Which consumables are suitable for both cleanroom and ESD areas?

There is no such thing as a single cleanroom. Instead, cleanrooms are divided into different standards, or rather classes, whereby there are different class systems, such as the ISO system or the GMP system. The respective cleanroom classes within these systems differ in terms of the maximum number of particles of a certain size permitted per cubic meter.

The ISO system provides for nine classes. In cleanroom class ISO 1, for example, a maximum of 10 particles with a size of ≥ 0.1 µm are permitted per cubic meter. For cleanroom class ISO 6, 1,000,000 particles with a size of ≥ 0.1 µm are permitted per cubic meter. Depending on the cleanroom class, the limit values are sometimes set for different particle sizes. In cleanroom class ISO 6, for example, there is also a limit value for particles with a size of ≥ 5.0 µm. A maximum of 293 particles of this size are permitted per cubic meter in the ISO 6 class.

The GMP system works in a similar way to the ISO system, although there are only four GMP classes. These are designated with the letters A to D. In GMP class A, 3520 particles with a size of ≥ 0.5 µm are permitted per cubic meter. In GMP class D, there are 3,520,000 particles per cubic meter with the same particle size. The GMP system also has different limit values in each class, depending on the particle size.

ESD is the abbreviation for “electrostatic discharge”. Such discharges can damage or even destroy sensitive electronic components.

ESD products are best recognized when they are marked with the yellow ESD logo or the yellow ESD symbol. This marking indicates, among other things, that the respective product – provided it is used for ESD protection – either does not build up any electrical potential or can dissipate electrostatic charges. The problem with electrostatic charges is that they can lead to a sudden discharge, which can damage or destroy sensitive electronic objects as mentioned above.

On the other hand, electrostatic charges have the disadvantage that the charged surfaces attract particles, for example dust particles, which is something you want to avoid in certain areas.

For an ESD product to be cleanroom-compliant, it may only release as many particles as the respective cleanroom standard allows. Conversely, cleanroom products must have good ESD values (e.g. surface resistance 10^12 Ohm) in order to be ESD-compliant. In the abovo online store, for example, there are special ESD shoes that meet the requirements of cleanroom classes ISO 7-9 and GMP C-D. Cleanroom chairs with ESD-conductive synthetic leather upholstery can also be ordered from the abovo online store. In the area of cleanroom furniture, there are also ESD-compatible drawer base cabinets. Smaller items such as liquid dispensers for cleanroom classes ISO 6-9 and GMP C-D are also available in an ESD version.

In terms of consumables, abovo’s range includes high-quality ESD cleaning wands for cleanroom classes ISO 5-9 and GMP C-D, for example. The cleaning range also includes ESD cleaning wipes that are suitable for cleanroom classes ISO 5-9 and GMP C-D.

The abovo online store also offers overshoes with ESD tape that are suitable for cleanroom classes ISO 6-9 and GMP C-D. ESD nylon gloves for cleanroom classes ISO 7-9 and GMP C-D can also be purchased from abovo. You can also choose from antistatic nitrile finger cots suitable for cleanrooms and ESD-suitable nitrile gloves.

The nitrile glove CELOS Glove 1.10 deserves special mention here, as it is post-cleaned with DI water after manufacture, which means it has a very low content of particles and ions on the surface (cleanroom classes: ISO 4-9, GMP C-D) and is also ideally suited for ESD-sensitive applications with a surface resistance of less than 10^10 ohms.

All Tyvek protective clothing has good antistatic properties, is low-linting and therefore meets ESD and cleanroom requirements.

ESD-compliant cleanroom paper is also available in various DIN formats with excellent surface adhesion for toner and ink. A special coating ensures that the release of particles is minimal.

When using ESD products, care must sometimes be taken to ensure that they do not lose their ESD properties under cleanroom conditions. When cleaning ESD floors, for example, care must be taken to ensure that no residue remains on the floor – from the cleaning agent, for example. Otherwise, a dissipative ESD floor could lose its dissipative properties. Against this background, the use of filtered cleaning agents is recommended for cleaning dissipative ESD floors. Ideally, you should use floors that do not require cleaning agents but can be cleaned with water and pads, which is the case with ESD polymer and rubber flooring systems, for example.