Choosing the right incubator for your research needs can be a confusing process no matter what your laboratory setup; which is why at Sheldon we do our best to guarantee customers have all the tools they need to make an informed decision when the time comes to buy. We want customers to purchase the right incubator to help keep their samples safe, contaminant free, and capable of producing reliable results every time.

And it’s also why we were so pleased when we were asked to contribute an article to Lab Outlook Magazine, a digital supplement to the popular Laboratory Equipment Magazine. The article, “Practice Safe Specimen Storage,” is featured in November’s issue of the publication and covers many of the important factors to consider when deciding which incubator to buy, including:

• Incubator size, stability and uniformity
• Antimicrobial effects of copper
• Water jacket vs. air jacket insulation

The article also incorporates a new video featuring President Dan Sheldon and Product Design Engineer Pradeep Muppala as they discuss product features of the SHEL LAB General Purpose Incubators.

Both the article and the video are great resources for anyone considering a new incubator, so be sure to read the entire article in this month’s Lab Outlook Magazine and view our new video on the Sheldon Manufacturing YouTube channel!

Sheldon Manufacturing has been building the SHEL LAB line of incubators and ovens for over 40 years. Learn more about our CO2 Incubators, forced air laboratory ovens, Bactron Anaerobic Chambers and more at our online store!

Sheldon Manufacturing has spent 40 years providing high-quality vacuum ovens, lab incubators and other equipment for use in industrial, clinical and laboratory applications, and making sure our customers have the reliable tools they need is our biggest priority. Which is why at Sheldon we love to hear back from the customers who use our products every day—like Université de Montréal Professor, Dr. Roger Lippé. Dr. Lippé works in the Cell Biology Research department and recently shared his experience using the SHEL LAB 3552 laboratory incubator:

The SHEL LAB 3552 incubator is the Cadillac in tissue culture equipment. Conveniently sized, with an appealing look, a sensitive infrared CO₂ sensor and possibility to stack them, it perfectly fulfills all our needs. Unlike many competitors, it provides true sterilization with a unique 180^oC decontamination cycle. An important bonus is the ability to do so without removing the IR sensor, hence simplifying the procedure and minimizing the risk of damage. Other instruments either offer half measures (e.g. 90^oC decontamination that takes 1-2 days to complete) or complex options that are more likely to break, be expensive to repair and in some cases not as efficient (e.g. peroxide injection, plasma sterilization, UV). Moreover, these alternative sterilization techniques, designed for heat sensitive hospital equipment, are not necessary for tissue culture. Effective simplicity is always the best option.

Another strong advantage of SHEL LAB incubators is the unusually long warranty on the incubator (5 years) and IR sensor (7 years). No competitor offers such an excellent warranty. This is particularly important in view of the high costs of labor to repair scientific equipment, potentially saving hundreds to thousands of dollars. Another important characteristic is the quick recovery following the opening of the door. This provides for a more stable environment, a critical aspect of cell culture that reflects a very careful design of the instrument. Naturally, a constant and uniform temperature and humidity throughout the incubator is equally important when the door is closed.

-Dr. Roger Lippé, Université de Montréal

Thank you, Dr. Lippé! We always love to hear stories from our customers—and we’d love to hear from you, too. What do you think about your SHEL LAB vacuum oven, incubator, or humidity cabinet? Have you had a noteworthy experience using a SHEL LAB product? How about during the purchase process? We want to hear about it! If you would like to share your SHEL LAB experience with us, drop us an email today, we may just share it with our other customers! Stay tuned for more stories from real-life SHEL LAB customers!

Protect your cells!  Minimize the threat of surface contamination with copper’s natural bactericidal and fungicidal properties: SHEL LAB now offers copper shelves for use in our CO2 incubators.

Laboratory testing has shown that when cleaned regularly, Antimicrobial Copper surfaces:

1. Continuously reduce bacterial* contamination, achieving 99.9% reduction within two hours of exposure;
2. Kill greater than 99.9% of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria* within two hours of exposure;
3. Deliver continuous and ongoing antibacterial* action, remaining effective in killing greater than 99.9% of bacteria* within two hours;
4. Kill greater than 99.9% of bacteria* within two hours, and continue to kill 99% of bacteria* even after repeated contamination; and
5. Help inhibit the buildup and growth of bacteria* within two hours of exposure between routine cleaning and sanitizing steps.”**”

*Testing demonstrates effective antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

**The use of an Antimicrobial Copper surface is a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices, including those practices related to cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces. The Antimicrobial Copper surface material has been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but it does not necessarily prevent cross contamination.

Copper shelves are now available on SHEL LAB incubator models:  3503, 3517, 3524, 3552, 2406, 2406/2, and 5215

Built with stainless steel chambers for exceptional durability, SHEL LAB Ovens are already known as some of  the most rugged Vacuum Ovens available on the market today. And now we have even more to be proud of with the addition of several new features to our Digital 1400 Series Vacuum Ovens, making our vacuum ovens more durable and more dependable than ever before.

New vacuum oven features include:

• Fully programmable Watlow temperature controllers
• 40-step ramp and soak profile or 4 files with 10 steps per file capabilities
• Digital vacuum gauges – making vacuum readings easy-to-read and more accurate.
• RS-485 Communication Capable on C Models – now you can easily program from your personal computer.

We’ve also made selecting the right gasket for our ovens easier than ever with our new gasket guide.

Doors with positive latch handles and spring-loaded glass ensure a tight vacuum seal, without hinge binds that shorten gasket life. Solid brass vacuum valves with Teflon seats prevent leaks, and our unique cross-flow ventilation forces inert gas to fill the entire chamber. And the double plenum design of our ovens meets UL, CSA and CE safety requirements—meaning our ovens maintain a cool outer surface at all times.

SHEL LAB has produced industry favorite products for over 40 years, ranging from water baths to lab incubators. Take a virtual tour of our facility to see how we manufacture our SHEL LAB line of laboratory equipment.

Pittcon 2011 showcases the latest from the SHEL LAB line. 2010 was an extremely satisfying year for all of us a Sheldon Manufacturing. We unleashed new Lab equipment, including our popular BacBASIC environmental workstation and incubator for anaerobic microbiology, the new quick-processing HC6 Humidity Chamber, the compact SI2 Mini Shaking Incubator, and our powerful instant Vortex Mixer. Make sure you stop by Booth 718 at Pittcon this year to say hi and ask us about these products, our new limited warranties, and what product launches we have in 2011.

2011 PITTCON Conference & Expo
Mar 13 2011 – Mar 18 2011
Georgia World Congress Center
285 Andrew Young International Blvd., NW
Atlanta, GA USA
BOOTH # 718

See where else we will be this year!

Speaking of what we have in store for 2011, Lab Professionals, we want your input!

As an OEM of over 40 years, we have the capability to design new equipment for your specific lab application. We are always looking for new ways to help lab professional’s daily work more efficient, accurate, and and most importantly, easier! We want your help so we can continue to design highly relevant and quality equipment for industrial, clinical, and laboratory applications. Reach out to us and let us know what your unique needs and lab applications are, and help us keep the SHEL LAB family evolving.

What do you wish your lab had?

Unfortunately for Dan Sheldon, our owner, we have kept quite a few pictures proving how long we’ve been in the Life Sciences industry and lab equipment business. We couldn’t help but share some of these images from what seems like decades ago. That might be because it was.

Dan Sheldon - Sheldon Manufacturing, 1988

After forty years of manufacturing constant temperature equipment, we have grown quite a bit. Founded in 1970, Sheldon Inc. started out with just a few different types of incubators. Those incubators have had the luxury of 4 decades of advancements in engineering, design, and productivity with the Shellab quality remaining constant. Check out the difference below.

Sheldon Manufacturing Incubator from the 70's

Shellab Incubator -Today

Our line of equipment has expanded exponentially over the years as well.  We now manufacture hundreds different types of units ranging from water baths, to vacuum ovens, lab ovens, and every type of incubator on the market.  Such progress as a company is largely due to enhancing our manufacturing processes to stay both relevant and efficient with current components and technology.  Below is part of our powder-coat painting process for our incubators from way back when.  Not too far off from some modern abstract art installations.

We like to think of ourselves as wise when it comes to Laboratory equipment.  We enjoy our work daily and hope that it shows in our products as much as our experience and industry wisdom. We hope you liked these vintage photos we stumbled upon.

One of our first logos …

An early Shellab Brochure

Early Shellab Logo