Dust free Lab Laboratory Prefabricated ISO 7 Modular Clean Room

Class 10,000 cleanrooms require workers to wear fewer protective garments than cleanrooms with a lower classification but still require the use of cleanroom clothing such as face masks, hair and beard covers, and lab coats or other frocks to cover street clothing. In some ISO7 cleanrooms, coveralls and gloves may also be required. Cleanroom clothing is made from nonwoven fabrics to prevent contamination from shedding material fibers. Gloves are sterile and made from latex, nitrile or other synthetic materials.

Depending on industry and application requirements, other precautionary measures may be taken to control particle count in an ISO 7 cleanroom environment. Sticky mats are often placed outside of cleanroom entrances to remove dirt and other contaminants from shoes. Pass-thru cabinets fitted with filtration systems may also be used to safely transfer products while limiting the number of people entering and exiting the room.

Cleanroom requirements vary widely based on industry standards and the type of processes being performed. Always consult with a cleanroom professional for assistance in selecting the design and classification that are best suited for your application.

Common ISO 7 clean room requirements include:

Product pass throughs

HEPA fan filters

Heat welded vinyl or epoxy floors

Gowning atrium

Air locks

Air conditioners

Entrance and exit sticky mats

Sealed lighting

Bunny suit, booties, and hood requirements

Stainless steel bench and hands free sink

Air Change Rates & Classification

Cleaning the air itself is usually not the most difficult part of maintaining a cleanroom environment. Keeping the air clean is the biggest challenge. And to keep the air clean, you need to keep it fresh.

The air change rate (or ACR) of a cleanroom is a key factor in determining its classification. “Air change rate” refers to how quickly the air inside a cleanroom is pumped through and replaced with newly filtered air coming in from outside the cleanroom. How long does it take for fresh air that is pumped into a cleanroom to be exhausted out and replaced?

For ISO Class 9 through Class 6 cleanrooms, ACR is calculated by changes-per-hour; for Class 5 through Class 1 cleanrooms, ACR requirements are measured in meters per second of airflow. For example, an ISO Class 8 cleanroom requires a minimum of 10 air changes per hour—the air inside the cleanroom will be entirely “new” every six minutes or less. In a Class 5 cleanroom, air must travel through the room (from the filter input to the exhaust ports) at no less than 40 feet per minute.

What makes a Cleanroom Clean?

There are some important factors to consider when managing the level of airborne particles in a Cleanroom:

Supplying the room with a large quantity of air filtered with high efficiency filters (HEPA or ULPA) to dilute and remove particles, bacteria and chemicals from within the room. The air is also used to pressurise the room. This means that any contaminated air does not flow back into the room.

The Cleanroom itself must be built with materials that do not generate particles, contaminants or outgas airborne chemicals. These materials must also be easy to clean.

Cleanroom workers must wear garments that minimise the dispersion of particles and micro-organisms. As mentioned above, people are one of the biggest threats to potential air contamination.