"The user- friendly, clean interface of Clustermarket significantly increased my core research laboratory efficiency in terms of user access, communication, and administrative controls. I highly recommend Clustermarket platform for any large core research facility management." - Rituraj Borgohain
Lab Profile
Based in Virginia, USA, The Materials Characterization Lab is a shared research facility promoting new discoveries in materials science. It is operated by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science and the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, with support from the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.
The Materials Characterization Lab has a wide range of advanced instruments for materials characterization, sample preparation and fabrication. Having a strong focus on community and teamwork, the core research facility encourages collaboration within and beyond the Virginia Tech Research community.
- Number of users - 152
- Type of lab/facility - Core research facility
- Location - Virginia, US
- Previous system - iLab from Agilent
Problem
It is of utmost importance for any large research facility to have a clear overview of the equipment and users. There are multiple pieces that require training or advanced expertise, and having a system that could easily manage this was pertinent. Additionally, ensuring clear communication between all the departments was vital, otherwise this could end in miscommunication and misunderstanding. Furthermore, to have a better understanding of equipment utilization within the labs, the equipment management platform also needed to have the option to generate custom reports.
Solution
Quick and easy implementation of Clustermarket’s equipment management system ensured the problems the labs were facing were addressed. Now, not only can the lab admins have clear oversight of equipment availability within a lab, the user-friendly interface also allows the lab members to quickly book the items they need to use. With the platform’s easy to use features, the lab members can effortlessly book the equipment they need, thereby quickly communicating with the rest of the lab members about availability. The addition of being able to generate reports when needed ensures clear understanding of equipment utilization within the facility.
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