04 Oct What are Cleanrooms Used For? A Quick Overview

What does a new vaccine, a television, and a spacecraft all have in common? Each one depends on cleanrooms for its existence. In our quickly changing world, many devices that used to be analog are now becoming digital or electronic. This shift towards the computerization of everything has created a massive demand for microchips and other tiny parts that need cleanrooms to build them. As a result, they are being used more and more over time. In this article, we’ll cover a few of the different industries that use cleanrooms and what they use them for.

Cleanrooms in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Cleanrooms are very common in the pharmaceutical industry. In processes like drug manufacturing and compounding, clean spaces are necessary to control and prevent contamination as much as possible. Even small particles can affect the sterility of medicines, which can by extension lead to product recalls or even harm patient health.

The pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated, so they have to follow strict guidelines enforced by the FDA. Most spaces have to follow cGMP and GMP rules, both of which set standards for cleanliness and procedures within them.

The whole process of drug development must be closely monitored, and clean spaces help prevent particle contamination and help meet the many regulations and requirements of the industry.

Cleanrooms in the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry

The semiconductor industry is another one of the most well-known users of cleanrooms. Since many microchips are now found in TVs, phones, computers, cars, and other devices that we may not even realize they’re in, the need for cleanrooms has grown tremendously.

Electronics manufacturing in general tends to require them because even a tiny speck of dust can cause malfunctions or damage to parts and products. As a result, they are often stricter than ones that only need to prevent contamination by microorganisms.

As devices become smaller and more complex, the need for cleanrooms in this industry will only continue to grow.

Cleanrooms in the Biotechnology and Medical Device Sector

In biotechnology and medical device manufacturing, cleanrooms are important to keeping products that interact with the human body as safe as possible. This includes products like surgical tools, artificial joints, and even diagnostics equipment.

If the products have to go inside the human body, then it is even more important that they be free of particles, and such instruments/devices will have to be made in stricter environments than, say, stethoscopes.

Similarly, for processes like tissue engineering, cleanrooms enable scientists to grow cells and tissues without the risk of contamination, as even a slight contamination can lead to product failure or danger to patients.

Cleanrooms in the Aerospace Industry

Cleanrooms are also an important part of manufacturing in the aerospace industry. They are commonly used to build/maintain spacecraft, satellites, and many of the high-tech devices that go within them, such as GPS systems.

Similar to the electronics industry, dust and tiny particles within spacecraft can cause malfunctions, which of course puts human lives at risk.

Cleanroom regulations used in the aerospace industry include ISO standards for cleanroom classifications and monitoring, NASA contamination control guidelines (NASA-STD-8739.6), and MIL-STD-1246C.

Cleanrooms in Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Similar to the pharmaceutical industry, the food and beverage industry cleanrooms are used to protect food hygiene at various stages in the manufacturing process. For example, in processing dairy products, sterile spaces are necessary to reduce the risk of spoilage and contamination, as well as to meet health/safety standards.

Standards in this space are controlled by various regulations (depending on the exact products), including those from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What Cleanrooms are Used For: The Bottom Line

We have mentioned a few of the most common industries that use cleanrooms, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. As we’ve mentioned already, electrical parts are being placed into more and more products that we use for daily life, and in the future, this will only continue to increase.

Cleanrooms are typically used to either reduce the number of particles in general (as in electronics and aerospace manufacturing), or else are used to reduce exposure to microorganisms, which can affect the sterility of products (as in pharmaceuticals and the food and beverage industry). In both cases, they are responsible for the safety and quality of many of the products we enjoy and depend on today.

FAQs About Cleanrooms

1. How do cleanrooms get so clean?

Cleanrooms are able to achieve their cleanliness levels through advanced airflow/HVAC systems, which include HEPA/ULPA filters, pressure controls, and more. Also, cleanroom workers have to follow strict protocols and procedures in order to keep them clean. Garments like gloves, masks, and coveralls are used to prevent introducing as much contamination as possible.

2. What is the difference between a modular cleanroom and a permanent cleanroom?

Modular cleanrooms are pre-fabricated and built in sections called “modules.” Without getting too deep into the details, they are essentially cleanrooms that can be built quickly and later adapted or moved as needed. As you might expect, this can give businesses a lot of flexibility, which would not be possible in “permanent” (or traditional) ones.

3. Can cleanrooms be used in hospitals?

Yes, absolutely. Cleanrooms are often used in hospitals, especially for places like operating rooms or isolation rooms, but you will also find them in pharmaceutical compounding areas and ICUs.