A Life of a Lab from Need to Retirement: A Case Study in Automation

This work defines ten stages of a lab lifecycle implemented in an undergraduate engineering curriculum and exemplified using programmable logic controllers in a set of lab design exercises. The ten stages of a lab lifecycle ̶ need, conception, funding, purchasing, installation, development, deployment, enhancements, maintenance, and retirement ̶ are compared to the lifecycle of dynamic products, which are part of the technology push market drive. Then, an example of a lab lifecycle is provided using programmable logic controllers. The intended audience for this work includes professors designing new labs, lab technicians, lab assistants, lab coordinators, and administrators. They need to understand the importance and implementation of all these stages for scheduling, personnel planning, and funding purposes.