Richard - Like Paul, our flow group moved from basement to basement a few years back. It seems they like to save the view labs on the upper floors to offer faculty recruits.... The space they gave us for our sorters was in rooms that had low ceilings due to big building ventilation ducts that went overhead at that point. We were concerned enough about vibration from the big ventilation blowers in the next room that we actually hired an acoustical consultant to tell us if it was going to be a problem. He did his best, but without being able to put the sorters next to the blowers, he could only guess what it might do. As it turned out, our sorters do about as well as the next guy's. I wouldn't worry, nor would I recommend a consultant. You can pound on your table yourself and see what happens to your measurements if you want. On the other hand, shortly after we moved in, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred, and, as it happens, I was standing in my basement office looking out my window, which gives a view of the upper floors. It was quite spectacular watching the sides of the building sway and flex, especially on the upper floors. (I know you're supposed to get under the desk or something, but, honestly, I was too fascinated by the building motion!) Our basements labs had very little damage, while the top floor labs were extensively trashed. Talk about vibration! This point may not concern you as much in Cambridge, though.... Regards, Dick Richard Stovel Herzenberg Lab and Stanford Shared FACS Facility Stanford University >Well at the risk of being unscientific and ignorant....I am going to >weigh in on this one... > >23 years ago when we bought our first cytometer..we were told >"you must have it in the basement....vibration will kill you....etc etc" >...we put it on the 2nd floor of a 100 year old building, surrounded >by busy roads.....no problems > >At Michigan when I was there they renovated the entire basement >and created a beautiful flow unit, but a dungeon.... > >Here at Purdue - before I came here, someone decided that the >flow had to be in the basement.....we have beautiful lab, no >windows, bla, bla...and most of us are starting to look like >moles...(well I am anyway) > >I think 99% of the perception that vibration is a problem is >overdone......pick the corner lab, with the best view and go for it... > >Paul Robinson >(Committee for prevention of cruelty to flow lab people) > > > > > >Date sent: Wed, 23 May 2001 17:12:27 +0100 >From: Richard Grenfell <rlg@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk> >To: cyto-inbox >Subject: How much vibration is a problem? > > >Hi everyone > >I'm new to the list and new to cytometry. > >We have a Cytomation MoFlo and are considering moving it to >another >lab (larger hopefully!) > >The question of vibration has come up. Now, not being used to >these >instruments, I wondered if anyone here could help. > >How would I go about measuring vibration in a lab and how much is >'too >much'. > >Also, as a general rule of thumb, is it best siting these instruments >as low down in a building as possible, though fairly near a road, or >higher up in the building? > >Any help would be appreciated. > >Thanks > >Richard Grenfell > >-- >Richard Grenfell >Laboratory of Molecular Biology >Medical Research Council >Cambridge >rlg@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk >J.Paul Robinson, PhD PH:(765)4940757 >Professor of Immunopharmacology >Professor of Biomedical Engineering >Purdue University FAX:(765)4940517 >EMAIL:jpr@flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu >WEB: http://www.cyto.purdue.edu
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