Web sites breathe life

by Kelly Sewell

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A wealth of information on contamination control is just a few clicks and drags of a mouse away. In addition to publications and home pages, there are more and more search engines and auction sites cropping up, as well as new ways to take advantage of the Internet.

One such opportunity will take place during CleanRooms East '00 in Baltimore later this month. If you log on to www.cleanrooms.com periodically during the show on March 28 and 29, you'll be treated to live broadcasts and up-to-the-minute news article postings. The live broadcast of “pennNET Today” features interviews with industry leaders who will share their views on the state of the contamination control markets. If you miss the broadcast, video clips will be available on the site after the show.

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In addition to the new things on our own site, be sure to check out sites such as www.cleanroom-consulting.com, which offers links to leading sites in the contamination control industry. Industry veteran Scott Mackler, also offers an FAQ page with answers to your contamination questions such as the impact of the ISO cleanroom standards, and the elements that comprise a basis of design.

The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) now offers its official publication, Standardization News online. It can be found at www.astm.org. The site also features standards development forums, which contain working drafts of standards activities under the jurisdiction of ASTM Technical Committees. You must be a member to access these forums, but membership info is available on the site.

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Last June, I recommended www.factorymutual.com, and since Factory Mutual is now part of the larger FM Global, the result of last year's merger with Allendale Insurance, Arkwright and Protection Mutual, their new web site www.fmglobal.com is even more robust than its predecessor. It offers data sheets on CD, educational resources, and research information on cleanroom materials www.Ecalibration.com provides calibration industry news and product information. A directory helps you find a calibration expert in your area, and a career center highlights calibration job postings for such positions as calibration technicians and metrologists The site also offers a tip of the day, submitted by calibration professionals.

If category-based chemical searches are what you need to conduct, www.chemindustry.com is the place to do it. The site is a chemical industry search engine that features a searchable database of web sites related to chemical industry sectors such as agrochemicals, polymers, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. It's also a resource for chemical data, regulations and scientific publications.

One of the better sites I've visited is www.semiconbay.com. It's busting at the seams with information, from online presentations such as “Status of dry surface cleaning/conditioning technology” to industry news, to technical papers, editorials and features. Real-time forums are scheduled regularly, and if you miss one, the transcripts of past forums are posted on the site. The site is divided into core technologies, of which one is cleaning. There's also a list of links to technical references, a link to the international technology roadmap for semiconductors, and a patent search section. Of course, every month in these pages, you can also find patent information in our Inventor's Corner section, which is featured this month on pages 28-30.

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The National Safety Council web page, www.crossroads.nsc.org, has several sources of facility safety information. It contains reference articles on risk management, chemical information, including material safety data sheets, and links to organizations associated with emergency management.

If you click on the technology button at www.purepulse.com, you'll be treated to a white paper on the PureBright method of sterilization, which uses broad-spectrum pulsed light.

For more ESD information, visit the flooring division of VPI, which is home to an ESD classroom. The classroom, found at

www.vpicorp.com/floor, includes a primer on ESD, which answers such questions as how does an electrostatic charge actually damage things, and how is ESD controlled. Of course, the site also profiles VPI's ESD control flooring products.

Be sure to track me down at CleanRooms East in Baltimore to tell me about your web site. If you miss me at the show, send me an e-mail at: [email protected].

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