Compiled by Angela Godwin
Comfort is important to contamination-control professionals confined to the cleanroom for extended periods. Equally important, however, is ensuring that cleanroom furniture conform to cleanliness requirements, so as not to jeopardize the integrity of the critical environment. Here is a selection of cleanroom furniture that does just that.
Ergonomic cleanroom/ESD-control chair
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BioFit® Engineered Products offers its EEP Series ergonomic upholstered chairs for comfort, support and durability in Class 10 [ISO Class 4] combination cleanroom/static control applications. The EEP Class 10 combination chairs are engineered to support a balanced work posture and to resist wear. The backrest is 15.5 inches wide by 14.5 inches high and has a lumbar curve to support the lower back. The seat features four-way contouring and a waterfall front for proper weight distribution. The backrest is equipped with a plastic protective panel, and the seat’s molded-foam cushioning has an internal seat-board bumper guard for added durability. BioFit’s EEP Series offers the adjustability and seat-height adjustment ranges for comfortable work at desk-to-bench heights. Height- and width-adjustable armrests are an option for added support. EEP Class 10 combination chairs employ BioFit’s Microtech filtration system: The polypropylene filter system allows the seat to conform to body shape while achieving Class 10 protection levels by trapping particles 0.10 micron and larger. The EEP combination seating protects against static charges by providing 100 percent continuity. Static drain routes are located around parts that are insulated in standard models. The chairs have chrome-plated metal parts, ESD vinyl for static dissipation, conductive casters or glides, and a drag chain for grounding to an ESD-control floor or mat. The chairs have a five-legged, fully polished, cast-aluminum base with 27-inch leg spread.
BioFit Engineered Products
Waterville, Ohio
www.biofit.com
Cleanroom tables
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NTA announces a new generation of furnishings-PWRCLN tables with an automated lifter that can increase a table height 15 inches with the push of a button, allowing operators to optimize their computers or workstations, as often per shift as necessary. PWRCLN Standard Tables come in standard widths from 36 inches to 72 inches, standard depths from 24 inches to 36 inches, and have a standard height of 30 inches (adjustable to 45 inches). Load capacity is 900 pounds. Tables are available with rod, solid, or perforated tops, with rod tops providing the ultimate airflow capability. NTA products are available in a smooth, clean, super-passivated, electropolished finish or in a #4 brushed finish. Other NTA furnishings include tables, garment racks, mobile units, benches, lean rails, bootie holders, isolation tables, storage racks, dispense racks, wipe racks, security cabinets, and wafer transport and utility carts. All products are custom-made to exact specifications.
NTA Industries, a division of Technical Air Products
Belmont, Mich.
www.ntaindustries.com
Furniture design
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Palbam Class believes that furniture design is critical in the cleanroom environment. The correct design has many positive effects: reduction of particle and microbial accumulation; improved user/furniture interaction, including ergonomics and wipe-down; creating a modern hi-tech environment that encourages users to follow cleanroom protocols; impressing users and customers as to the seriousness of your cleanroom activities. The design experts at Palbam Class will fulfill all your cleanroom furniture demands and more.
Palbam Class
Afula, Israel
www.palbamclass.com
Cleanroom furniture and accessories
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MRC Systems Ltd/addVise Ltd has a range of furniture and accessories designed specifically for use within cleanrooms and laboratories. Items can be molded from high-impact, chemically resistant glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) specially formulated to withstand the high-level cleaning regimes found in cleanrooms, in some cases even surpassing stainless steel in terms of performance. Items can also be fabricated from high-grade compact laminates to meet the requirements of laboratories and research departments. A full range of furniture and accessories exists to accommodate all needs, from basic lab-top benching, molded GRP step-overs, and vanity and eyewash stations to doors and specialist equipment such as ventilated cupboards, extract benches and storage solutions. In addition to the standard equipment, items can be made to measure on an individual basis to meet a client’s exact requirements.
MRC Systems
Surrey, United Kingdom
www.MRC-Systems.com
Special application seating
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RPA, southern California’s professional source for turnkey and modular cleanrooms, furniture and support products, offers a full line of ergonomic task and special application seating for the cleanroom and for harsh environments. Gibo/Kodama chairs are made in the U.S. and can be found in cleanroom production lines, biomedical/pharmaceutical labs, and office environments-anywhere productivity is vital to a company’s well-being. These fully ergonomic, ESD-safe chairs and stools are available for Class 100 and Class 10 [ISO Class 5 and Class 4] cleanroom environments.
RPA Products
Corona, Calif.
www.rpaproducts.com
Thermoplastic sheet
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Compression Polymers Corp. is a manufacturer of premium thermoplastic sheet for the construction of cleanroom furniture and wet process stations. Products include Protec® PP (polypropylene) in white and natural colors and the Flametec® family of fire-retardant sheet. Flametec products are approved in accordance with FM 4910 fire specification for cleanroom materials, and products include CP7-D PP, cleanroom PVC-C made from Corzan G2, CPVC made from Corzan 4910 and Kytec PVDF. All of these materials are chemical-resistant and they can be fabricated to make acid carts, fume hoods, ventilation equipment, lab benches and wet process stations.
Compression Polymers Corp.
Moosic, Pa.
www.cpg-vycom.com
Stainless-steel workbench
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The new adjustable-height workbench from Unidex, Inc. is constructed of stainless steel for use in sanitary or corrosive work environments such as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical processing. According to the company, the new stainless-steel AHW Series workbench provides instant adjustment of working height at a lifting speed of up to 4 in./s to accommodate a variety of work positioning requirements and optimum ergonomic working heights for different workers. It features an air/oil hydraulic-lift system that provides a full range of height increments within its lift stroke. Model AHW2718 has a lift stroke of 18 inches from 27 to 45 inches high. Model AHW9536 has a lift stroke of 36 inches from 9.5 to 45.5 inches high. The new stainless-steel AWH workbench is designed to function smoothly regardless of uneven weight distribution, and has a load capacity of 500 pounds. A blocking valve provides firm support and serves as a safety back-up by protecting the operator from downward movement in case of air loss. A 30-inch by 60-inch work surface is standard. The workbench can be customized with a wide range of options including: custom sizes and alternative materials of construction (e.g., aluminum ESD); various heights, lift strokes, and load capacities; foot-pedal hydraulic and electric hydraulic models; casters to create a mobile workbench; cabinets, shelves, drawers, hoods, power strips, lights, and air couplings; trunion mounts for work rotation; and standard or custom work-holding fixtures.
Unidex, Inc.
Warsaw, N.Y.
www.unidex-inc.com