Introduction to Clean Room Supplies:
There might be different definitions as to just what is a "clean room", but
in the general case, a clean room is a work area where absence of
particulates, generally in a highly controlled temperature and humidity
environment is maintained, in order to protect equipment and/or items being
produced such as silicon chips or biomaterials from damage or particulate
contamination. Clean rooms are always a part of any production process
involving silicon wafers and chips, or biomedical materials and devices as
well as samples destined for examination by electron microscopy, where the
smallest amount of contamination could ruin a sample.
Another feature common to all clean rooms is that the air is constantly filtered to remove any air borne particulates that could again, be deliverious to the items being produced or to delicate equipment or instrumentation.
Quantitative measurement of clean room quality:
The worldwide accepted definition of clean room quality is described in U. S. Government Federal Standard 209. Clean rooms are rated as "Class 10,000,"
where there exists no more than 10,000 particles larger than 0.5 microns in
any given cubic foot of air; "Class 1000," where there exists no more than
1000 particles; and "Class 100," where there exists no more than 100
particles. A "Class 10" clean room would be a cleanroom operating to an
even higher standard. Note that the standard addresses the issue of
particulates and not the control of other environmental parameters such as
temperature or humidity.
As the clean room "class" gets lower and lower (higher and higher quality), the cost to maintain such a facility escalates higher and higher. So one does normally want to use a clean room that is to a standard beyond what it needed for their particular kind of work.
For workers doing electron microscope sample preparation, unless clean room quality assessment is indeed their main mission, working with clean room Class 10,000 is probably good enough. But for someone having the need to assess particulate levels in a clean room operating to a Class 1000 level, their samples should be getting prepared in a clean room operating to an even better standard, for example, class 100.
For another point of reference, hard disk manufacturing usually is done under conditions of a Class 100 clean room.
Those working in clean rooms must wear special protective garments that are absolutely non-linting including special "booties" on covering their shoes. These items are sold with "ratings" that specify the level of clean room rating to which they are "rated".
The products offered by SPI Supplies were originally developed for use in and around electron microscope laboratories but they have been found to be quite acceptable and reasonably priced for use in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and biomaterials applications.
Polyester 100%, Continuous Filament Yarn
Class 1
Microfiber Wipers
Clean Room Rated Wipers
Non-Clean Room Applications
Duster products
SPI "Two-in-One" Easy Duster™ (11 oz)
