Right-sizing automation: Aligning cage wash investments with staffing, wellness, and long-term costs

Labor costs and staff retention pressures are forcing vivarium leadership to take a harder look at cage processing—one of the most physically demanding and resource-intensive functions in animal facility operations. Coryne Casey of ZGF Architects presents a comparative analysis of cage wash automation options across the full spectrum, from manual and semi-automated equipment to fully integrated robotics, examining how facility scale determines which tier delivers the best return. She quantifies how each level of automation affects full-time equivalent staffing requirements, ergonomic burden and staff wellness outcomes, and total lifecycle cost—equipping facilities planners and institutional decision-makers with the economic and operational framework to make automation investments that pay off in both the budget and the workforce.