Furnishings & Equipment

ISO 14644-1 is a widely recognized international standard that specifies the classification of air cleanliness in cleanrooms and controlled environments. The standard provides guidance for assessing and controlling the levels of airborne particulates in these environments, which are crucial to industries such as pharmaceuticals, health care, microelectronics, biotechnology and aerospace. The standard defines cleanrooms as enclosed spaces where the concentration of airborne particles is controlled to meet specific cleanliness requirements. ISO 14644-1 establishes the maximum allowable particle concentration per square meter of air space. The standard also defines the size range of particles considered within the classification, typically diameters of 0.1 micrometers and larger.

Terra Universal manufactures application-specific cleanroom workbench packages for a variety of uses, many available for immediate shipment and delivery from its Fullerton, California facility. Terra also offers a wide selection of cleanroom specialized equipment from the following manufacturers:

The Side Effects of Visual Disturbance

Sitting still can feel like a rocking ocean when staring through an unstable microscope — persistent viewing of blurry, shaky objects at high magnification causes nausea, headaches and fatigue. But the symptoms of motion sickness go beyond an upset stomach. 

Headaches can cause visual disturbance. If it isn’t hard enough trying to view an unsteady slide, add minor loss of vision, ocular pain and photosensitivity to the equation and find out just how efficiently the observation goes—studying contents under a microscope requires the ability to see, after all.

Cleanrooms are used to perform clean processes, so it’s counterintuitive to think of maintenance and repair activities inside a controlled environment. Yet, they are very necessary and performed quite often. Protocol for crews working inside a cleanroom is different than the typical office space: personnel must gown and adhere to strict clean processes, just like lab technicians. The equipment crews bring into the cleanroom must also be compatible with the required ISO rating. Slow, careful movements and meticulous control over dust and other contaminants are critical to prevent complete shut-down and time-consuming recertification of the room.

Seems like a cleanroom is no place for a ladder: a dirty, dusty, paint-smeared structure used by the contractor who does the termite repair on your house. But in fact, cleanrooms are perfectly-suited to ladders, if they are Terra’s BioSafe brand. Cleanroom and lab ladders are used to access out-of-reach filters, lighting, or equipment. For example, taking particle measurements and airflow readings below the filter face in preparation for an ISO inspection may require a ladder. And what about changing light bulbs and making small repairs? Terra’s shelf platform can be attached to ladders, providing a convenient surface for tools and small instruments.

Cleanroom entrances present a significant potential for contaminant infiltration, so they must be managed with this in mind.  Air showers are one way to minimize piggy-backing contaminants. They are enclosed chambers that use strong bursts of air to dislodge particulates from people or transport carts entering or exiting the room. Room entrances, and pass-throughs that incorporate an air shower, serve as a safeguard between critical and non-critical areas. Personnel are the greatest source of contamination in a cleanroom, so most of the methods of contamination reduction, including air showers, were developed to accommodate humans. Air showers range in size and construction, depending on the application, and are utilized by a diverse range of industries. So, how do air showers work?  Find out below!