Timekeeping

Clocks, stopwatches, timers, timer controllers, and other accessories that help indicate, record, or track time or elapsed time. Products are used to accurately measure the duration of experiments, procedural steps, and other time-critical processes.

Laboratory timers, clocks, and stopwatches are essential items of equipment found in most laboratories, educational settings, and other workplace environments. Although some timers, clocks, and stopwatches have traditional mechanical movements, most modern electronic digital versions now offer quartz crystal reliability and accuracy down to 0.005%. Some models are radio-controlled by a remotely transmitted time signal and offer even greater accuracy.

Applications include:
• Recording the elapsed times or durations of various procedures, processes, or phenomena
• Performing time-critical procedures or processes according to pre-ordained and pre-set times
• Providing time of day information

Timing Device Features and Options
• Single or multifunctional models, the latter with combined timer, stopwatch and clock capability, and multichannel models that can be used simultaneously with three or four different processes
• Pocket-sized timers, benchtop timers or wall-mounted clocks, and water-resistant models for outdoor use or for other challenging environments
• Bright backlit LCD or LED digital or analogue displays – some timers, clocks, and stopwatches also have extra-large digits for easy readability at a distance
• Count-up or count-down functionality, with audible, visual, or even vibrational alarms at time-out
• Various memory options, including reusable programmable settings for recurring and routine lab experiments
• Most timers offer a resolution typically down to 1 second; stopwatches offer far greater resolutions often down to 0.01 seconds
• Many laboratory timers, clocks, and stopwatches are supplied with certification traceability to standards provided or recognized by the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)