Category Archives: Blog

Blog

Customized Steam Sterilizer (Autoclave)

Record Setting Sized Sterilizer

Spatial constraints are a necessary consideration with many sterilizer installations. Beta Star has a solution. With our engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we can customize laboratory equipment to meet customer specifications in both new and existing laboratory space.

Currently, Beta Star is in the process of manufacturing a laboratory sterilizer with the largest chamber size we have ever built for a lift and swing sterilizer. Our customer requested increased sterilizer capacity without exceeding their current spatial capacity. As the customer did not want to rebuild, Beta Star engineered the 64” wide x 92” high x 96” long sectional bulk sterilizer. The vessel weighs 14,300 pounds and has an interior volume of 9,263 liters.

Features

This steam sterilizer has the deepest chamber that could fit into the facility space and uses a higher and wider than average split chamber to accommodate large containers in bulk.

Beta Star’s sectional bulk design permits egress of several small vessel components through the facility to the installation space. There the vessel will be reassembled and Beta Star’s ASME Code fabricators will perform the final field welds so that the sterilizer can be commissioned.

Beta Star engineered an additional space saving solution by offering an electrically actuated bulk lift and swing door sterilizer. This unique design provides a nearly silent lift of the door through the use of clean, efficient electric actuators.

Furthermore, it provides the largest in class sterilizer volume while reducing the need for expensive facility renovation and reducing the overall installation footprint. Beta Star continually provides innovative solutions to meet unique specifications while keeping equipment cost-efficient.


“The new lift and swing door design was set-up to be a success. The whole Beta Star team came together and shared everything they could to make it a success. … It was an atmosphere that I was proud to be a part of and an atmosphere that would not settle for failure.”

Jim Taylor, Beta Star Engineer

Quality Service

Showcasing Beta Star’s dedication to providing low maintenance and easily serviceable products, the sterilizer’s material selection, bearing surfaces, rotating elements and lifting mechanisms were all optimized for this application. Additionally, all rotating elements are self-lubricating and permit a single operator to manipulate a door weighing more than 3,000 pounds.

Another option offered to increase efficiency is the Beta Connect System. This system offers remote control access allowing for real-time data management and faster troubleshooting and servicing.

If you have a project you would like to discuss, reach out to us or read about our experience in manufacturing steam sterilizers for multiple industries.

Blog

Custom Sterilization Solutions

Latest Lift and Swing Sterilizer Project

One of the most challenging aspects of purchasing new sterilizers is finding the proper balance between sterilizer spatial footprint and throughput. At facility after facility, such as our customer on the west coast, laboratory and pit space restricted the horizontal chamber dimensions for the standard horizontal sliding door arrangement. This left our customer with two adverse options:

  • An Example of Costly Facility Renovations (or Demolitions!)

    Costly facility renovations that involve moving walls, destroying walls, or moving utility connections to make a wider sterilizer fit

  • Selecting a smaller sterilizer than is required for throughput needs

However, the lift and swing sterilizer hinged door presents a third option when existing laboratory or pit space does not allow a horizontal sliding door to fit. It also ensures that you are able to purchase a sterilizer with the internal vessel volume for your throughput demands while minimizing facility renovations described above and shown in the photo. Multiple lift and swing sterilizers, placed side by side, can further increase throughput capacity for large facilities with extreme demands.

To operate, vertical drives lift the doors and retention pins out of the door retention bars that line the side of the sterilizer chamber as shown in the video (below). This project, as opposed to a previous Lift and Swing Hinged Chamber Door we manufactured for an East Coast customer, features a manual swing door. The manual option on this 26″ x 62″ chamber is easily operated as demonstrated in the video below for a demonstration of the sterilizer door operation.

The latest development from Beta Star was a project developed by our cross-trained staff of mechanical and electrical engineers. Because this new sterilizer was much smaller than our 72″ x 86″ fully automated lift and swing sterilizer, the team was tasked with eliminating unnecessary costs tied to the fully automatic operation of the doors. In addition, the cost of ownership was significantly reduced by limiting the need for service and maintenance to keep the door operating correctly.

For any questions about this, or an upcoming unique sterilization project that you have, please contact us today.


watch the Lift and Swing Hinged Door operate

 

Blog

Our Brand New Logo

A Fresh New Look

At Beta Star, the team is constantly seeking ways to improve, evidenced by the completely redesigned LSII 20×20 sterilizer and mobile-friendly Beta Connect System. As part of the continuous desire to improve, we’re proud to launch our newly redesigned Beta Star Logo.

The new design highlights our longstanding commitment to providing outstanding sterilization equipment and service to the Life Science Industry. The clean, straightforward star logo design reinforces our promise to provide simple, and reliable sterilization equipment and service.