6 Most Used Cleanroom Consumables

Cleanroom consumables include packaging, furniture, accessories, and equipment that critical environment use for daily operations. Cleanroom equipment plays a vital role in controlled environments – the areas that require strict environmental conditions to maintain compliance. These environmental conditions often include temperature and air quality, which must be controlled precisely.

One of the ways to maintain optimal environmental conditions inside a controlled environment is to have adequate clean room consumables. It means that you should use garments, wipes, eyewear, footwear, and cleanroom packages specifically designed for controlled environments. That way, you mitigate the risk of contamination and airborne particles that could affect the safety and functionality of the products manufactured inside.

In this article, we’ll go through the 6 most commonly used types of cleanroom supplies and explain the key features of each consumable on the list.

Cleanroom Consumables Market: Statistics

According to recent studies, the global cleanroom consumables market was valued at over $3,5 billion in 2020. And some predictions claim that it’ll reach $6,6 billion by 2030. The main reason for that lies in the pandemic, which has fostered the implementation of different measures to prevent infection and preserve the quality of the product. Therefore, cleanroom consumables like gloves, face masks, and shoe covers have become a necessity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for cleanroom consumables has significantly increased. With the increase of contamination-free facilities, including places for COVID-19 sample testing, the cleanroom consumables market has begun to gain traction and grow. Additionally, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies have started using more cleanroom tools and equipment for drug and vaccine development, which is another way the COVID-19 outbreak fostered the growth of the cleanroom consumables market.

6 Most Used Cleanroom Consumables in Controlled Environments

There are certain protocols and standards that apply to personnel and products entering the cleanroom. To maintain optimal cleanliness levels, personnel must get rid of contamination before entering a controlled environment and make sure the product specifications meet ISO class requirements.

The following are the most commonly used cleanroom supplies and must comply with cleanroom standards in order to be used inside a controlled environment.

1.      Cleanroom Packaging

Cleanroom packaging is available in the form of bags, films, and tubing, and its purpose is to protect an item from the surrounding contamination. To ensure optimal protection and cleanliness levels, cleanroom packaging must be produced from raw and clean materials, including virgin resins and non-SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) resources. In addition, materials used for cleanroom packaging must be manufactured inside an ISO-classified environment to avoid any sort of contamination.

Many industries use cleanroom packaging for their daily operations. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most commonly used material for industrial and cleanroom purposes, and it’s available in various thicknesses, lengths, and widths. In some cases, they can be further processed to meet the needs of multiple applications. However, some industries may benefit from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly tubing. LDPE Bags

LDPE, or low-density polyethylene bags, are versatile and ideal for general cleanroom application. They are often used for storing electronic components and similar items, as their strength and moisture-barrier capabilities deliver the utmost protection to sensitive objects. LDPE cleanroom bags are often double- or triple-bagged so that they remain clean while they’re used. Learn more about LDPE bags.

2.      Cleanroom Gloves

Cleanroom gloves are another essential cleanroom consumable. Since almost 70% of contamination comes from the operators’ hands, it’s quintessential to select a pair of gloves specifically made for cleanroom purposes.

Cleanroom gloves are designed to protect the staff’s hands from chemicals, heat, and abrasion. At the same time, gloves offer substantial protection against cross-contamination and submicron contamination. They are available in various styles and materials, including latex, nitrile, PVC, neoprene, and chloroprene.

Wearing gloves in a cleanroom is important for mitigating submicron particle contamination that could damage the product or the manufacturing process. Gloves for the critical environment are manufactured in an ISO-classified cleanroom, maintaining the highest levels of cleanliness and compliance.

There are many types of industrial gloves available on the market, but not all are suitable for cleanrooms. So, stay away from powdered or textured gloves as tiny ridges might rub off, causing contamination.

Appropriate cleanroom gloves are ISO-classified and washed to prevent any particles from getting into contact with the product, preventing potential submicron contamination.

3.      Cleanroom Wipers

Wipers have many purposes inside a cleanroom. Aside from removing traces of contamination from all the areas within a controlled environment, they are frequently used to wipe and clean products. A wiper is a critical cleanroom consumable because it can clean anything inside a critical environment, including:

• Operators’ gloves
• Cartwheels
• Inner protective bags with production supplies
• Work surfaces
• Production equipment
• And more.

Highly-efficient cleanroom wipers can pick up wet and dry contaminants from any surface or equipment. You can apply a certain amount of adequate solvent or solution to a wiper or use a pre-saturated wipe to address a critical area.

When looking for the best cleanroom wipers for your particular requirements, pay attention to the wiper’s construction, size, materials of construction, edge treatment, type and amount of inherent contamination, durability, and packaging. In addition, ensure to choose a proper wiper for your particular cleanroom class:

4.      Cleanroom Apparel

The role of cleanroom apparel is to separate the product from the personnel. It works as a barrier that keeps your manufacturing process safe from contamination generated by the staff.

Depending on your cleanroom requirements, you can choose between reusable and disposable cleanroom apparel. Although reusable garments meet the needs of most cleanrooms, some instances require you to wear disposable apparel. For example:

• Situations when reusable cleanroom clothes could be contaminated with hazardous substances
• For small facilities where laundered garments are costly
• For visitors
• For new employees whose uniform has not arrived yet
• In less stringent cleanroom environments (ISO Class 10,000 and above)
• In emergency situations.

All industries that use cleanrooms must have appropriate garments to prevent the spread of contamination coming from the staff. Whether you select reusable or disposable cleanroom garments, ensure you go for the following:

Other critical parts of cleanroom apparel include beard covers, sleeve covers, face veils, frocks, lab coats, etc. Essentially, you’ll choose cleanroom consumables that meet your needs and cleanroom classification standards.

5.      Cleanroom Accessories

Cleanroom accessories encompass anything from benches and tables to storage lockers. Like other cleanroom products we mentioned, accessories used inside a controlled environment must meet the ISO standards and match your industry requirements.

When it comes to cleanroom accessories, choosing the right materials is of vital importance for establishing a safe and particle-free environment. Cleanroom often uses custom-built furniture for packaging, sitting, or inspecting the products.

Other accessories include cleanroom vacuum cleaners, storage lockers, cabinets, and cleaning equipment.

6.      Cleanroom Documentation

Cleanroom documentation is another important cleanroom product. Stationary and paper products used inside a controlled environment are made of low particulate filler and latex-coated fibers that prevent contamination. Regular paper and office supplies made of cellulose shouldn’t be used inside a controlled area because they may significantly affect the zone.

Cleanroom documentation involves all the items used to take notes or complete procedure paperwork. They are specifically formulated to ensure no particulate contamination is trapped inside them, and thus, they won’t be able to spread particles and affect the product manufacturing process. Cleanroom documentation usually features polypropylene, latex, and Mylar materials.

Products covered by cleanroom documentation include the following: