NSF BioPACIFIC MIP Wiki

Microfluidics Lab Routine Maintenance

Chores

1. Check and replenish paper towels in dispensers

• Paper towels are stocked in brown paper packages on the shelves along the wall by the entrance.
• There are 2 paper towel dispensers in the lab, just turn the key to check how much there are.

2. Check and replenish gloves

• Check if any glove boxes are about to run out, should be 2 glove locations.
• If they are, open up the next one on top of the stack and add a new box of gloves to the bottom of the stack.
• Make sure there are both nitrile and latex gloves to use.
• Gloves are stocked on the shelves along the wall by the entrance, as well as above the vacuum furnace.

3. Tidy up bench spaces

• Properly dispose of sharps and put away tools/supplies.

4. Sweep and mop

• Walkways and under benches.
• Start at the corner of the lab and move in a zig-zag direction around the lab to make sure you don't get trapped.
• Dirty water poured in the sink
• Use the general maintenance cart located in the hallway outside the lab. The cleaner is stored in the cabinet under the sink.
• Rule of thumb: Best to do in the mornings or weekends.

5. Check and replenish hazardous waste labels

6. Check sharps containers

• If full, tape off the top and place in the hazardous waste bin.
• Usually will consider full when you can't put something else in the container without getting cut.

7. Check glass waste bin

• If full, seal and tape off the top.

8. Make sure all cabinets are locked

9. Check and replenish Kim wipes at every station

• Kim wipes are stocked on the shelves along the wall by the entrance.

10. Refill solvent squirt bottles in fume hood

• Fume hood should have 3 bottles of IPA, 2 bottles of Ethanol, Acetone.
• Large jugs under the hood in the cabinet.
• New jugs in the cabinet labeled “extra solvents.”
• Wear gloves and lab coat; do all refilling in the fume hood.
• Keep empty solvent bottles as waste bottles.
• NOTE: Acetone will drip when refilled due to pressure differences. So point away from yourself.

11. Monitor the hazardous waste jugs

• Place in hazardous waste bin if needed.

12. Top off the Sonicator with DI water

13. Replace the paper towels in the spin coaters if needed

• Paper towels will have oil streaks if the spinner has been used.
• Usually use 3 paper towels at the bottom and top of the spin coater.

14. Top off cutting fluid in diamond cutter

• The blue fluid by the CNC drill.

15. Restart the Objet Printer

• IN THIS ORDER:
• Turn computer and Objet off. Wait 10 seconds
• Turn Objet on (use mirror to find power switch in the back).
• Turn the computer on.
• Open remote desktop.
• Open Objet application on remote desktop.
• Open Object Studio software on the main desktop.

16. Replace empty resin and waste containers in the printer

• Check software. If the resin level is red or has an hourglass, it cannot be put back in once taken out. Avoid wasting resin.
• Restock spare materials in the grey bin under the printer.
• Print new labels if necessary.

17. Clean the pressure washing station

• Make sure water is off (both levers should be down).
• Check the yellow gloves and replace torn.

18. Restock Thinky Mix Uline jars

• Stored below the workbench.

19. Replace dirty bench liners

• Remove, wipe the area, and place a new one shiny side down.
• Stored under the workbench near gloves.

20. Turn off Olympus microscope

21. Turn off Keyence light

• Power button.

22. Refill CNC drill squirt bottle

• Use blue coolant.

23. Clean the laser cutter

• Take out the (layer with a bunch of hexagons) and vacuum small bits from the bottom.

24. Clean laser cutter lens

• Tools in the yellow bin above the bench.
• Place bubble wrap under the laser (in case the lens drops)
• Unscrew the cap
• Use 1 drop of cleaner and a lint-free cloth to polish both sides of the lens.
• Replace the lens, convex side should be facing down. Do not overtighten.
• NOTE: The convex side of the lens will have a more prominent (relative to the concave side) dot in the center.
• The grey knob on the laser will release the mirror for cleaning if necessary.