A Cleanroom is a controlled environment where products are manufactured. It is a room in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled to specified limits. The only way to control contamination is to control the total environment. Air flow rates, pressurization, temperature, humidity and specialized filtration all need to be tightly controlled.
EBC-International use a particle counter to measure airborne concentrations according to the specified room class and the standard used.
1- Federal Standard 209 Defines a Clean Room:A Clean Room is an enclosed area employing control over the particulate matter in air with temperature, humidity and pressure control as required. To meet the requirements of a 'Clean Room' as defined by this standard, all Clean Rooms must not exceed a particulate count as specified in the air cleanliness class." This standard, first issued in 1963, has been used in the current version 209B amendment 1 since 1976. It is shortly to be re-issued, entitled "Airborne Particulate Cleanliness Classes for Clean Rooms and Clean Zones.
2- BS 5295 Definition a Clean Room:Environmental cleanliness in enclosed spaces". "A Clean Room is a room with environmental control of particulate contamination, temperature and humidity, constructed and used in such a way as to minimize the introduction, generation and retention of particles inside the room." This standard dates from 1976 and falls into 3 parts.
To reduce contamination levels in the product or services performed.
Contamination control technology concerns itself with every single thing that happens within the Clean Room. How items are handled, cleaned and stored, what equipment is used and the method of its use. What materials are used in the process and what changes take place to that material, what are the contaminants, where do they come from and how can they be eliminated. Clean Room technology is the part of the contamination control that concerns itself with the design facilities, air handling equipment and construction techniques. As such it deals with the removal of particles from the air and the levels of air cleanliness that can be achieved.
There are several available standards defining “cleanrooms”. These standards are commonly used in some specialized sectors like pharmaceutical or microelectronics. The most widely
Accepted standards of cleanroom are:
| Group | User | Applications | A | Semiconductors | Wafer Fabrication, Microprocessor, Large Wafer Sizes, IC, Hybrids, Flat, Panel Displays |
|---|---|---|
| B | Electronics | Computer, Compact Disc, Printed Circuits, Disk Drivers, Other Magnetic, Media, Sensor/Relays, Computer Peripherals |
| C | Pharmaceutical | Liquid Drug Filling, Biological Research, Botanical, Pharmaceutical, Preparations, Biomedical, Biotechnology |
| D | Aerospace | Defense Contractors, Satellites, Space Craft Instruments, Aircraft, Instruments |
| E | Food | Aseptic food Process, Beverage Filling, Cereal Manufacturing, Dairy, Pasteurization, Food Preparation, Agriculture |
| F | Medical | Surgical Transplants, Artificial Limb Production, Surgical Suites, Blood, Banks |
| G | Others | Automotive, Laser/Optics, Superconductor, Rubber/Plastics, Photography, Holography, Chemicals, Glasses |