Metro Lab & HPLC Carts

Why Labs Put Instruments and Supplies on Metro Carts

Bench space is the scarcest resource in most labs. Every instrument, waste carboy and box of consumables that sits on a bench is space a scientist cannot use. Mobile carts move that load off the bench and let it follow the work: an HPLC system can roll to the fume hood or the service corridor, a chemical cart can carry containers between rooms with spill protection, and a glassware cart can shuttle clean and dirty glass to and from the washer.

Most Metro lab carts are built from MetroMax i, Metro’s polymer shelving system with corrosion-resistant polymer shelf mats and posts. Metro states that MetroMax i shelves and polymer posts carry a lifetime warranty against corrosion, which matters in labs where acids, salts, disinfectants and constant humidity attack painted steel. For cleanrooms and aseptic areas, Metro also offers Type 304 stainless steel carts that can go through cart washers.

Labs USA supplies Metro carts and shelving to research, clinical, pharmaceutical and university labs from Salt Lake City. When you know the cart type, the Metro Utility Carts configurator builds a valid cart, totals it and rates freight to your dock.

Metro HPLC Experiment Carts

High-performance liquid chromatography systems are tall stacks of modules: solvent reservoirs, pumps, autosampler, column oven, detector and a computer. On a bench they take up a lot of space. Metro’s HPLC experiment carts stack the modules vertically on a mobile MetroMax i frame so the whole system takes a small footprint and can be moved for service.

Metro lists four versions. The 5-shelf carts (HPLC1X3 single and HPLC2X3 double) ride on 74-inch mobile posts; according to Metro, the single cart includes five 24 x 30 inch shelves, four solid and one open grid. The 4-shelf carts (HPLC3X3 single and HPLC4X3 double) are lower, and Metro notes that casters are not included on the 4-shelf models, so add them to the order. A double cart holds two systems or one system plus its computer and supplies side by side.

4-shelf double HPLC cart

Casters are ordered separately.

Mobile desk lab cart

Monitor, keyboard and instrument storage.

General lab cart

Moves instruments around the lab.

Chemical, General and Mobile Desk Lab Carts

Beyond HPLC, Metro offers several ready-configured lab carts built from MetroMax i parts. They differ by shelf type, ledges and accessories rather than by frame, so choose by what the cart carries.

The chemical cart is the one to choose for anything that can spill. Solid shelves and perimeter ledges mean a tipped bottle stays on the cart rather than reaching the floor, and the mats lift out for cleaning. The carboy caddy keeps heavy waste or solvent carboys low and stable, which is safer than carrying them by hand. The mobile desk turns a cart into a small workstation, for example beside an instrument that needs a computer.

For everyday transport, the MetroMax i lab utility carts come in two- and three-shelf versions in 18 x 30 and 24 x 36 inch sizes, with solid mats or a solid top. Metro describes these lab versions with total-guard polymer and stainless steel casters for long life in lab environments and an ergonomic extended handle.

Carboy caddy

Keeps carboys low and stable.

Two-shelf lab utility cart

Solid top for samples and supplies.

Glassware Tote and Basket Carts

Glassware moves constantly between benches, the washer and storage. Metro’s glassware carts use a space-saving 18 x 36 inch footprint and come in tote and basket versions with two- or four-container capacity. According to Metro, the solid MetroMax i bottom shelf provides spill retention and lifts out of the frame for cleaning, and the carts are built primarily from MetroMax i polymers for corrosion protection.

Casters are not included on the glassware carts, so choose them with the cart. Metro offers all-polymer casters for maximum corrosion resistance, which suits wet glass-wash areas. Use tote carts where glassware travels in closed totes and basket carts where it goes straight into washer baskets.

Glassware basket cart

Two- or four-basket capacity, 18 x 36 in.

Stainless Steel Carts for Cleanrooms and Pharma

Polymer carts suit most labs, but aseptic processing, sterile compounding and some cleanrooms call for stainless steel that can be sterilized and cart-washed. Metro’s Grade A pharma carts, such as the CRLS433NFS, are built with Type 304 stainless steel shelves, corners and posts. Metro describes them as fully cart-washable with 5-inch polyurethane casters, two swivel and two brake.

Classification applies to your room and process, not to a cart alone. If the cart will enter a classified area, confirm the spec sheet and documentation with your quality and contamination control team before ordering.

Casters, Handles and Accessories

Casters decide how a lab cart feels and where it can go. Polyurethane casters roll quietly and do not mark floors. All-polymer casters resist corrosion in wet and chemical areas. Brake casters hold a cart still while an instrument runs or a container is filled. If a cart crosses thresholds, elevator gaps or rough corridor floors, larger casters reduce jolts that can spill solutions or upset instruments.

• Add casters where Metro lists them as not included (4-shelf HPLC carts, glassware carts)
• Use brake casters on any cart that holds a running instrument
• Choose all-polymer casters for glass-wash and wet areas
• Add ledges or solid mats wherever liquids travel
• Plan power strips and cable routing on instrument carts

Planning Lab Carts

• List the instruments or containers each cart carries and their weights
• Measure doors, elevators and the narrowest point on the cart route
• Note the chemicals and disinfectants the cart will meet
• Decide where carts park when not in use

For shelving that matches these carts, see our MetroMax polymer shelving for labs guide; for stainless benches, see Metro TableWorx lab tables.

Metro Lab Carts by Type of Lab

The right mix of carts depends on what the lab does every day. These are the patterns we see most often when we help labs plan carts alongside shelving and benches.

• Analytical and QC labs. HPLC and LC-MS systems are the main reason to buy carts. Double HPLC carts free the most bench space, and a mobile desk beside them gives the operator a place for the data station. Keep a general lab cart free for moving columns, standards and solvent bottles.
• Clinical and hospital labs. Sample and supply transport dominates. Two- and three-shelf lab utility carts with solid mats carry racks of tubes and kits between receiving, processing and the analyzers, and their lift-out mats make daily disinfection practical.
• Research and university labs. Shared equipment moves between rooms and groups. General lab carts and mobile desks let a shared instrument travel, and chemical carts with ledges make container moves between stockrooms and labs safer.
• Pharmaceutical and compounding. Stainless carts that can be cart-washed suit aseptic and classified areas, while polymer carts serve the support spaces around them.
• Glass wash and media prep. Glassware tote and basket carts with all-polymer casters handle the wet, high-humidity conditions of the wash room.

Most labs need fewer carts than they think, but the right ones. A cart that is parked full of supplies is really shelving on wheels, so plan dedicated carts for jobs that move and use fixed shelving for storage.

Ergonomics and Safety When Moving Lab Loads

Pushing carts is one of the most frequent manual handling tasks in a lab, and small choices change how hard it is. Load the heaviest items on the lowest shelves to keep the center of gravity low and the cart stable. Push rather than pull where possible, and use the extended handle on the MetroMax i lab utility carts so staff stand upright. Keep liquids in closed containers or behind ledges, and never stack loose bottles on an open grid shelf.

Plan routes as well as carts. Measure door openings, the gap at elevator thresholds and the tightest corner on the route, and check whether the cart will pass through fire doors or airlocks. A cart that is a few inches too wide for a doorway becomes a cart that never leaves the room. If you are unsure, send us the dimensions and the route and we will check the cart sizes before you order.

Cleaning and Long-Term Care

Lift-out MetroMax i shelf mats make cleaning simple: remove them, wash them by hand or in a cart washer, and replace them. Rinse after disinfectants that leave residue, and inspect casters periodically, since hair and debris in the wheels make carts hard to push. Stainless carts should be cleaned with the grain and rinsed after chloride-based disinfectants. Lead times vary by cart and accessories, so ask for current lead times with your quote. Call (801) 855-8560 if you want help choosing.

Related Pages

• Metro Utility Carts configurator — design and price lab carts online
• Metro configurator hub — all Metro online configurators
• MetroMax polymer shelving for labs — cold rooms, vivaria and SPD
• Metro cleanroom furniture — gowning benches, racks and Starsys
• Metro TableWorx lab tables — stainless benches for labs