Product innovation is the process of developing a new product
or enhancing an existing one to satisfy any needs in a creative way. Product innovation in
industrial laboratories enables the expansion and evolution of products over time and being
relevant. It is believed that an industry's capacity for innovation is critical to its long-term
survival. Moreover, it can be highly lucrative and rewarding for innovators who invest their
time in it when it becomes successful (Guthrie, 2021). In an industrial laboratory, scientific
research is conducted in the goal for technological advancements. When it comes to industrial
project laboratories, there are numerous products that are used for a variety of purposes.
When choosing items for an industrial project laboratory, generally factors such as budget,
laboratory size, specific research goals, and regulatory restrictions are considered. This article
discusses about the essential procedures of innovating a fume hood in an industrial project
laboratory.
Fume hoods play a vital role in the ever-evolving field of laboratory safety. These vital pieces
of equipment serve a crucial role in maintaining experiment integrity in addition to providing
protection for researchers and laboratory workers (Sharma, 2023). Fume hood is the primary
instrument for limiting inhalation exposure to hazardous chemicals and the most often used
local exhaust ventilation system in laboratories. They provide a significant degree of
protection for users when operated appropriately and they are designed to protect workers
from breathing dangerous gases and particles. They are widely used in industrial shops,
medical testing labs, university research labs, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
Fume hoods are box-shaped structures that are often placed at table top level with a movable
window at the front called a sash. They contain baffles which helps maintain a constant
airflow across the face of the hood. A bypass grill is also located as it helps in maintaining a
uniform face velocity when the hood is kept closed. A port at the top of the hood enable fans
to draw hazardous gases out of the hood, which they then capture, control, and exhaust. The
mechanism of air flow within a fume hood is depicted in figure 01. There are a variety of
types of fume hoods which are, high performance, general lab use, walk-in, ductless filtered
and acid resistant etc. This article focuses on the innovation process of a general lab use
fume hood.