Three ISO cleanroom documents now American National Standards

05/01/2006

The Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST) recently announced that three ISO/TC 209 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments documents have become American National Standards: ISO 14644-3, Test Methods; ISO 14644-5, Operations; and ISO 14644-7, Separative devices (clean-air hoods, glove boxes, isolators, mini-environments).

ISO 14644-3 specifies test methods for designated classification of airborne particulate cleanliness and for characterizing the performance of cleanrooms and clean zones. Performance tests are specified for two types of cleanrooms and clean zones: those with unidirectional flow and those with non-unidirectional flow, in three possible occupancy states: as-built, at-rest, and operational. The test methods recommend test apparatus and test procedures for determining performance parameters. For some of the tests, several methods and apparatus are recommended to accommodate different end-use considerations. This part of ISO 14644 is not applicable to the measurement of products or of processes in cleanrooms or separative devices.

Meanwhile, ISO 14644-5 aims to provide basic requirements for operating and maintaining cleanrooms and associated controlled environments in order to meet the standards of the particular cleanroom as designed, built, and used. This standard addresses requirements that are basic to the operation of all cleanrooms, regardless of the application. Topics include operational systems that must be in place, selection and use of appropriate cleanroom garments, training and monitoring of personnel and activities, installation and use of equipment, requirements for materials used in the cleanroom, and maintaining the cleanroom environment in a clean, usable condition conforming to design standards.

Finally, ISO 14644-7 specifies the minimum requirements for the design, construction, installation, testing, and approval of separative devices in those respects where they differ from cleanrooms as described in ISO 14644-4 and 14644-5. Separative devices range from open to closed systems.

Founded in 1953, the IEST is an international technical society of engineers, scientists, and educators that serves its members and the industries they represent (simulating, testing, controlling, and teaching the environments of Earth and space) through education and the development of recommended practices and standards.

The new standards are available through the IEST Publications Store at www.iest.org/storearea.htm, or by calling IEST at (847) 255-1561.

The IEST is an ANSI-accredited standards-developing organization; Secretariat of ISO/TC 209 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments; Administrator of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 209; Administrator of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 142 Cleaning equipment for air and other gases; and a founding member of the ANSI-accredited US TAG to ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnologies.