Introduction
Laboratories today are under considerable technical, economic, and regulatory pressure. Increasing quality requirements, more complex analytics, increasing digitalization, and a tightening regulatory framework are changing the way laboratories are organized and managed. In this environment, maintenance is no longer a purely technical side issue. It is a central component of modern laboratory management—with a direct impact on data quality, auditability, costs, and the long-term performance of a laboratory.
A structured maintenance planner forms the backbone of professional device and test equipment management. Especially in conjunction with test equipment monitoring, calibration, and measuring equipment management, it becomes clear why simple solutions no longer meet today's requirements.
Maintenance in the context of laboratory digitization and laboratory management
Maintenance as part of comprehensive laboratory digitization
Laboratory digitization means much more than simply replacing paper with software. The goal of modern laboratory digitization is to map processes in a transparent, traceable, and interconnected manner. Laboratory management encompasses organizational, technical, and quality-related aspects in equal measure: from sample logistics and equipment management to test equipment monitoring.
In this context, maintenance is not an isolated process. It directly influences the availability of equipment, measurement reliability, and the validity of results. Without structured integration into laboratory management, media discontinuity, information loss, and unnecessary risks arise.
Connection between maintenance, equipment management, and test equipment management
Every analytical system is both an operating resource and a testing resource. Maintenance intervals, calibration intervals, and the current device status are closely linked. Effective testing resource management requires consistent documentation of maintenance histories, calibration statuses, and approvals. This is precisely where fragmented solutions quickly reach their limits.
Modern laboratory management software is therefore increasingly pursuing integrated approaches. Platforms such as LabThunder how maintenance, test equipment monitoring, and device statuses can be brought together in a consistent system—without artificially separating these processes from one another.
Maintenance planning and calibration: two sides of the same coin
Why maintenance and calibration go hand in hand
Maintenance ensures the technical functionality of a device, while calibration ensures its metrological accuracy. Both processes pursue different goals, but are inextricably linked in technical terms. Calibration of a technically unstable system makes just as little sense as maintaining a system without valid calibration status.
Both aspects must therefore always be taken into account in the context of test equipment monitoring and measuring equipment monitoring. Maintenance intervals influence calibration intervals, and conversely, calibration results can provide indications of necessary maintenance requirements.
Benefits of a combined maintenance and calibration calendar
An integrated maintenance and calibration calendar provides clarity and planning reliability. It enables:
- early planning of shutdowns
- better coordination with laboratory operations
- Prevention of unplanned downtime
- clear status statements on device usability
From a technical perspective, this combined approach improves compliance with standards, increases device availability, and reduces operational risks. Modern systems—such as LabThunder therefore rely on combined calendar and status models to map maintenance and calibration together in a single process.
Regulatory framework: Standards and requirements
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 as the central reference
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 is the authoritative standard for testing and calibration laboratories. Among other things, it requires:
- systematic test equipment monitoring
- documented maintenance and calibration
- Traceability of device statuses
- Ensuring measurement reliability
In later references, it is often abbreviated as ISO/IEC 17025, DIN EN ISO 17025, or DIN ISO 17025. Regardless of the spelling, the content requirement remains clear: devices must be suitable, monitored, and maintained in a traceable manner.
Other regulatory contexts
Structured maintenance and test equipment management is also relevant outside of traditional testing laboratories. In a GMP or GLP laboratory, additional requirements apply to documentation, traceability, and risk minimization. GLP equipment must have a defined status at all times that can be reliably verified in an audit.
A maintenance planner is therefore not only an organizational aid, but also a key compliance tool.
The 12 reasons why a maintenance planner is indispensable today
1. Higher device availability
Planned maintenance reduces unplanned downtime. A maintenance planner ensures that interventions are carried out in good time and that laboratory operations are not unexpectedly interrupted.
2. Ensuring measurement reliability and data quality
Only properly maintained and calibrated systems deliver reliable results. Maintenance is therefore a direct factor in the quality of analytical data.
3. Systematic test equipment monitoring
A maintenance planner supports structured test equipment monitoring and facilitates compliance with defined intervals for maintenance and calibration.
4. Auditability and traceability
Audits require complete documentation. Maintenance histories, status changes, and approvals must be traceable—a clear advantage over unstructured lists.
5. Better cost control
Scheduled maintenance is cheaper than emergency repairs. In addition, service costs, spare parts, and external services can be evaluated transparently.
6. Extending the service life of equipment
Regular maintenance increases the service life of equipment and protects investments in the long term.
7. Knowledge retention in the laboratory
Maintenance measures, anomalies, and empirical values are not lost but are systematically documented—independently of individual persons.
8. Clear responsibilities
A maintenance planner clearly defines responsibilities. Tasks are assigned, deadlines are visible, and escalations are traceable.
9. Improved resource and personnel planning
Maintenance windows can be integrated into laboratory operations at an early stage. Personnel and equipment planning becomes more reliable.
10. Transparency regarding device statuses
The current status of a system—operational, under maintenance, locked—is clearly visible at all times. This reduces operating errors and risks.
11. Future viability of the laboratory
Laboratories that map maintenance digitally and in an integrated manner are better prepared for growing requirements—both technical and regulatory.
12. Professional conduct both internally and externally
Structured laboratory management signals quality, reliability, and professionalism—to employees, customers, and auditors alike.
Digital laboratory management software such as LabThunder how maintenance data, calibration status, and system conditions can be consistently consolidated without overwhelming the user with complexity.
Differentiation from simple solutions
Limitations of Excel, lists, and individual tools
Many laboratories start with Excel or simple spreadsheets for test equipment monitoring. Free test equipment monitoring software or isolated applications may also seem sufficient at first glance. In practice, however, structural limitations quickly become apparent:
- Lack of connection between maintenance and calibration
- No consistent test equipment management
- high manual maintenance effort
- Limited transparency regarding device status
- limited auditability
Free test equipment monitoring software can be useful for very small environments, but it hardly scales with increasing device numbers, staff turnover, or regulatory requirements. Professional test equipment management software and test equipment administration software therefore rely on integrated models that jointly map maintenance, calibration, and measuring equipment management.
Conclusion
Today, a maintenance planner is much more than just an organizational tool. It is a strategic component of modern laboratory management and is closely linked to test equipment management, measuring equipment monitoring, and calibration. In particular, the combination of a maintenance planner and a structured calibration calendar creates transparency, security, and efficiency.
In an increasingly digitized laboratory environment, simple lists and individual tools are no longer sufficient. Laboratories that want to ensure long-term quality, compliance, and cost-effectiveness cannot do without integrated solutions. A maintenance planner—embedded in a holistic laboratory management system—is therefore no longer an optional extra, but an indispensable basis for professional laboratory work.
Frequently asked questions about the maintenance planner in laboratory management
What is a maintenance planner in a laboratory?
A maintenance planner is a structured system for planning, performing, and documenting maintenance measures on laboratory equipment. It maps maintenance intervals, responsibilities, equipment statuses, and histories, and is usually part of a laboratory management or equipment management solution.
Why is a maintenance planner indispensable in today's laboratories?
Modern laboratories work with complex, cost-intensive systems and are subject to strict quality and standard requirements. A maintenance planner ensures that equipment is always operational, compliant with standards, and audit-ready. Without structured maintenance planning, the risk of failure, costs, and compliance gaps increase.
How does a maintenance planner differ from simple test equipment monitoring?
Simple test equipment monitoring—such as via Excel or isolated tools—usually only records calibration dates. A maintenance planner also takes into account technical maintenance, device statuses, lockouts, histories, and responsibilities, and links this information in a process-oriented manner.
What role does DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 play in maintenance management?
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 requires systematic test equipment monitoring, documented maintenance, regular calibration, and complete traceability. A maintenance planner supports the implementation of these requirements in a structured and audit-proof manner.
Is test equipment monitoring with Excel not sufficient?
Test equipment monitoring Excel may work for very small laboratories in the short term. However, with an increasing number of devices, staff changes, or audit pressure, Excel quickly reaches its limits: lack of transparency, high manual effort, and low reliability.
Is there any free test equipment monitoring software available as an alternative?
Free test equipment monitoring software can provide an initial introduction, especially in very small laboratories or with a manageable amount of equipment. In practice, however, such solutions often only cover certain aspects. Maintenance, calibration, equipment status, responsibilities, and auditable evidence are usually not fully integrated, which leads to increased manual effort and limited transparency as complexity increases.
At the same time, there are now modern SaaS-based laboratory management solutions such as LabThunder, which do not require in-house IT operations and follow a usage-based pricing model. By billing according to the number of user accounts actually required, maintenance, testing equipment, and calibration processes can be structured and standardized even with a manageable budget. This creates an economically viable alternative between free individual solutions and classic, cost-intensive enterprise systems.
LabThunder:
✅ Digital logbooks instead of paper chaos
✅ Thunder AI - central intelligence for faults & questions
✅ Smart & predictive maintenance prevents breakdowns
✅ More independence from external service
✅ Up to 50% fewer service calls
✅ Easy to use - no IT required
Contact us today for a free demo:
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