Labotec is the authorised business partner for Miele laboratory glass washers for South Africa. These German manufactured machines have both lab and domestic reputations for using state-of-the-art technology.
Glass washers are often the unnoticed workhorse of the laboratory – until business as usual grinds to a halt because of a lack of clean labware, and everyone suddenly realises just how much these essential pieces of equipment contribute to the smooth running of the department. Here are 5 facts you may not have known about Miele.
Try before you buy
Buying a glass washer is not always straightforward and, no doubt, you will have a number of questions: does the machine live up to the supplier’s claims? Can it really clean our dirtiest glassware? To provide simple, honest answers, there is a showroom at Labotec in Midrand, where we invite customers to bring their soiled glassware and run it through a programme on one of our machines. It’s the easiest way to demonstrate our products and allow you to discover Miele quality for yourselves.
Longevity
Every instrument manufacturer would like to think that its products will continue to run forever. However, the reality is that general wear and tear will require parts to be replaced over the years, which can often raise concerns about obsolescence when a model is discontinued. Miele guarantees to keep spare parts for 15 years after the end of production.
Designed for efficiency
Miele has taken care to make sure their glass washers are energy efficient. For example, incorporating the heaters inside the circulation pump, rather than outside, allows the water to be heated directly, which is both quicker and more economical. The EcoDry feature also saves electricity; the machine door automatically opens at the end of the programme once the temperature in the wash cabinet has fallen to a safe level, allowing residual moisture to escape and the glassware to dry more quickly. There is also a waterproof system, which cuts off the water supply in the rare event of a leak, minimising any damage from flooding and preventing further wasted water.
Performance verification
A number of our customers working in pharmaceuticals or the food and beverage industry must demonstrate compliance with regulatory standards. Alongside glass washer maintenance, Miele is able to provide an IQOQ (Installation Qualification Operational Qualification) and can undertake a performance verification validation service to ensure everything is working as it should be, assuring a customer’s clients that cleaning is carried out to a specified standard.
Flexibility
Every customer will have slightly different requirements. Some labs need to wash 10 different types of glass in a single cycle. Miele have developed the appropriate inserts to accommodate volumetric flasks, beakers, pipettes, etc. Alternatively, your needs may be more unique. For example, Miele developed special baskets for glass washers in blood transfusion services, and even adapted a machine in a pharmaceutical lab to receive water for injection from a ring main.
Article adapted from Miele blog article.