Cryo Labeling and Inventory Management
Effective labeling coupled with meticulous inventory management helps optimize laboratory operations.
Proper inventory labeling and management are not merely administrative chores, but are the essential safeguards that support your research’s scientific integrity. When you’re working in extreme environments, any fading, obscuring or alteration of labeled samples can disrupt days or weeks of research.
Even during routine experiments, labeling errors can lead to days and weeks of waste. Consider a lab technician doing medical research on cancer cell metabolism. Samples from the lab’s freezer were labeled with materials not rated to withstand cold temperatures. Because of this, the labels faded and the technician retrieved the wrong samples.
After several days, the technician noticed unusual cell growth patterns. These contradictory results required additional testing, delaying other experiments and diverting lab resources to exploring the results. Only after an inventory audit did the technician discover the original error. Weeks of research was unusable.
Clear labeling and better inventory management would have prevented the wasted time and materials, leading to better lab efficiency. Labs may vary in their goals, but all of them require labeling systems with high-quality materials to organize and accelerate operations.
Finding the right cryogenic solution
Reliable cold storage is critical for life science and pharmaceutical research, and at the ultra-low temperature (ULT) used to store these samples, common laboratory labels don’t cut it. High humidity can cause text to smudge, smear and fade, posing an immediate risk of inaccurate sample identification.
High-quality, cryogenic labels make all the difference. Unlike ordinary labels that lack the specific adhesive designed for ULT environments, cryogenic labels are designed to withstand extended exposure and storage in liquid or vapor phase liquid nitrogen and ULT freezers. Cryogenic labels are common in medical labs, clinical labs, fertility clinics, bio banks, research labs and biorepositories. And because labs have an assortment of containers, labels have specific requirements to ensure reliability.
For cryogenic tubes and vials, labels must adhere to curved surfaces and withstand ULTs. Similarly, storage boxes and plates — either cardboard or plastic — require labels that adhere to flat surfaces. Specific labels must adhere to metal surfaces and others must withstand ultra-rapid freezing and long-term cold storage. Still more require exposure endurance to alcohols and other chemicals, solvents and physical abrasion.
Here are some of the benefits of using Brady’s cryogenic solutions:
- Organization:
Labeling provides systemic means to identify and track lab items, even in harsh conditions. - Efficient workflows:
Using customizable labels with text, graphics, barcodes or QR codes supports efficient work and - Improved safety:
Accurate labels ensure that hazardous substances are correctly identified and handled, minimizing - Automated workflows:
Specialized software that streamlines label creation from spreadsheets and databases eliminates human transcription errors and allows researchers to focus on more important tasks - Standardization and compliance:
Creating the right labels helps labs adhere to standards for chemical handling, waste management and regulatory compliance.
When it comes to cold storage, building the right system with the proper cryogenic labels ensures precise and reliable sample identification while optimizing efficiency and accuracy. When a simple labeling error can cost your lab thousands of dollars and invalidate weeks of research, it’s vital to take the time to create a system that works for you.
Build a better system
Transitioning your labeling system can be a big undertaking. You not only need to find the right labels for conditions, but you also need to choose the right hardware and software to make the transition efficient. It’s important to find a solution that works with your lab, your process and your personnel.
Discover the customized solutions Brady can bring you.