A cleanroom is a facility in manufacturing companies where research and production take place. What makes this area special from other production areas is the materials used here need to be protected from microscopic particles while still holding normal production safety standards. Mu Space, a leading aerospace company, has cleanrooms in both its factories and will have another in their latest announced factory as well.
A cleanroom is vital for manufacturing companies looking to serve quality products at an efficient level. Especially with products involving nanotechnology, cleanrooms are a must. Mu Space has started to develop and use nanotechnology therefore having a cleanroom is of absolute importance to the company, and on top of that keeping it clean goes another mile.
Purpose of a Cleanroom
With nanotechnology becoming more prevalent in the manufacturing industry, the use of cleanrooms has weighed up significantly as well. Nanotechnology, are miniaturized components that are used in production to keep structures small and light. Due to the technology being small, there is a constant risk of it being contaminated through the smallest of particles therefore cleanrooms are essential for nanotechnology. mu Space, in its past event, unveiled its latest satellite which has nanotechnology integrated into some of its components, including its high-powered battery. This nanotech was created in-house at the cleanroom facility which mu Space has in both its factories. Being a vertically integrated company, mu Space has the advantage of making sure that any component making it to that final structure of a satellite has gone through quality control at its highest demand.How to keep a cleanroom clean?
A production factory already has standards that it must uphold to have a safe working environment. But in this case, how do you keep something that is supposed to be extensively clean, unblemished?
Gowning
One essential way of keeping the room clean is to have anyone entering the room completely clean. Gowning is a way to do just that, by having employees wear protective clothing, the company lessens the risk of human particles damaging their cleanroom. One may not think about this, but humans are constantly letting out particles from their skins and in many cases their, hair. It is not required to attend a cleanroom with a full protective suit it could be just a body cover without anything to cover the face, however, in aerospace companies, it is vital to go with the full suite. Preparation to enter the cleanroom must start before one even gets to work, as perfume and make-up are prohibited in a cleanroom. Perfumes and make-up let out fumes and particles that could cause harm to the materials in production. Mu Space fully suits its employees before entering the cleanroom as the facility is an essential part of the production process.
Cleanroom Furniture & Air Filtration
Everyday-use furniture constantly gives out particles, for that reason, they are not the optimal material to have in a cleanroom. It is suggested that furniture designed to support the cleanroom facility will help keep a consistent production quality. It is also better to have a lot of cabinets and shelves as these types of storage spaces are away from the ground. Cleanrooms are designed to be able to filter the air so that the inside remains spotless and anything with potential harm is filtered out of the room. This is done through a system that forces filtered air into the room and in the process, pushes out any air with harmful particles. Mu Space has this system installed in both their facilities as airborne particles are always a big risk in cleanrooms.Air Shower and Sticky Flooring
These two processes are less prevalent in cleanrooms however they are still a contributing factor in keeping the facility clean. Air Showers can be outside cleanrooms, where an employee must enter the Air Shower every time before entering the cleanroom. The air shower will make sure that the smaller particles are taken care of, once that process is done the person may enter the room. On the other hand, sticky flooring takes care of particles that could be stuck to a person’s sole or on a furniture wheel. The reason this is not as prevalent is that there are alternatives like a sticky mat. However sticky flooring, unlike sticky mats, can last much longer and function better towards its purpose. Mu Space has its own state-of-the-art Air Shower chamber, requiring every individual to enter the facility before using the cleanroom.
A cleanroom is vital for manufacturing companies looking to serve quality products at an efficient level. Especially with products involving nanotechnology, cleanrooms are a must. Mu Space has started to develop and use nanotechnology therefore having a cleanroom is of absolute importance to the company, and on top of that keeping it clean goes another mile.
