06 Aug What is a Modular Cleanroom? Definition, Benefits, and More
In some industries, contamination control is a necessary part of doing business. Many manufacturing processes, including those in aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors, require pristine conditions to create products. As a result, scaling up operations can be a logistical nightmare. Traditional cleanrooms take time and money to build, resources that many growing businesses don’t have. Modular cleanrooms offer an excellent solution to this problem, as they can be deployed quickly and at low costs. In this article, we’ll cover what a modular cleanroom is, its benefits, and more.
What is a Modular Cleanroom?
A modular cleanroom is a controlled environment assembled from prefabricated parts. They work like standard cleanrooms in that they are designed to maintain certain cleanliness levels, but they are more easily set up, expanded, or downsized than traditionally built ones.
Modular cleanrooms may be made from a variety of materials, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP). As with standard cleanrooms, they can include features like HEPA/ULPA filters systems, temperature and humidity controls, and anti-static flooring.
What are the Benefits of Modular Cleanrooms?
Modular cleanrooms have a variety of benefits over traditionally built structures. Here are a few of the biggest advantages for businesses.
Flexibility
One of the main benefits is their flexibility. Businesses can expand or modify the cleanroom as needs change, which is something that would take an enormous amount of resources (both time and money) with traditional construction. This is especially important with fast-growing businesses or those with unpredictable needs.
Cost-Effectiveness
Further, modular cleanrooms often cost less than traditional cleanrooms. This is because prefabricated parts reduce construction time and labor costs (both on-site and off-site). Also, since the parts are made in a factory, there are less likely to be extra costs, such as weather delays, material waste, and construction delays.
Quick Installation
Setting up a modular cleanroom is also much faster than building a traditional one. Prefabrication allows for quick assembly on-site, and that further minimizes downtime for businesses.
Customization and Compliance
Finally, modular cleanrooms may be customized to meet aesthetic, operational, and regulatory requirements. They can comply with various standards the same way that traditionally built cleanrooms can, including ISO, cGMP, and USP.
Applications of Modular Cleanrooms
As we mentioned above, cleanrooms are essential to many manufacturing processes, and modular cleanrooms are no exception. Here are some major industries that use modular cleanrooms, as well as what exactly they use them for.
Pharmaceutical Industry
In pharmaceuticals, modular cleanrooms are necessary for maintaining product sterility and purity. They are used in drug manufacturing, sterile compounding, and packaging.
Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing
Similarly, the electronics industry uses them to create the particle-free environments necessary to produce semiconductors, microchips, and other sensitive parts.
Healthcare and Medical Devices
Hospitals and medical device manufacturers also rely on modular cleanrooms to create clean and sterile environments for surgeries, research, and the production of medical devices.
Aerospace
Finally, in the aerospace industry, they are used to protect product integrity. A single particle can cause a lot of problems in GPS systems, satellites, and spacecraft components, so preventing potential contamination is often a matter of life and death.
The Bottom Line
Modular cleanrooms are a flexible and low cost solution for businesses that need to build particle-free environments under fluid or uncertain conditions. They have a huge variety of advantages over traditional cleanrooms, including quick installation, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. When choosing between modular and traditional cleanrooms, it’s important to create a checklist to evaluate your specific requirements carefully.
Need help designing your next cleanroom? Allied Modular offers expert guidance and customized solutions. Contact us today to get a free quote.