quarterly: Inspect gasket and check for wear and defects, and inspect cover latch for appropriate seal. Inspect head, head shaft, and coupling for evidence of wear, cracks in fitting, corrosion, uneven wear, and signs of fatigue. Inspect brushes for wear and replace according to manufacturer’s instructions. Check the revolutions per minute at several commonly used speeds, including 3000 and 1500 rpm, while centrifuging a balanced load (after it has reached stable speed) using a tachometer aimed at the reflective strip viewed through the top of the centrifuge. If the revolutions per minute vary by more than 5%, consult the manufacturer’s instructions for solving the problem. If an analog scale is provided for speed, the scale can be relabeled to match the actual speed. Lubricate the centrifuge shaft according to manufacturer’s instructions, if applicable.
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