Fabric ventilation ducts targeted for cleanroom use
04/01/2001
Chris Anderson
DUBUQUE, IA—Frommelt Safety Products' cloth ventilation ducts—called DuctSox—treated with antimicrobials, have gained acceptance in the food processing industry. Now, Frommelt is turning its eye to the more stringent electronics and semiconductor industry with a specially designed DuctSox that could provide relief in the constant battle to find pipe fitters for new cleanroom construction.
"There has been slow but steadily building interest in these products for the last five years or so in the electronics industry," says Kevin Gebke, engineering manager of Frommelt Safety. "Since late last year we have put a special emphasis on developing a product that we can sell into these stricter environments." To help in its product development, Frommelt turned to Precision Fabrics Group (PFG: Greensboro, NC), a provider of fabrics used to construct cleanroom gowns and garments. PFG was already a supplier for DuctSox, selling fabric treated with its Microbex antimicrobial agent.
According to Gebke, Frommelt found that the fabrics PFG supplies to the garment industry have the characteristics it needs for a cleanroom product, everything from the tight weave and small pore sizes to its ESD properties. "I see a couple of advantages of fabric ducts," says Ron Small, technical manager of barrier products for PFG. "One is, that just like the garments, you can easily take these out and clean them periodically."
Gebke added that fabric ducts can act as an additional filter in the ventilation system of a cleanroom. "Unlike steel ducts, the air moves out the fabric ducts along its entire length. This can be especially beneficial in certain environments as it will help reduce turbulence during out flow," he says.
 A DuctSox fabric ventilation duct. |
As long as Frommelt can show its ducts work just as well as fixed ventilation systems, there appears to be another potentially huge benefit to fabric ducts: the price. Gebke estimates DuctSox can provide the same functionality as steel ventilation systems and cost anywhere from 25 to 80 percent less depending on the type of installation.
While Gebke admits that a fabric duct will wear out in time—maybe 15 to 20 years down the road—it should not be a stumbling block to establishing the product in the industry.
As Small observes: "Sure, the fabric may wear out in 20 years. But how many of today's operations are still going to be running exactly as they are today? If they save enough money, you just change these ducts when you change your manufacturing set-up."