For any lab, purchasing additional equipment or making the decision to upgrade existing equipment is always a challenge. It can be difficult to assess the benefits of the replacement or upgrade, and there is always the issue of finding the dollars in the budget.
With that in mind, it is still easier to upgrade, replace or add equipment on a planned schedule. By choosing to replace, upgrade or augment current DNA testing with an Illumina DNA sequencer as a planned purchase, rather than waiting until current equipment fails, there is more time shop around and get the best prices.
There are several reasons to plan for an upgrade to a used or refurbished Illumina DNA sequencer. These signs can be easy to miss, or they may be very evident through talking with technicians and laboratory staff.
The Need For NGS
Today, the majority of all sequencing is done through NGS or next-generation sequencing technology. Offering very high production and extremely low possibilities of errors in the reading process, this becomes a superior option to Sanger sequencing for most labs.
Lack of Testing Ability
The Illumina DNA sequencer can be used across genomes, even those which are challenging and difficult to sequence. With the ability to use NGS technology on all regions of the genome without the errors associated with other sequencing methods, the lab can process greater samples with high levels of accuracy.
Accuracy in Testing
In developing the technology, Illumina sequencers were put through rigorous trials and tests. The results were significant, demonstrating a consistent quality score with sequencing that beat the competition. In tests, this quality score recorded at less than 0.1% chance of a base being called inaccurately.
Compact, automated and user-friendly, the Illumina sequencer technology is a proven positive and effective addition to any lab.