Are igus® products compatible with ISO cleanroom standards?
By Erin Kemal
This article originally appeared on https://blog.igus.co.uk/igus-products-iso-cleanroom-standards/
There are a multitude of industries that igus® products are used in, and that means we have to ensure we have product ranges suitable for industries and applications that have specific requirements. Cleanrooms are one of those industries. They require ISO cleanroom standards for their products, so we adapted and designed specialized products to fulfill these requirements.
The products span across both sides of the business, with cleanroom cable carriers and cables, as well as linear rails and bearings. This product range is ever growing in line with the demands for ISO cleanroom standard products.
What is ISO cleanroom standard?
The ISO cleanroom standard is a highly regarded specification of environmental requirements. The room requires less than 2 particles greater than 0.3 microns and no particles greater than 1.0 microns per cubic meter to be present in the atmosphere.
This is especially applicable for moving machine parts such as cable carriers and cables. To generate the fewest possible particles, high abrasion resistance is required, which therefore ensures a long service life. This is important in machines and applications with such strict criteria. Customers do not want to be changing components regularly as this can potentially cause contamination, downtime, and increased expenses.
What igus® products comply with ISO cleanroom standards?
Ensuring that the full range of cleanroom products conform to the ISO cleanroom standard has become a key development goal for igus®. We have dedicated test facilities that all igus® products are tested in to ensure that the high standards are met and maintained. Only products that meet the ISO cleanroom standards within our laboratory are selected for the Fraunhofer IPA tests. The evidence is supplied by a new expert report from IPA, the Fraunhofer Institute, by which numerous igus® products are certified with the best classification possible, ISO class 1:
e-skin® cable carriers
The e-skin® cable carrier has been specifically designed for the cleanroom industry. The abrasion-resistant chain protects machines from particle contamination within the pharmaceutical, medical and semi-conductor industries. We offer a range of e-skin® cable carrier options: e-skin® flat for fast moving applications or applications with space restrictions, e-skin® soft for flexible filling requirements, and e-skin® hybrid which combines the advantages of the original e-skin® cable carrier with the e-skin® soft.
ISO cleanroom standard cables
To ensure we can offer a complete system, we offer chainflex® cables with ISO cleanroom standards to ensure the entire energy supply system is compatible for cleanrooms. With a variety of options, such as bus cables and control cables, we can help you keep your cleanroom contamination free.
How does igus® ensure the ISO cleanroom standards apply?
With all igus® products, the lack of lubrication required ensures the cleanroom standards are easily upheld. No grease or lubrication means they are less likely to contaminate. We also have designated test labs for cleanroom products to be thoroughly tested to ensure this high standard is guaranteed. These extensive tests have been running since 1997 and have allowed us to develop further products and improve existing products based on the data received from the test lab. Working with Fraunhofer IPA has allowed us to design the purpose-built cleanroom laboratory and receive the ISO Class 1 cleanroom system. Not only can we test our products in this facility, we are able to facilitate customers products and applications in a realistic environment.
Have questions about a particular cleanroom application or product? Contact our linear bearings or e-chain® experts, or call us directly at (800) 965-2496.
