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Tom,

We recently moved the EM Lab and the Fluorescence Imaging facility (FIF)
to a new building.

For the Bio-Rad 1024 MP we have a room that we are trying to keep dust
free by putting sweeps under the main entrance door. The fan for the laser
is placed above the false ceiling and it minimizes heat and noise. The
temperature in the room is 68-70 F and we can locally control it +/- 2 F.
Anything beyond that the HVAC people have to adjust their computer
settings. We have remote dimmer switches on the microscope console. The
user does not need to leave his/her chair to turn lights on/off. The
cordless dimmer controls a set of incandescent lights.

The EM Lab/FIF facility area is sitting on a extra thick concrete
foundation and this foundation is isolated from rest of the building. The
EML/FIF wing is one storied and nothing is aove us. No chance of vibration
coming from above.

The SEM and TEM chillers/ rotary pumps are placed behind a set of heavy
movable doors.  That minimizes noise to a great extent. We have two large
hoods with digital controls. All the rooms have minimum four separate
electrical circuits. The mercury lamps for our fluorescence microscopes
are connected to a completely separate circuit. The chillers are connected
to separate circuits. The computers are also on separate circuits. All the
circuits are well-marked so that the electricians will have no problem
identifying problems with any of them. Every room has several data/voice
jacks on the wall.

Both TEM and SEM rooms have remote/cordless dimmers for a set of
incandescent lights. All doors in TEM/SEM/dark rooms have door sweeps to
prevent dust from coming in. The set temp in the TEM/SEM rooms is 68-70 F.
The fresh air supply ducts in all the rooms have special air filters and
they don't blow air directly to any particular area in the rooms. This is
a big relief for ultramicrotome users. We have a set of lockers for all
the users to store their samples, diamond knives etc.

The entry to the EML/FIF suite is through a set of double door and we put
heavy door mats in between two doors to reduce dust coming into the labs.

This dust precaution is mainly because we are in southern New Mexico and
it is famous for spring time dust stroms.

The only problem we have is that our dark room is not directly connected
to the TEM room. So we have to come out to the main lab and then enter the
dark room. Having the dark room next to the TEM room with a light tight
revolving room is very essential (if you are still using films).

Also make sure you do not have overhead sprinklers above the microscopes.
Malfunction of those may cause damage to the scopes. We still have those
in our facility, and we are looking into relocating them.

Overall, we are extremely happy with our new facility. The microscope
rooms are spacious and it really helps when we have large group of
visitors/users.

If you have any further questions, please contact me off line.

Soumitra


*************************************************************
Soumitra Ghoshroy Ph.D.
Director, Electron Microscopy Lab
Graduate Faculty, Department of Biology
Box 3EML
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Tel: 505-646-3268 (office), 646-3283 (lab)
Fax: 505-646-3282
e-mail:[log in to unmask]
URL:http://confocal.nmsu.edu/eml

On Fri, 2 Aug 2002, Tom Budd wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> listers
>
> some of you have been exchanging messages concerning new facility
> design.  we are just starting that process and it would be helpful if
> those of you who have done this could share your experience with me.  we
>
> are designing a multi-user core facility with TEM, SEM/EDS, Confocal,
> fluorescence and possibly AFM.  I'm aware of the usual concerns about
> vibration, electric fields, etc. but i would certainly benefit from
> learning the "finer" points that you have run into in your process.
>
> thanks in advance.
>
> tbudd
>
>
>
> --
> Dr. T. Budd
> Chair of Biology
> St. Lawrence University
> Canton, NY 13617
> Phone = 315-229-5640
> Fax = 315-229-7429
> E-mail = [log in to unmask]
>
> This message is made of 100% recycled electrons!
>