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!

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!

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

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.

B.O.D Incubators (often called Low Temperature Incubators) are commonly used for applications such as B.O.D. Determinations, Plant and Insect Studies, Fermentation Studies, and Bacterial Culturing among many others. The SHEL LAB Low Temperature Incubators have a temperature range of 20°C degrees below ambient to 45°C.

Shellab Low Temperature Incubators

Illuminated Growth Chamber
If your application requires light exposure you should consider the LI15 Diurnal Plant Growth Chamber. This unit comes equipped with four bulbs vertically mounted to the door of the incubator. (Have a special application? Contact Us) Two independent timers simulate day and night cycles by controlling the interior lighting. This chamber is ideal for plant growth studies.

B.O.D. Applications
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) incubators enable end users to determine levels of organic matter and nitrogen in wastewater samples. This wastewater must be effectively measured for contaminates, treated and then released back into the environment without posing a threat to the water supply system. Recently, stricter enforcement by government regulatory agencies charged with monitoring air and water quality has forced a greater number of organizations to actively test and treat their wastewater. BOD incubators facilitate the storage of wastewater samples, and the SHEL LAB Low Temperature Incubators accommodate from 62 – 565 BOD bottles.

An Exceptional Price to Value Ratio!

Anything but basic, our latest addition to the classic SHEL LAB Bactron line of Anaerobic & Environmental Chambers offers you the perfect entry-level chamber for performing anaerobic microbiology or an ideal auxiliary chamber if you already have an anaerobic chamber.

To Order the BacBasic Early or For any Information on Sheldon’s Products:
Contact Sheldon Manufacturing HERE
or
Find a Sheldon Representative in your area HERE

Specializing in:
General Purpose Incubators
Large Capacity Incubators
CO2 Incubators
Large Capacity CO2 Incubators

From vacuum ovens to CO2 Incubators, Sheldon Manufacturing has been evolving the SHEL LAB line of incubators and ovens for over 35 years, and we are delighted to be here representing our line. So, stop by and ask us about any of our products and see why Sheldon Manufacturing has earned the reputation as an innovator of dependable and reliable equipment and continues to be a worldwide leading manufacturer of incubators and ovens.