f you’re managing a formal cleanroom you’ll be conforming to ISO 14644-1 and any other applicable local, federal and international standards that regulate everything from air filtration to your choice of lab furniture. Increasingly, cleanroom standards are used by companies that do not require them, but still use them to ensure consistent manufacturing and research procedures are used in conjunction with these standards in order to provide the best possible quality and yields. A workspace free of excessive air particles makes virtually any manufacturing process more consistent. That is why, even if you don’t operate a full-blown cleanroom, you can make use of the following principles to improve air quality.
Laminar Airflow: There are several laboratory furniture products that can improve airflow and prevent dust, smoke and other particles from spreading through an area. Laminar Flow Lab Benches use the principle of laminar flow to direct airflow into isolated streams. Particles released in one stream are isolated from the others.
Positive Air Pressure: Positive air pressure is a simple, effective concept that prevents outside particulate matter from floating into your lab or other workspace. Whenever there’s a breach in the space due to a door or window opening, a break in floor or wall material, or any accident, positive air pressure pushes outside air away.
HEPA Filtering: A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is essential in formal cleanrooms and useful in other contexts where manufacturing or research creates volatile or otherwise hazardous air particles. If you want clean air, your airflow control system should include a HEPA filter. The Laminar Flow Bench includes a HEPA filter. Remember, though that workspace filtering doesn’t affect direct contact, so remember to take normal safety precautions with hazardous materials.
Cleanroom Workbench Surfaces: A cleanroom laboratory table that meets moderate cleanroom standards can prevent problems in almost any manufacturing environment by keeping contamination to a minimum. For instance, if you can easily wipe a table clean, without worrying that particles will adhere, you can prevent contamination from the build-up of particles such as metal, plastic, and other materials. This may increase the duty cycle of your manufacturing machines by ensuring that it’s only processing raw materials, and none of the ambient grit in the workspace.
At RDM Industrial Products we can provide complete cleanroom furniture solutions for everything from workshops that you want to make just a little cleaner, to full standards-compliant cleanrooms. Contact RDM and a representative will match your needs with the exact solution you require.