Cleanrooms: Functions and Areas of Application
A cleanroom is a controlled environment that has an extremely low concentration of pollutants like chemical vapors, aerosol particles, and dust. Cleanrooms have predetermined conditions that set the number of particles per cubic meter depending on the required level of purity in the room. Such rooms are used in a myriad of industries where particles can hinder the production process.
Industries Where Cleanrooms are Used
Cleanrooms differ in complexity and size depending on the sector where they are used. In such rooms, there is strict adherence to conditions such as pressure, humidity, and temperature. Below are some of the industries where cleanrooms are used:
- Food and drink industry
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Electronics and semiconductors
- Nanotechnology
- Medical services
- Sterile Compounding
- Biotechnology
- Optics
- Micromechanics
- Automotive industry
Cleanroom Supply Requirements
Special clothing and equipment are required in a cleanroom to ensure that no particles leave the wearer’s body and contaminate the environment, which could be detrimental in a cleanroom setting. Some of the supplies allowed in cleanrooms are:
- Shoe covers or cleanroom shoes (such as Purus Cleanroom Shoes)
- Sleeves
- Hoods
- Gowns
- Gloves
- Glove liners (such as Purus Pure Touch Glove Liners or Purus Cut Resistant Glove Liners)
- Masks
- Tacky mats (such as Purus Biohybrid™ Mats)
- Cleanroom-safe paper (such as Purus PureImage Paper)
Ensuring that only cleanroom-safe supplies are used in cleanroom settings helps to reduce the risk of contaminants like bacteria and debris entering the work zone so that an optimal production environment can be maintained.
The Importance of Having Proper Cleanroom Equipment
Cleanrooms require proper, ISO-certified equipment in order to work optimally. Such apparatuses are necessary for maintaining sterility inside the rooms and keeping temperature, pressure, and humidity at the required levels. This ensures that air quality standards are met and the manufacturing or production occurring inside the cleanroom can run successfully. Equipment could break down or product quality could diminish without proper cleanroom equipment and supplies that prevent stray particles from entering the environment.