A cleanroom without people – Tablets from the vending machine

The future of employees in cleanrooms was actively discussed.

The visionary Dr. Markus Keller dreams of 3D-printed tablets and clean rooms without people.

Creativity is in demand: What work can the robot take over and what still requires humans? The imh Specialist Conference "Cleanroom Today" took place from March 19 to 20, 2019, in Vienna. The focus was on practical impulse lectures and the future of cleanrooms.

Humans are the source of contamination for the cleanroom. Particles and bacteria are transferred directly into the cleanroom by employees. The future vision is therefore: sterile robot work instead of human contamination.

Laboratory without humans

Dr. Markus Keller from the Fraunhofer Institute IPA provided insight at the conference into how, in an ultra-cleanroom in Stuttgart, skin samples are artificially grown – a milestone in the treatment of burn injuries. A robot regularly measures the composition and growth of the skin and can add substances if needed. Automation enables a level of purity that would not be possible with human involvement.

Unwanted workplace

Cleanroom experts agree: robotics do not pose a danger to employees but are a significant simplification. The cleanroom is not considered a desirable workplace because employees are isolated from colleagues and the environment through airlocks and elaborate protective clothing. Production workers working a 40-hour week are thus exposed to high stress.

Tablets from the vending machine

My Müsli manages to produce personalized goods in large volumes. This concept is now also gaining traction in the pharmaceutical industry: "Until now, mass production has been carried out, where 80% of the tablets in a senior residence consist of 20 basic active ingredients. If this 'base' could be delivered in a tablet with a matching dose, ..." dreams Dr. Keller. Specifically, this tablet is produced by a 3D printer that can be operated like a ticket vending machine.

About the organizer

Since 1992, imh (formerly IIR) has been the premium conference and seminar provider in Austria, representing continuity and thoroughly researched, high-quality events. The technical depth of the event content, combined with the high quality of the speakers, is unique in the Austrian market. 45 imh employees continuously research in dialogue with clients to understand what truly interests them. Combined with the many years of experience of an established management team, it is possible to always offer up-to-date and practically relevant content. This approach has proven successful. Participants from over 20,000 companies have trusted imh GmbH since 1992.