National Catalog of Scientific Equipment and Consumables

2022: Launch of the project "People's Catalog of Scientific Equipment and Consumables"

Russia In launched the project "People's Catalog of Scientific Equipment and Consumables." It was created Coordination Council on Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Presidential Council on Science and Education in conjunction with the Youth Council. VOIR This was announced on July 22, 2022 by representatives of VOIR.

The project is a website with a register of modern equipment and consumables produced in Russia or Belarus. It was created on the basis of reviews from scientists who successfully use Russian devices. The purchase of new equipment abroad and the repair of existing imported devices have become much more difficult due to rising prices and an increase in delivery times. So the idea of ​ ​ the project was born.

In the current situation, it is necessary to consider two aspects of the relationship between science and business, - explained Nikita Marchenkov, chairman of the Coordination Council, head of the Kurchatov complex of synchrotron-neutron research at the Kurchatov Institute. - The first of them is what science can do for industry, that is, what import substitution problems can be solved by scientists. The second is what business and industry can do for science, and here we should talk about equipment and its development. I am convinced that when the catalog is fully operational, there will be an awareness that there is enough equipment and consumables in Russia.

According to the scientist, at the same time it will become clear which areas of production are not covered and where it is worth focusing efforts. Enterprises will be able to develop due to the growing demand for their services.

Often, domestic manufacturers find it difficult to compete with foreign suppliers due to the strong marketing of foreign companies and the skeptical attitude of society towards goods produced in the Russian Federation, "explained Olga Tarasova, chairman of the Youth Council of the All-Russian Society of Inventors and Rationalizers (VOIR). But in fact, there are many worthy enterprises in Russia, including small technology companies that produce competitive products - from metrological equipment to consumables.

With an increase in demand for Russian goods, inventors, engineers and rationalizers at enterprises will have the opportunity to improve their product line, work on industrial design, Olga Tarasova is sure.

As of July 22, 2022, there are more than 600 items from 30 manufacturers in the catalog, which is already freely available. You can use the search bar to find the desired part, reagent, or instrument. In addition, filters with hashtags, place of production, scope of equipment and its type are available.

The idea of ​ ​ a catalog of Russian equipment appeared in 2015, - said Sergei Adonin, a member of the Coordination Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Presidential Council for Science and Education. - Then I had the task from scratch to equip the room of the chemical laboratory. I picked up various small equipment necessary for work, and somehow the question appeared by itself - is it possible to find all this done in Russia? Then it was about relatively simple things - pumps, analytical scales, magnetic stirrers, microscopes, drying cabinets.

Having searched for information on the Internet a little, Sergei Adonin came to the conclusion that many goods are also made in Russia, and often they turned out to be much cheaper than imported ones. True, usually more time had to be spent to find domestic things. As an experiment, the scientist decided to equip the laboratory mainly with domestic equipment.

The experience turned out to be generally successful. Yes, some of the Russian devices lost to foreign ones in design, but in general it was possible to work on them normally, which we did and still do, - said the scientist. - Moreover, in recent years, manufacturers have begun to work on design, quality, and assortment - there are more and more really interesting offers. Alas, colleagues do not always learn about useful new products on time. In addition, there is still a stereotype (although it is gradually being destroyed, and this is good), as if Russian goods are always obviously worse than foreign ones - no, this is not so, it happens in different ways.

According to Nikita Marchenkov, before massively promoting the project, it is important to fill the catalog as much as possible with existing examples of equipment and reagents being developed in Russia. He explained: in science there is the term "avalanche effect." Starting with some accumulated mass, called critical, a chain reaction begins. That is, first the process starts artificially, and then it goes on itself.

First, you need to gain the very critical mass in the form of the number of equipment and potential suppliers, as well as provide a system of information and feedback. Then the system will develop itself, - the scientist believes. - But misfires are unacceptable, the system should "shoot" the first time.

It is assumed that the catalog will be constantly updated. They expect to replenish it with the efforts of all people who know about such goods and are ready to spend a couple of minutes to send information - this can be done in a Telegram chat or by e-mail. In addition, it will be possible to leave feedback based on your experience to help colleagues choose the best product, as in popular online stores.