Cleanrooms are used in a wide variety of industries to filter pollutants such as microbes, dust, and chemical vapors. These controlled environments, when used in conjunction with protective clothing, equipment, and practices, keep people safe while allowing manufacturing, research, and even medical procedures to be performed.

To ensure consistency, standards have been created by both the U.S. General Services Administration and International Standards Organization. The military FS209E GSA standard was used worldwide prior to the November 2001 implementation of ISO 14644-1. Although the GSA standard hasn’t been maintained in over 15 years, it remains an important resource.

Several documents have since been added, including ISO 14644-2 through 10 and ISO14698-1 through 3. These documents outline terminology and measurement units, compliance testing standards, surface and air contamination definitions, and more.

Evolution of Cleanroom Technology

Over the past two decades, cleanroom technology has been greatly refined. Improved HEPA filtration, HVAC efficiency, construction technology, air diffusion and protective textiles are improving efficiency, while smart IoT-connected sensors are providing real-time monitoring and security.

The Internet of Things is one of the most important improvements to cleanroom technology for its ability to control everything from temperature to door locks, 24/7. Organizations can now optimize and automate a large majority of cleanroom operations.

HVAC and filtration are especially important in cleanroom design, as air-change rate ranges determine a cleanroom’s classification. The ACR is how many times the volume of air in the room is replaced per hour. In a normal home, the ACR is a maximum of 2, but cleanrooms can reach over 700.

More people needed to access equipment frequently requires a higher ACR to maintain ISO standards. Robotics and other automated tools assist in this process by limiting human access and environment breaches, providing a great ROI. A different ACR is also necessary depending on whether the cleanroom is as-built, at-rest, or operational.

Maintaining Cleanroom Standards

According to ISO standards, there are 8 classes of cleanrooms, each with different standards required for various applications. Each of the eight ISO classes is determined by how much particulate of specific sizes exist per cubic meter. See the chart below for reference.

Airborne Particulate Cleanliness Classes (by cubic meter):

The ISO standards necessary for each particular cleanroom should remain consistent across all equipment to ensure full protection. Without ISO adherence, contamination can cause equipment breakdown, quality degradation, explosion, illness, or death.

Each classification also has different testing requirements to ensure standards are being met. The following chart lists mandatory tests and frequency to maintain ISO compliance.

Required Testing (ISO 14644-2)

In addition to these tests, any class can perform optional tests for installed filter and containment leakage, recovery, and airflow visualization. These additional tests aren’t required for compliance but can help proactively maintain a cleanroom environment, especially in high-risk environments.

Monitoring and other cleanroom standards were updated as recently as December 2015. Much of these updates involve micro- and macroparticles as well as the procedural and operational limits and testing procedures necessary to minimize contamination.

Trusted Cleanroom Resources

At Cleanroom World, we’ve been supplying equipment, accessories, and clothing for cleanrooms in every classification across all industries for decades. Suppliers and manufacturers are especially responsible for maintaining proper cleanroom standards, and we make it our responsibility to thoroughly research and distribute only the highest quality products.

Whenever new technology comes out, whether it’s new microbe filtration technology, chemical-resistant textiles, or nanoparticle-repellent materials, we’re on top of it. All equipment is fully tested, certified, and guaranteed before it ever reaches our customers.

If you’re looking to build a professional cleanroom with state-of-the-art equipment, contact Cleanroom World today to have one of our professionals walk you through the process.