Tech blog

A cleanroom is a controlled, enclosed environment that is usually constructed inside of an existing building space. At minimum, hardwall cleanroom construction packages will include walls, windows, doors, a ceiling grid, ample lighting, and fan filter units to supply HEPA filtered air.

A cleanroom provides a controlled, isolated environment for handling contamination­sensitive substances or for protecting the exterior environment from dangerous substances in the controlled area. The density of sub­micron and larger airborne particle contamination inside a cleanroom is kept within tightly controlled limits by forcing clean, filtered air into the cleanroom.

If you've ever inspected the feet and casters of typical office equipment, most are inhabited by a fine layer of dust, organic matter, and detritus. In most environments, objects that come in contact with the floor are expected to be dirty. In cleanrooms, maintaining ultra clean flooring is a key battleground in preventing the continual spread of contamination from one workstation or work area to another.

The appropriate choice of cleanroom chairs, carts, ladders and other free-standing equipment will ultimately affect the lifespan, ease of cleaning, and overall aesthetic of a cleanroom floor. Casters and leveling feet are particularly important for cleanroom floors with sensitive antibacterial or ESD surface coatings.

Whether outfitting a chair for a specific task or facility-wide outfitting, Terra Universal carries a wide selection of seating options catered for static-sensitive and cleanroom environments.

Terra Universal’s cleanroom doors are designed for quick and easy installation into operating rooms, surgical suites, stick-built or modular cleanrooms. Designed for health care, pharmaceutical, and CGMP facilities, Terra’s cleanroom doors are easy-to-sterilize, maintain room pressure and resist common biocides and hospital-grade disinfectants.

Terra Universal’s cleanroom windows are designed for quick and easy installation into stick-built or modular cleanrooms. Configured for health care, pharmaceutical, and CGMP facilities, Terra’s cleanroom windows are easy-to-clean, hygienic, support aseptic environments and enhance the visibility of operations and foot traffic.

Terra’s broad portfolio of cleanroom window designs includes flush-mount, crevice-free, frameless BioSafe windows, economical, framed ValuLine windows, and special-application designs including UL-listed and fire-rated windows. Switch Glass windows and internal blinds are optional for high privacy areas.

Cleanroom monitoring systems are quickly becoming a feature expected for all modular cleanrooms, especially given the cGMP and GLP requirements for environmental reporting.

Not every facility requires arrays of sensors for temperature, particulate, humidity, and pressure differential. The cost of a monitoring system is derived from several factors including the number and type of sensors, sampling rate, instrument sensitivity, and any value-added features such as WIFI, alarms, and automation of feedback controls. Determining the best option requires balancing a facility's needs today with the possibility of growth and expansion years down the line.

In the United States,  ISO 14644-1 is regarded as the gold standard for cleanroom construction. Cleanroom standards help define and measure expected outcomes but do not always provide a clear roadmap on how to achieve them. In parallel, GMP, IEST, USP, EU, and ASHRAE standards may provide more specific methodologies for air quality classification, testing equipment, and validation methods.