Cleanrooms are controlled environments used in the manufacturing and research of pharmaceuticals or in the assembly of semiconductor and aviation applications. They are designed in a way to have a minimal level of particulate matter like microorganisms, dust, pollutants, and other molecules. The permissible level of these impurities in a room depends on the product being tested or assembled in the room. As the design and form of these cleanrooms need to be altered according to the product being tested, a lot of companies resort to modular building companies to help install a cleanroom, which is flexible in architecture while fulfilling the requirements. Here are a few factors that you need to pay attention to while deciding on a modular cleanroom structure:
Flexibility
Modular building companies offer structures that are known for their flexibility. A cleanroom installed in one part of the factory might need to be relocated elsewhere for some other product testing or assembly. You may also need to make alterations to its structure (walls, primarily) as per the requirements of the new assembly. These factors should be kept in mind before choosing the wall material of the room. If you need a stationary cleanroom, then a drywall with an epoxy paint will work well. For industries carrying out a variety of product testing, a movable wall-paneled room can be a better option.
Cleaning Agents
A cleanroom should be kept clean and free from contamination to not disturb the assembly and the testing of the products within it. Most cleaning agents work well epoxy-painted, vinyl, or fiberglass walls, without eroding them or causing the epoxy coating to chip or break. However, in pharmaceutical industries, the environment in the cleanrooms must be highly sanitized and sterile. They might require strong cleaning agents which will cause the walls of the room to corrode. For such applications, stainless steel walls with a special cleanroom coating can be installed to offer better insulation.
ISO Standards
For some products, the cleanroom should qualify specific ISO standards. ISO standards are specified in terms of a number ranging from class 1 to class 9. The smaller the number, the cleaner your room. Pay attention to such requirements, and only then determine the structure and the wall specifications (material and thickness) for the room.
Surrounding Environment
A cleanroom is isolated from its surroundings by keeping the amount of the particulate matter found in the air to a minimum in the rooms. Apart from this primary criterion, other factors that a cleanroom should be isolated from are temperature, humidity, sound, light, and mechanical or air pressure. For such cases, thicker walls with higher R-values (insulation value) should be chosen to control the temperature and heat settings in the room. For aviation industries, which require heavy assembly and installation rooms that suit the requirement, the cleanroom should be able to bear the load and the mechanical pressure. This may require special modular mezzanines for support along with heavy duty thick walls.
Other factors like the cost, durability, time for the construction, and resources used in the room should be taken into consideration before finalizing on the material of the wall for the cleanroom. You should also know other general things before you buy a modular building from modular building companies. You can consult us here for professional help in manufacturing and installing such modular structures.