woman with long dark hair wearing a white lab coat and blue rubber gloves removes trays from an autoclave

What Is an Autoclave Machine Really Used for? [Applications, Costs & More]

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

Autoclave machines are mission-critical equipment in a variety of industries, from healthcare to biotech, ensuring equipment and materials are sterilized and safe for use. Whether you’re considering purchasing an autoclave for a new facility, replacing a broken one, or expanding your current sterilization capacity, understanding the ins and outs of autoclave technology is key to […]

image of worked pullin g items out of an autoclave

The Different Types of Autoclaves [& How to Choose the Right One]

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

Steam sterilizers — also known as autoclaves — are an essential piece of equipment in any laboratory, research, or healthcare setting, ensuring sterility for important equipment and instruments. Autoclaves are available in a wide array of designs, each tailored for specific applications, ranging from small-scale laboratory sterilization to large-volume industrial processes. Choosing the right autoclave […]

Guide to Autoclave Temperature and Pressure

10-Step Guide to Autoclave Temperature and Pressure

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

In labs and sterile processing departments, autoclaves play an important role in ensuring that equipment and instruments are free of contaminants that can compromise experiments, research, or patient safety. But how do these machines guarantee sterility? The answer lies in their use of temperature and pressure to create the kinds of environments that are lethal […]

What is a Process Challenge Device

What Is a Process Challenge Device?

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

Ensuring that sterilization equipment is effective and performs as intended is crucial for any lab or sterile processing department. To determine sterilizer efficacy, technicians rely on a process called validation, in which tools known as process challenge devices are used to measure their machines’ abilities to sterilize loads. In this blog post, we’ll take a […]

Alternatives-to-Ethylene-Oxide

Medical Device Sterilization: 4 Alternatives to Ethylene Oxide

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

With thanks to Emily Lorcheim of ClorDiSys Solutions for her contributions. Ethylene Oxide (EtO) is the man-made chemical that’s responsible for sterilizing roughly half of the medical equipment used in the U.S. today. The popularity of EtO as a sterilizing agent stems from its versatility — it’s compatible with a wide range of materials, highly […]

close up shot of gloved surgeon hands using tools

Autoclaves for Orthopedic Surgery: Best Practices to Follow

Written by: Arthur Trapotsis

In order to ensure patient safety and achieve successful surgical outcomes, orthopedic surgery centers (OSCs) need to sterilize all equipment — including implants — before use. As demand for total joint surgeries and outpatient procedures increases, so, too, does the total volume of implants, instruments, and other equipment that requires processing. Steam sterilization is one […]

Healthcare Autoclaves

CSS’ New Healthcare Autoclaves Are Full of Exciting Features

Written by: Scott Mechler

As of August 2, 2022, Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ new line of healthcare steam sterilizers have received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — and we couldn’t be more excited. Designed and manufactured specifically for use in healthcare facilities, including hospital and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), our healthcare autoclaves (Consolidated HC Steam Sterilizer models […]

mushroom growing in the forest

Autoclaves for Mushroom Cultivation

Written by: Scott Mechler

For mushroom growers, contamination from trichoderma, bacteria, mold, and more all pose a risk to your crop. Some of the leading causes of contamination are airborne contaminants and contamination from incorrectly sterilized or improperly pasteurized tools, substrates, and/or cultivators. One of the most effective ways for mycologists to avoid mushroom contamination is to establish a […]