by Dan Petkanas, Senior Director, Head of Sales & Channel, Elemental Machines
Equipment is the backbone of discovery in biotech and pharmaceutical labs. But keeping it running reliably is harder than ever. From energy efficient freezers to specialized chromatography systems that are climate sensitive, modern scientific assets are as complex and expensive as they are essential. Yet many labs still rely on outdated methods to manage them. Spreadsheets and time-based maintenance plans persist, even as instruments grow more connected across the life sciences industry.
That gap is becoming costly. 73% of laboratory workers report unplanned downtime as a top limiting factor for productivity, and 67% say instrument maintenance is one of their top 5 challenges.1 As labs expand, automate, and digitize, they need more capable, integrated systems that allow them not to just track, but to monitor, optimize, and future-proof their equipment in real time.
The good news? Many labs already have the tools to begin. They just need to connect the dots.
Why Outdated Asset Management is Costing You More Than You Think
Poorly monitored or underused research assets create ripple effects that go way beyond repair bills and directly affect your lab’s bottom line. With the constant influx of more technology and the availability of even more connected equipment, making sure those data streams are connected AND telling the same story is a top priority.
Picture this:
- You have a fleet of -80°C freezers but no idea how often they are being accessed or the health of the unit
- Or consider that centrifuge everyone loves. It’s getting hammered with twice the expected usage, but your maintenance schedule doesn’t account for that. When it finally gives up mid-experiment, it’s not just about the repair cost
The real problem is the fractured view most labs have of their equipment: utilization data are typically anecdotal, calibration records are maintained by another team, and maintenance and service in another system of record. This means teams end up playing defense instead of getting ahead of problems, and that reactive position winds up costing precious time, money, and sometimes entire experiments.
Using Utilization Data to Drive Capital Planning
Moving beyond uptime and maintenance, asset data play a major role in purchasing and investment decisions. With true utilization tracking (measuring how often and how heavily equipment is used) paired with equipment criticality, lab managers can make sharper decisions about what to buy, when to service it, and what to decommission.
For example, a large research facility that implemented sensor-based utilization tracking discovered that two of its biosafety cabinets were used less than 10% of the time. This knowledge allowed them to repurpose this space to another department instead of investing in more: they saved time, budget, and valuable floor space. Similarly, heavily used instruments can be scheduled for more frequent preventive maintenance based on actual hours used, avoiding unexpected breakdowns and extending service life.
Integrating real-time usage data into capital planning tools also supports long-term forecasting. It helps labs to better anticipate replacement cycles, justify budget requests, and evaluate the return on investment of new technologies using objective, system-captured metrics.
A New Model: Asset Management Guiding Operational Intelligence
Today, forward-thinking labs are (or should be) shifting from reactive asset tracking to proactive asset intelligence. This is a superior approach that emphasizes:
- Understanding how assets are used
- Tracking their performance
- Predicting when they need attention
- Understanding equipment criticality as it relates to laboratory operations
It all starts with a foundation of real-time laboratory asset monitoring to detect problems as they happen. And it includes equipment utilization analytics to pinpoint how often and how heavily instruments are used, helping labs make smarter service decisions or avoid redundant purchases. Plus, it integrates compliance monitoring with audit-ready logs for temperature, humidity, calibration, and more — all in support of standards like ISO 9001 and 21 CFR Part 11.2,3
Note that these systems shouldn’t stand-alone. The most effective labs are pairing IoT monitoring tools with their existing Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs), Computerized Maintenance Systems (CMMS), and Quality Management Systems (QMS). Feeding real-world operational data into these systems allows all stakeholders at an organization to benefit from a unified platform that connects experimental and operational workflows. Further, it gives teams a clear view of what they did and the conditions under which they did it, leading to better science and enhanced reproducibility.
Case Study: Real-Time Alerts Prevent Six-Figure Sample Loss
Consider one biotech company that experienced an overnight HVAC failure, a scenario that could have compromised thousands of dollars’ worth of temperature-sensitive reagents stored in specialty fridges. With their previous LoRaWAN-based monitoring system, alerts arrived 10 to 15 minutes after an event began. That delay left a dangerous window in which staff weren’t aware of the situation and therefore couldn’t act, and other near misses had already raised concern.
After switching to a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh system, alerts began triggering immediately when defined thresholds were reached. Consequently, during a subsequent incident, staff were able to intervene faster to easily save more than $100,000 of research-critical materials. The system’s speed, simplicity, and battery-powered sensors also enabled deployment across multiple floors without repeaters or complex infrastructure upgrades.
This is what modern asset management looks like: intelligent, connected, and fast enough to make a real difference.
Building Smarter Systems With What You Already Have
The prospect of overhauling an entire asset management framework can be daunting, to say the least. But it doesn’t have to start from scratch. Many labs already have foundational tools in place. The key is connecting them.
Environmental and equipment monitoring sensors can now feed straight into LIMS or ELNs to link physical conditions to experimental records. Equipment usage data can be visualized through web-based dashboards to show trends in wear, idle time, or overuse or feed into CMMS to automate repairs. And calibration logs can be centralized and automated to reduce audit stress and support regulatory success.
What formerly required expensive, enterprise-scale platforms can now be built modularly, using simple-to-install sensors and APIs. This kind of interoperability enables labs to scale gradually and strategically, adding monitoring where it matters most — whether that’s in high-value assets, regulatory hot spots, or failure-prone equipment.
Compliance Starts With Data Integrity
As regulations tighten and audits become more detailed, data integrity has become a pillar of laboratory compliance. Standards like ISO 9001, 21 CFR Part 11, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), and other GxP guidelines all emphasize reliable, traceable records.4 That’s where modern asset management systems shine.
The cost of a third-party GMP audit can range from a few thousand dollars to over $20,000 USD, so compliance preparation can be a big investment.5 With automated monitoring tools, environmental data are logged continuously. Calibration checks can be time stamped and validated digitally. Plus, all records are stored securely with digital traceability, making them easily accessible during inspections.
The bottom line: When equipment, usage, and environment are monitored together, labs meet regulatory expectations and create a culture of accountability and confidence.
From Fragmented to Future-Ready
Ultimately, asset management is a scientific enabler, not just a lab operations or facilities function. The more connected a lab’s tools are, the better labs can protect experiments, plan, and optimize their operations. Transforming everyday asset data into practical intel can reduce downtime, extend equipment life, improve compliance, and even help laboratorians make smarter decisions. The best part? It lets labs do more with the tools they already have.
And that’s the promise of modern asset management: It’s a better way to understand and act on the systems already in place.
Making It Happen: Your Next Steps
Building a smarter asset management system doesn’t require starting over or breaking the bank. Most labs already have the essential pieces: solid instruments, digital systems, and talented teams. What’s usually missing is the connective framework that allows these components to work together.
Today’s platforms are giving labs contextualized data they can actually use. When you can see environmental conditions, usage patterns, calibration histories, and compliance records all in one place, you get the clarity you need to make fast, confident decisions. Whether you’re trying to protect valuable samples and material, validate equipment purchases or service contracts, or increase your lab’s daily output, success comes from having connected visibility and real-time information at your fingertips.
Here’s what lab leaders should focus on moving forward:
- Track how your equipment is actually being used. You might be surprised by what’s sitting idle and what’s getting overworked. While this is a large part of running a compliant organization, it’s also about protecting your work and maintaining research integrity. Modern connectivity options like BLE mesh networks give you better coverage and faster alerts without requiring major infrastructure overhauls
- Leverage equipment usage into equipment criticality; understand exactly what truly is vital to your lab operations and what you have excess of without realizing
- When you connect operational data with your existing LIMS, ELN, CMMS, or QMS systems, you’re creating context that makes both your research data and audit preparations stronger. Plus, you’re leveraging the foundational connection across multiple business functions. Asset management has evolved from equipment tracking to scientific enablement. When labs have the intelligence they need to act quickly and strategically, they can push boundaries, think bigger, and accomplish more with the resources they already have.
About the author
Dan Petkanas is a leader in the digital transformation of laboratories, drawing on years of experience gained from driving impactful change across hundreds of laboratories globally. His deep expertise spans research and development (R&D), compliance, and manufacturing, where he is pivotal in optimizing data integrity, maximizing laboratory asset utilization, and ensuring seamless equipment compliance and connectivity. At Elemental Machines, Dan’s strategic vision is instrumental in empowering laboratories to achieve new levels of operational efficiency, data accuracy, and regulatory excellence.