Equipment Catalog. A publication with a systematically arranged listing of products available from the company issuing the publication. Usually focused upon a limited product line such as laboratory equipment, industrial equipment, safety products, etc.
Things to Consider: Paper and/or online, Manufacturer or distributor, In-stock items or special orders, Completeness of information/specifications, Minimum orders, Shipping polices (some companies will not ship outside of continental USA for example), Published prices, Currency for prices, Frequency of revision/re-issue, Warranty and return policies.
Industrial Equipment. This generally refers to the various tools and equipment used by plant maintenance and production personnel working in an manufacturing environment. This equipment includes material handling equipment, such as fork lifts, lift carts, conveyors, and pallets; sanitation equipment such as floor washers, pressure washers, and cleaning materials; and safety equipment such as protective clothing, safety glasses, and steel-toed shoes.
Things to Consider: Application, Function, Indoors or outdoors, Fuel and power sources, Manual or automatic, Safe use and operation, Hazards, Agency Approvals, Ergonomics, Maintenance procedures, Service support, Warranties.
Laboratory Equipment. This generally refers to the various tools and equipment used by scientists and technicians working in a laboratory; equipment used to perform experiments, take measurements, or gather data. These include tools such as Bunsen burners, and microscopes, laboratory glassware, as well as high-end specialty equipment such as conditioning chambers, spectrophotometers, calorimeters, autoclaves, etc.
Things to Consider: Application, Function, Indoors or outdoors, Fuel and power sources, Manual or automatic, Safe use and operation, Hazards, Agency Approvals, Ergonomics, Maintenance procedures, Service support, Warranties.
Equipment: Skids and Fab Shops. Skids, also called pallets, are flat transport structures that support goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift truck, a pallet jack, or other jacking device. A pallet is the foundation of a unit load design, which can be as simple as placing the goods on a pallet, and securing them with straps or stretch-wrapped plastic film. Fab Shops, fabrication shops, are fixed or portable facilities stocked with equipment and supplies required to maintain, repair, duplicate, or create components required for systems operation. The equipment stocked depends upon the process being serviced.
Things to Consider: SKIDS/PALLETS: Size and description, Schematic drawing with dimensions and component placement, Length x width x thickness of top deck and bottom deck and stringer (block) and stringer board, Number of components, Nail specification, Number of nails per connection, Quality of nails, Tolerances for pallet size and component sizes, Allowable lumber species, Minimum lumber grades, Moisture content of lumber, Load weight requirements, Maximum pallet deflection, Pallet durability, Equipment capability (rackable/conveyable/forklift and pallet jack entry), Destination (domestic or international), Markings, Manufacturer member of National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, Construction according to Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA) available at www.nwpca.com/IndustryStandardsSpecifications/UniformStandardforWoodPallets.pdf; FAB SHOPS: Bid, Project record, Capabilities: Engineering, Steel detailing, CNC machine programming, Raw materials sourcing, Cutting and burning, Forming, Machining, Welding, Final assembly, Specialty processes, Higher level specializations such as electrical or hydraulics or prototyping or sub-contract manufacturing.
Used Equipment. Pre-owned equipment that has been repaired, refurbished, and, if applicable, re-tested, and is being offered for sale at prices significantly less that new equipment of the same type. Often sold with limited guarantees.
Things to Consider: Application, Function, Indoors or outdoors, Fuel and power sources, Manual or automatic, Safe use and operation, Hazards, Agency Approvals, Ergonomics, Maintenance procedures, Service support, Warranties, Certifications, Service history, Records of damage and repairs.
