The sensitive nature of cleanrooms means that such day to day materials as printers, notepads, and pens become potential contaminants that endanger the integrity of the room with the fine particles that they exude, necessitating specialized non-contaminant materials to safeguard the cleanrooms function.
Cleanroom documentation refers to a cleanroom’s processes for allowing documentation items into the room.
What are the main documentation contaminants for a cleanroom? What are the cleanroom alternatives?
Pens and pencils: pens, and especially pencils, are notorious cleanroom contaminants. The use of cleanroom pens is a must. These pens are designed to obstruct particle generation and avoid contaminating your cleanroom.
Copy papers: paper can produce flying cellulose particles that endanger a cleanroom’s function. Cleanrooms need to be stocked with specially designed paper impregnated and coated with a polymer that negates particulate generation. The same goes for any necessary manuals and documentation that need to be present within the cleanroom.
Ring binders: traditional ring binders may be an improbable-sounding contaminant but they pose a risk that must be taken seriously. Cleanroom ring binders are impregnated with particle obstructing polymers and are designed for your cleanroom documentation, manuals, and papers. Cleanroom ring binders prevent chemical exportation into your cleanroom environment.
Sticky notes: an often overlooked accessory, sticky notes are one of those day to day accessories that are essential for the running of any successful production and research facility, and like any other material cleanroom sticky notes need to be of an exacting standard, cleanroom sticky notes are made of a polymer coated paper and the adhesive strip is designed to leave no residue or contamination.
Notebooks: it goes without saying that notebooks are an essential part of documentation in any setting. The humble notebook takes a definite high-tech approach when invited into the cleanroom. It is coated with a latex-free polymer that ensures both durability and particle obstruction.
No environment can be considered 100% free of contaminants. That being said, discipline, effective supervision, and the right materials and tools can minimize contamination risk to a negligible level.