Vacuum networks
Vacuum supply is usually an integral part of planning for laboratories in public or private buildings. It is more complex than other piped utilities because the requirements for vacuum technology are different in a synthesis laboratory than, for example, in an analytical or cell biology laboratory. These different requirements cannot be met with the same vacuum supply. To address the need for vacuum supply tailored to the applications, the specific requirements should be clarified early in the planning phase. “The right tool saves time” is old saying of craftsmen that applies to the vacuum supplied to each laboratory. Whether because vacuum is poorly understood, because the piping systems seem so similar to piped gases, or because traditional practice has dictated a single building-wide system, the unique requirements of vacuum supply are frequently overlooked in the lab planning process. Nonetheless, for many applications, tailored vacuum is invaluable. Appropriate vacuum allows the scientist to achieve desired results faster, more safely, more conveniently and also reproducibly.