In many types of applications and uses, especially in the development of medical devices and parts, clean room molding is essential. It is not just essential in many cases; it is required by a set of standards which is universally accepted to indicate the room and the environment in which parts are developed are free from contaminants.
Typically staff working in a cleanroom will have to wear specialized clothing, including gloves, masks, and even suits to prevent dust and contaminants to the air from entering on their body. In some cleanrooms, but not all, the staff may have to enter through an airlock system that may or may not include an “air shower” system to literally blast off any dust or airborne contaminants.
What is a Cleanroom?
There are several different designations that can be used for any cleanroom. Depending on the type of clean room molding standard being used there can be different standards in place to correspond with each other through the different designations.
In the cleanroom, all contaminants, including airborne particles, vapors, pollutants and even dusty and microbes have to be below the specified level. The most commonly used standards are the ISO 14644-1 standards that also convert to the FED STD 209E standards.
The size of the clean room molding area can be small or very large, that will depend entirely on the facility. All air entering into the cleanroom will be filtered using HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) or ULPA (ultra-low particulate air) filters. Some cleanrooms may use both filtering systems.
All equipment and supplies used in a cleanroom are carefully selected to avoid the creation of any airborne particles, dust or the risk of introducing microbes into the air. However, it is important to keep in mind that clean room molding does not have to be done in a sterile environment; rather the air quality is controlled.
Special Standards
While a company offering clean room molding services will be using a specific set of standards for operating their cleanroom, these standards can often be adjusted if the buyer requires enhanced standards.
If there is a concern about the standards used in any facility offering clean room molding it is important to discuss your specific requirements well in advance of making the decision to use the company.
Virtually all clean room molding will be injection molding processes. The top companies already offering these services should be your go-to options for any orders of this type.
