Rational acquisition of laboratory equipment: an accurate mathematical model to estimate the trade-offs in shared and nonshared equipment

Scientific equipment, such as high-end electron microscopes, entails considerable costs for acquisition, maintenance and operation. Efficient use of these instruments requires thoughtful allocation of access among multiple users. This task may be aided by a thorough statistical analysis that combines cost modelling and queueing theory. In this work, we propose a framework for estimating the hourly access cost and the average waiting time, based on equipment characteristics (price, lifespan and operating hours), user patterns (cycle and acquisition times) and staffing assumptions. In this way, we derive expressions that help estimate the optimal number of users and service congestion levels. The methodology is general and applicable to many types of shared scientific infrastructure. We illustrate its use with realistic cryo-electron microscopy scenarios. To facilitate adoption, we provide an open-access online calculator implementing the model at https://i2pc.es/coss/Programs/equipmentCost.html. This tool can support evidence-based decision-making in equipment planning and policy design.