Door and hinge systems for cleanrooms – No chance for microorganisms and dirt

The air quality in cleanrooms is of particular importance. Because it must meet specific requirements that are rigorously adhered to. Reliable implementation is only possible with the help of intelligent cleanroom door and gate systems that effectively help keep the room air consistently clean.

Whether in healthcare facilities like clinics, research centers such as laboratories, or in food production – cleanrooms play a vital role in certain manufacturing processes and workflows and cannot be carried out without them. After all, it is especially necessary in these areas to strictly comply with all hygiene regulations regarding air quality and cleanliness.

This is particularly true for operating rooms, production rooms, and research laboratories, for which absolutely pure and germ-free air is essential. Employees and materials must be introduced into a cleanroom while maintaining constant room climate and air balance. Therefore, intelligent door and gate systems, such as special sliding doors for cleanrooms from ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, are crucial as they ensure high air quality and prevent the ingress of dirt or germs.

Regular inspections for impeccable cleanroom hygiene

To keep the amount of airborne particles in a cleanroom minimal, the air change rates must be continuously monitored. These so-called air change rates determine how often the air mass within a cleanroom is renewed or changed within one hour.

In addition, the under- and overpressure must be checked, which is prescribed for the respective work area. Specific pressure level concepts ensure, for example, that even with open sliding doors, contamination of the cleanroom hygiene cannot occur. The pressure difference in cleanrooms with various ISO/GMP classifications typically ranges from 12.5 to 15 Pa (Pascal). This pressure difference can be regulated through continuous air supply combined with the use of a volume flow controller.

Minimize contamination risk with cleanroom doors and gates

Air is continuously supplied to and extracted from production facilities and airlocks. However, preparing the room air in this way is quite complex and therefore costly. It is more economical to invest in a sliding door system that has low leakage and can be operated resource-efficiently. If a larger leakage is needed – for example, because overpressure is required – small distances to the floor and small gaps in the door and gate systems help provide the necessary air supply. Automatic sliding doors with a so-called EPDM or TPE seal are recommended for this purpose. These automatic doors seal more tightly than models with brush seals.

Furthermore, contactless sensors ensure that no contamination with germs or dirt occurs. Activation is simply triggered by a gesture with the hand. Notably, these doors open and close at a speed of 2 m/s or 1 m/s, respectively. This allows for an unobstructed flow of people and materials, minimizes air loss, and protects the ventilation system from unnecessary wear.

Additionally, cleanrooms with hermetically sealing door and gate systems can be operated more economically. To guarantee the durability of the materials used, high standards are set for the construction materials: many versions are made of stainless steel, which impresses with its smooth surface structure and resistance to cleaning agents and disinfectants.

Interactive communication as an additional safety factor in cleanrooms

The access to each cleanroom is also of high importance. Difficulties often arise here, which are caused by the simultaneous need to ensure both material and personnel protection. Separate entrance solutions help to address this but also come with different requirements for the intelligent door and gate systems. Usually, the affected areas are made accessible via two separate entrances: a sliding door for personnel flow and a rapid-action door for material transport, such as the Albany RR300 Clean cleanroom door from ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems.

Furthermore, continuous communication between air technology, the cleanroom gate, and the cleanroom door ensures smooth and secure operation. If the normal operation is interrupted unexpectedly, for example due to a power outage, fire, or blocked access, this interactive communication between the components enables a quick response to secure the affected area. For instance, if a door cannot be closed, the system compensates immediately for the pressure drop via interface management and locks the other access points. The sophisticated synchronization not only maximizes safety but also reduces energy consumption and enables ongoing documentation of air pressure fluctuations.