Many manufacturing or industrial workplaces produce large quantities of liquid or gas materials. Whether the company needs to run some sample tests or send away a small amount of it for testing or legal clearance, they go through a process called grab sampling. What is grab sampling, and why is it such an important part of the process for many plants? Today, we’re looking at what grab sampling means, how companies utilize it, and what positive benefits the process creates for these industries.
What Is Grab Sampling?
Grab sampling, also known as spot sampling or lab sampling, is when workers, scientists, technicians, or other workers take a small sample of gas or liquid material from a much larger vat or tank. Traditionally, grab sampling stations allow workers to collect these materials in a metal cylinder that makes them easier to transport. Technicians work to maintain the best sample cylinder performance so that the process can go more smoothly and minimize the risk of any complications.
Industries That Utilize Grab Sampling
Since grab sampling is about the safe transportation of materials, many industries utilize this process to keep things running smoothly and safely. Chemical manufacturing plants can use spot sampling to analyze and further experiment on larger batches to see if they need to make any modifications. Apart from chemical manufacturers, other scientific research areas may install grab sampling stations. Even unusual branches of manufacturing may benefit from spot sampling stations, including soft drink factories that need to test the texture, flavor, and consistency of their beverages.
Why Sampling Is Important
Now that we know what grab sampling is, you may be asking why it’s important. Since we know that technicians and workers can take small samples of a product away, focusing on what they can do with these samples is crucial. First and foremost, many samples go to a laboratory or a third-party industry and undergo analysis to ensure that they adhere to all current legal requirements in the country or state. Maintaining sample purity is an essential part of the process. Grab sampling allows industries to process chemicals and gas products while limiting direct human exposure, which can prove beneficial and enhance the safety features in factories, plants, laboratories, and other industries where such batches are available.
More industries are turning to online analysis to speed up the analytical process and provide faster results while limiting exposure. Because of the physical disconnect from the product, it becomes more vital than ever that plants manage to have accurate, self-contained, and pristine samples with minimal complications.