A room that provides technical cleanliness for industry and production
The requirements for the cleanliness of components and parts have increased significantly in recent years. In many branches of industry, production within a room that provides technical cleanliness has become standard – e.g. in the automotive industry as well as in mechanical engineering, in plastics technology and electrical engineering. Even the smallest dirt particles in the production environment can lead to quality problems. The purity of parts and components is therefore becoming increasingly important.
The VDA 19 standard on technical cleanliness (ISO 16232 at international level) is authoritative in this area. Among other things, it offers classifications for technically clean areas, which is taken as the basis for the design of rooms with technical cleanliness.
A Room That Provides Technical Cleanliness or a Cleanroom?
While particle sizes of up to 600 microns are tolerated in rooms with technical cleanliness, a much lower limit (<= 5 microns) applies in cleanrooms.
However, in terms of their basic structure, cleanrooms hardly differ from rooms providing technical cleanliness. Both system rooms can be adapted variably to the requirements. The differences lie in the dimensioning of the cleanroom technology used (ventilation and filter technology) and thus in the purchase and operating costs of the facility.
A room that provides technical cleanliness with constant, defined conditions according to VDA 19, is often completely sufficient in production areas. This leads to an economical solution that also meets cleanliness requirements. Thus, unnecessary investment in cleanrooms and the associated operating costs are avoided.
The Difference Between a Cleanroom and a Room Providing Technical Cleanliness:
| Cleanroom | Room providing technical cleanliness | |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Particles | Partikel |
| Particle size | <= 5 microns | up to 600 microns and beyond |
| Measuring environment | in the air | on components |
| Norm | DIN EN ISO 14644-1 | VDA 19 Technical cleanliness (International: ISO 16232) |
| Design and construction | largely identical | largely identical |
| Ventilation and filter technology | high complexity; typical 30 – 160 air changes/hour, 300 or and higher is feasible | average complexity from 10 air exchanges/hour |
| Acquisition/operating costs | costs are higher than those for a room providing technical cleanliness | cost are lower than those for a cleanroom |
The Way to the Room Providing Technical Cleanliness
In the first step, we work with you to determine the current status with regard to cleanliness (e.g. by measuring dust particles) in the relevant production areas. This includes production methods, process sequences and other product-specific conditions.
The result is a list of the various cleanliness areas with their corresponding cleanliness level.
Evaluation and Determination of a Tailor-Made Room Providing Technical Cleanliness
Once possible sources of contamination have been identified and it is known how the product is contaminated, it can be decided whether a room providing technical cleanliness is sufficient or whether a cleanroom is required. Finally, we present you with a cost-effective concept that optimally and efficiently takes all requirements into account so that the desired cleanliness can be achieved.
In implementing our modular system, you benefit from the advantages of our rooms with the proven room-in-room system. These are highly flexible and efficient solutions that create a controlled environment for your individual clean production process.
Classification of Cleanliness Areas
| Non-regulated area | Clean Zone | Room providing technical cleanliness | Cleanroom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isolation of potentially critical areas | – | ✓ e.g. floor markings, partition walls, ceiling aprons | ✓ fixed installed structural limitations | ✓ fixed installed structural limitations |
| Regulation of cleanliness within the area and cleanliness with respect to the transfer of materials and personnel to adjacent or other areas | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clean air technology that goes beyond room air-conditioning | – | – | (✓) | ✓ |
| Distinctive “room-in-room system” with airlock concept | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Classification in accordance with VDA Volume 19 Part 2 | Cleanliness level 0 (SaS0) | Cleanliness level 1 (SaS1) | Cleanliness level 2 (SaS2) | Cleanliness level 3 (SaS3) |