Why prefabricated modular clean rooms are the future of contamination control | Part 1
From outbreaks of malaria and RSV to bird flu and several other infectious diseases in humans and animals, the threat of public health emergencies constantly looms over us. Not to mention the impact of geopolitical conflicts, climate change, and other global factors that expand the geographical range of pathogens and exacerbate the spread of disease.
In conditions such as these, which very often occur in resource-poor settings with weak health systems, setting up appropriate infrastructure is critical. Not in a few years or decades – crisis-hit regions need high-quality infrastructure as soon as possible to address the health needs of their populations, be that through healthcare delivery, biomedical research, or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Even beyond the areas of health and biopharmaceuticals, the technological landscape is rapidly advancing in other industries. Think aerospace and defence, electronics and semiconductors, even cosmetics.
Just like the biopharmaceutical, medical technology and healthcare industries, the aerospace, defence, electronics, semiconductors and cosmetics industries also demand highly controlled environments for their operations. These operations could include research, diagnosis, service delivery, manufacturing, and many other activities that would be disrupted by the presence of airborne particles and other types of contamination.
Enter cleanrooms – specially designed spaces with low levels of contaminants. Cleanrooms are deployed across multiple industries and are meant to not only safeguard process integrity and product quality but also the health and well-being of personnel who work in the facility and the surrounding community.
Prefabricated modular cleanrooms take the concept of cleanrooms one step further. They represent a marriage between the strict standards of traditional cleanroom technology and the flexibility of mobile units.
What are cleanrooms?
Let’s explore the concept of cleanrooms more deeply.
Cleanroom manufacturers create these spaces to be controlled environments. Dust, aerosol particles, airborne microbes, and other pollutants are filtered out using high-quality air filters like HEPA filters to achieve the required level of cleanliness. They also design cleanrooms to meet other hygiene requirements – smooth internal surfaces like flooring, doors and tabletops so that they are easy to clean, unidirectional airflow, etc.
It’s also important to remember that the onus of maintaining a cleanroom is not only on the cleanroom manufacturer; it is also on those operating the facility and the personnel working within it. Accordingly, there are strict regulations regarding standard operating procedures, training for personnel, use of protective gear, regular handwashing, etc.
Cleanroom manufacturers must adhere to global industry standards like good manufacturing practices (GMP), the requirements set out by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), and/or the classification systems of the European Union and the United Kingdom.
The ISO standards are the most widely adopted global standards. Even the standards of different countries and regions largely rely on the ISO system as a primary guideline. A cleanroom may be classified anywhere from ISO 1 to ISO 9 (the strictest to the least strict). This classification is based on the level of cleanliness of the cleanroom, which is assessed as a function of the quantity and size of airborne particles in a cubic volume of air.
What are prefabricated modular cleanrooms?
Now that we know what cleanrooms are, we can take it one step further to understand modular cleanrooms.
Modular cleanrooms are also known as prefabricated modular cleanrooms. The terms “modular” and “prefabricated” refer to the fact that the components of the cleanroom are pre-manufactured off-site. All the components of the cleanroom are manufactured in a factory and then transported to the cleanroom site, where they are assembled to set up the required facility. They may be designed with either hardwalls or softwalls (more on this later). Due to their modular nature, they can be easily expanded (by adding more modules), downsized (by removing modules), or relocated (by mounting them on a plinth and wheels).
With in-built air handling systems, building management systems, plumbing, lighting, and several other systems that provide control over the internal environment, modular cleanrooms can control critical factors like cleanliness, humidity, and temperature.
Prefabricated modular cleanrooms are also subject to the stringent ISO standards set for traditional cleanrooms. The design of the modular cleanroom and the internal conditions will depend on the ISO classification the modular cleanroom manufacturer wants to meet. Based on the ISO class, the choice of manufacturing materials, components, surfaces, and interior features will be determined before manufacturing and during assembly, pre-determined design specifications must be strictly adhered to.
Prefabricated modular cleanrooms offer the same level of environmental control and hygiene that a traditional stick-built cleanroom would. In addition, they also offer flexibility, scalability, and several other additional benefits.
The advantages of prefabricated modular cleanrooms.
Prefabricated modular cleanrooms are the ideal solution for businesses across industries, be they pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, electronics, aerospace, cosmetics, and any other application that requires clean and controlled internal environments.
Within these industries, modular cleanrooms are particularly suited to businesses that are either planning for growth or have frequent changes in operational needs. This is because prefabricated modular cleanrooms bridge the gap between traditional stick-built cleanrooms (which need significant structural building and modifications) and highly temporary facilities like plastic tents. They can be quickly set up, scaled up, or scaled back – all with minimal disruption to your existing operations, if any.
Today, cleanrooms are a mainstay of contamination control. Let’s take a quick look at all the ways in which prefabricated modular cleanrooms win over brick-and-mortar ones in being the future of contamination control.
Flexibility and scalability. Given their modular assembly, prefabricated cleanrooms can be easily expanded, reconfigured, and even relocated based on your evolving production and business needs. This gives your modular cleanroom unparalleled flexibility in how, where, and how fast it is deployed.
Quick installation. Since the modules are manufactured off-site, their assembly on-site requires much less time than it would take to build a brick-and-mortar cleanroom. This dramatically shortens project timelines. It also means that cleanroom manufacturers can install the modular facility alongside any ongoing production, meaning that you don’t have to shut down existing operations during expansion.
Cost-effectiveness. The quick and relatively simple assembly of modular cleanrooms shortens timelines, reduces material use, and minimizes labour requirements. This means that your capital expenditure on setting up a prefabricated modular cleanroom is significantly less than it would have been for a traditional cleanroom, all without compromising on quality, safety, or efficiency.
Energy efficiency. There are many reasons why modular cleanrooms are more energy efficient than their traditionally constructed counterparts. For starters, because the individual modules or components are manufactured in a factory, they can be built using advanced materials and designs which ensure minimal energy consumption. Prefabricated modular cleanrooms can also easily incorporate energy-efficient LED lighting, HVAC systems, etc.
Sustainability. Given that modular cleanroom manufacturers fabricate the cleanroom modules off-site in a factory, less material waste is generated during construction or assembly. Moreover, these modules can be manufactured using sustainable construction methods and recycled or recyclable materials like stainless steel and aluminium. Not only do these materials not emit too many volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but modular cleanrooms constructed using these materials are also extremely durable – they work effectively over long periods of time, reducing your maintenance and rebuilding needs.
High quality and customizability. Since cleanroom modules are prefabricated in a factory, modular cleanroom manufacturers have much greater control over the conditions in and standards to which the modules are made. Not only does this ensure consistent quality and adherence to standards but it also allows for a high degree of customizability. No matter what application you need contamination control for, modular cleanroom manufacturers can make it happen.
In the next part of this article, we’ll explore the several industries that can benefit from prefabricated modular cleanrooms and the unparalleled contamination control that they offer.