What is a Cleanroom?
Short Answer: 

A cleanroom is a controlled environment where the concentration of airborne particles is regulated to specified limits.

These rooms are crucial in various industries where even the smallest particles can compromise the quality or safety of products.

How do Cleanrooms Work?

Cleanrooms are designed to maintain extremely low levels of particulates such as dust, airborne organisms, or vaporised particles. Three essential features include Air filtration, environmental control and cleanroom garments.

Read more about this below.

1. Air Filtration

  • HEPA and ULPA Filters: Cleanrooms use High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and Ultra-Low Penetration Air (ULPA) filters to remove particles from the air. HEPA filters can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns with 99.97% efficiency, while ULPA filters can capture even smaller particles with 99.999% efficiency.
  • Air Changes Per Hour: Cleanrooms have a high rate of air changes per hour, meaning the entire volume of air is replaced multiple times per hour to continuously remove contaminants.
  • Airflow: Cleanrooms use unidirectional (laminar) or non-unidirectional (turbulent) airflow systems to constantly sweep away particles. Laminar airflow systems use a continuous stream of HEPA-filtered air, whereas turbulent airflow systems mix the air to dilute contamination.
  • Pressure Control: Cleanrooms are maintained at a higher pressure than the surrounding environment to prevent the ingress of contaminated air. Airlocks and pressure differentials between rooms of different cleanliness levels are used to control particle contamination.

2. Environmental Control

  • Temperature and Humidity: Precise control over temperature and humidity is necessary to prevent condensation, static electricity, and microbial growth, all of which can affect product quality.

3. Cleanroom Garments

  • Personnel must wear specialised clothing, including gowns, gloves, masks, and shoe covers, to minimize the release of particles from their bodies and clothing.

What industries use cleanrooms?

Cleanrooms are utilised in various industries where even minute levels of contamination can have significant consequences. The following summarises industries that use cleanrooms, their purpose and applications.

Pharmaceuticals

  • Purpose: To ensure sterile production environments for medications and vaccines.
  • Applications: Manufacturing of sterile drug products, compounding pharmacies, and research laboratories.

More about Pharmaceutical Cleanrooms

Biotechnology

  • Purpose: To prevent biological contamination and maintain aseptic conditions.
  • Applications: Production of biological products, genetic research, and cell culture labs.

More about Research Cleanrooms

Aerospace and Defence

  • Purpose: To ensure the cleanliness of components and systems that will operate in space or other controlled environments.
  • Applications: Assembly and testing of satellites, aircraft systems, and sensitive defence equipment.

More about Defence Cleanrooms

Medical Devices

  • Purpose: To prevent contamination of devices that will be used in or on the human body.
  • Applications: Production of pacemakers, surgical instruments, and implantable devices.

More about Medical Device Cleanrooms

Automotive

  • Purpose: To ensure the cleanliness of sensitive automotive components.
  • Applications: Production of high-precision parts like airbags, sensors, and fuel injectors.

More about Automotive Cleanrooms

Research and Development

  • Purpose: To maintain controlled environments for experiments that require low contamination levels.
  • Applications: Nanotechnology research, material science, and biomedical research.

More about Research & Development Cleanrooms

Precision Engineering

  • Purpose: To ensure that ultra-precise measurements and products are not affected by particulate matter.
  • Applications: Manufacturing of precision instruments and micro-mechanical parts.

More about Technology Cleanrooms

Healthcare

  • Purpose: To create a clean, aseptic environment, reducing the risk of infection and contamination.
  • Applications: Treatment Rooms, Day Case Theatre, Operating Theatre

More about Healthcare Cleanrooms

Airology offers a range of cleanrooms and laboratories

Every cleanroom application has specific requirements, which we factor into our bespoke cleanroom designs and installations. For universities, research facilities, hospitals, and private-sector manufacturing, cleanrooms can be crucial to success. As technology develops, we stay abreast of new methods, supporting clients to upgrade existing cleanrooms.

7 key decisions when creating a cleanroom environment

1. Decide how it’s to be used

2. Decide how it should be classified

3. Decide on the right environment

4. Decide what size it should be

5. Decide how impurities will be extracted or filtered

6. Decide on the right lighting condition

7. Decide how secure your facility needs to be

What our customers say…

"I have worked with Airology for several years and always found them to be reliable and responsive in regard to the servicing and maintenance of our HVAC equipment."

Colin Welsh

Orbit Group

"Throughout the project Airology provided us with guidance and their expertise to ensure that the installation met our specific requirements and was completed on time. We are delighted with our state of the art Clean Room and the professional approach and support given to us by the Airology team was invaluable."

Andrew Stringer

Managing Director, Entaco Ltd

"During the initial design and build we worked closely with Airology to create a facility that will provide one of the most comprehensive GMP stability storage and testing services in Europe. Working with Airology as the principal contractor enabled us to deliver a significant building project, on-scope, on-time and on-budget."

Mark Hammond

Managing Director, Intertek Melbourn Scientific

"Airology completed our installation with a high degree of professionalism and knowledge. P3 would have no hesitation in recommending the company for similar projects."

Simon Talbot

Managing Director, P3 Medical Ltd

"Great company to work with. Our cleanroom was designed and constructed by Airology and they still service and validate for us. Would definitely recommend"

Helena Flowers

Andel Plastics Ltd

"We engaged Airology for modifications in our Clean Room at our pharmaceutical company. The communication with their technical team was exceptionally effective. The service provided was of the highest quality, making them an excellent choice for conducting business."

Suzani Menegon

SyriMed Ltd

"Airology have recently designed and built our cleanroom. They were a pleasure to work with and provided a very professional service. I would have not hesitation in recommending the team."

David Shand

MatOrtho Ltd

"Airology have always been professional and helpful when we have needed advice at Insight Medical Products with our Cleanroom. Thoroughly recommend."

Stacey Spruels

Insight Medical Products Ltd

"Professional company, very friendly and experienced team. They designed for our pharmaceutical site the best flexible and efficient HVAC considering practicality, potential to expand and costing. I would recommend working with this company. They are very transparent and keen to solve any difficulties during the project."

Zakaria Saad

Medellux Ltd