How to Select A Modular Cleanroom

Selecting a cleanroom for a new business or new product is not as difficult as it may seem. While there are many options and features to consider, focusing on your key requirements will help make the decision making process easier.

Cleanroom Selection Criteria

Applicable Rules & Regulations

Rules mandated by government regulations, ISO guidelines, or customer requirements are the first key consideration when selecting a cleanroom. For example, government regulation USP797 outlines specific requirements for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products; ISO 14644-5:2004 guidelines specify basic requirements for cleanroom operations. Most often, regulations or customer specifications will dictate the cleanliness level or rating required, which provides a good starting point for choosing the right cleanroom.

Cleanroom Cost

Cost is also an important consideration, especially if you’re starting a new business or developing a new product line. Prices can vary greatly, from custom, fixed-wall construction to modular, free-standing, softwall or hardwall cleanrooms. Fixed wall rooms are typically the most expensive, with modular softwall cleanrooms being the most economical. Additionally, size, shape, configuration, and accessories will all affect the overall cost.

Other Considerations

The location of your cleanroom within your existing building structure, and the number of processes and workers needed in cleanroom, will determine the size and shape of the room. Cleanroom aesthetics are also important: projecting a high-tech image with visual appeal can help attract new customers.

Advantages of Modular Cleanrooms

• Modular cleanrooms reduce design, engineering, and construction time, and thereby reduce costs. Since they are not an integral part of the larger structure, modular cleanrooms can be disassembled and moved to other locations or facilities, or even sold as an asset. 
• Most modular cleanrooms can easily be expanded by removing one or more walls and adding another module. The pre-fabricated design allows the room to be expanded, relocated, or configured into a different shape, or configured into multiple smaller rooms.
• All air handling and filtration equipment modules are generally built in to the ceiling of a modular cleanroom. Hookups for electrical and plumbing systems are engineered in as part of the design.
• It takes less time to install a modular cleanroom than it does to construct a permanent fixed-wall structure. Due to the amount of design, engineering, and the various trades involved, it can take several months to construct a fixed-wall cleanroom. However, a sophisticated modular cleanroom can be constructed in just a few weeks. Onsite assembly of a modular cleanroom is also far less disruptive to surrounding operations than permanent construction.
• Modular cleanrooms also offer potential tax advantages to businesses. They are not typically considered part of the building, and can often be depreciated faster than a built-in, fixed-wall cleanroom. Tax consultants can provide specific tax advantage information.

Types of Cleanroom Construction

There are two basic types of modular, hardwall cleanrooms: recirculating and non-recirculating. Your product and process requirements will determ