Top 5 Benefits of a Softwall Cleanroom
Before we evaluate the top 5 benefits of softwall cleanroom, it is important to understand the building blocks of what makes up softwall cleanroom.
The Building Blocks Of A Softwall Cleanroom
ISO Rating
Cleanroom facilities are a necessity for companies operating in industries that prioritize purity. In particular, businesses involved in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and aerospace will inevitably require access to a cleanroom. While larger companies in these industries typically have their own dedicated facilities, smaller operators often lack the resources to do so. Fortunately, softwall cleanrooms provide a cost-effective and quickly-deployable solution for these organizations.
A cleanroom is classified by the cleanest ISO rating that it can achieve. The ratings are numbered from 1 to 9 with 1 being the cleanest. A previous classification system FS 209E, which uses a 10-100,000 scale, is still used occasionally and is important to keep in mind. An ICS Instant Cleanroom can achieve up to a 5 classification.
The Frame
A sturdy frame, typically constructed of aluminum or stainless steel, forms the backbone of a softwall cleanroom. However, Instant Cleanroom Solutions softwall cleanroom has replaced traditional steel-framed soft-wall cleanrooms with an innovative high-pressure inflatable structure capable of suspending 2000 lbs. This design simplifies shipping, reduces setup costs, decreases lead times, and does not require continual inflation resulting in a quiet noise level of 56 DB.
The Curtains
The curtains, typically made of clear vinyl or polyurethane, are the defining feature of softwall cleanrooms. These curtains create a barrier that separates the cleanroom environment from external contaminants while still allowing easy access and equipment integration.
The Fan Filter Units (FFUs)
FFUs are essential components that ensure the cleanliness of a softwall cleanroom. They are responsible for filtering out contaminants and maintaining the necessary airflow patterns within the cleanroom.
Top 5 Benefits
Cost-Effective
Softwall cleanrooms are often the most affordable option available to a business needing a controlled environment. By and large, softwall cleanrooms have the cheapest purchase price available and rely on preexisting climate controlled buildings. This eliminates expenses related to planning, permitting and constructing.
Easily Installed
A softwall cleanroom can be erected by a crew of two to three people in a few weeks with no heavy equipment needed beyond a forklift. The structure can be taken down and stored for future use in the same amount of time. The ICS Instant Cleanroom offers an advanced high-pressure inflatable frame for even faster set up - capable of full installation in under four hours with one or two people.
Flexible
The ability to be set up and taken down as needed enables the user to repurpose the area as needed. This allows the company to go from research, development, and manufacturing to warehousing without having to expand floorspace. Softwall cleanrooms can also be utilized for regular seasonal work and stored efficiently.
Customizable
It’s important to remember that even though a cleanroom can meet the technical regulatory requirements for specific industries, certain best practices and procedures are often mandated in order to achieve compliance. Additional features such as anterooms can be added to a softwall cleanroom in order to meet specific requirements.
This customization can be done in advance by the manufacturer, or it can be done as needed with the purchase of required components. Care must be taken to make sure that the newer structures are compatible with the existing cleanroom, but planning and consultation with the supplier can overcome those issues.
Softwall cleanrooms can be expanded by connecting another cleanroom to the end of the first. This is ideal for “as needed” situations where additional capacity is required to accommodate rapidly expanding operations. In a scenario where the added space requirement is known to be only short term, an Instant Cleanroom is the ideal option.
Maintenance
Beyond recertifications, softwall cleanrooms do not require the constant maintenance and care that a more permanent structure requires due to their lack of an cooling and heating system. Although small-scale, regular maintenance and set-up/tear-down cleaning is recommended.
Conclusion
Whether for budgetary or scheduling reasons, softwall cleanrooms are the ideal solution for many small or medium enterprises who find themselves in need of a regulated environment. With several cost-effective advantages and the ability to be set up on an as-needed basis within an existing space, a softwall clean-room is a great solution for many operations where control, testing, product development, and trade secrets are best kept close at hand and on-site rather than being outsourced. This is true across multiple cleanroom products and a variety of applications.
As the home of the innovative Instant Cleanroom, Instant Cleanroom Solutions offers a softwall cleanroom option not available anywhere else. Contact us today to find the right solution tailored to your short term or long term requirements. Don’t know what you need? We’ll help you find the right solution to your controlled environment challenges and offer you guidance to assist you in achieving compliance with regulatory and industrial regulations and best practices.