Excellent collaboration between craftsmanship and research in the first cleanroom-compatible surgical light

The entrepreneur Friedrich Fischer (left) and the IPA scientist Frank Bürger (right) with the jointly developed cleanroom-compatible light. (Photo: KD BUSCH, Studio for Professional Photography)

Two out of three Seifriz awards from the craft magazine have been won this year by the Stuttgart Fraunhofer Institutes IPA and IBP for cooperation projects with craft companies. The Fraunhofer IPA fully certified the luminaires developed by Fischer Elektro-und Beleuchtungstechnik, which are specifically suitable for use in highly pure and hygienic areas, and the Fraunhofer IBP was able to jointly develop a certified universal combustion chamber for historic stoves with the craft company Öfen Stefan Dehn GmbH. The Seifriz Award is endowed with a total of 25,000 euros.

Press reports about severe bacterial infections in renowned clinics alerted entrepreneur Friedrich Fischer to the risks posed by cleanroom luminaires. Sealing and adhesives, he learned, are the food source for bacteria. They settle behind gaps, corners, and edges. Not all bacteria can be killed even with disinfectants. Recognizing the danger and banishing it? Fischer turned to the Fraunhofer IPA. Together with Frank Bürgen, Marion Schweizer, Markus Keller, Gaby Baum, and Ute Ringe from the Reinst- and Microproduction Department of Fraunhofer IPA, Fischer developed luminaires suitable for use in cleanrooms according to GMP class A and B as well as ISO class 1.

"It was important to select suitable materials because paints, sealants, and adhesives serve as food sources for microorganisms. Additionally, these materials often outgas. The molecular contamination released can cause enormous damage in microelectronics. Particular attention must be paid to the detachment behavior of fine dust particles, which can carry germs," explains IPA project manager Frank Bürgen. "Together with Mr. Fischer, we found suitable materials, e.g., sealants and adhesives with high biological and chemical resistance, nearly outgassing-free powder coatings, material combinations with minimal particle emission behavior, and silicone-free materials, which contributed to meeting the desired purity criteria. Fraunhofer IPA has extensive expertise in the field of pure production and cleanroom laboratories with state-of-the-art testing technology to efficiently address such issues," Bürgen continues.

Another essential component in the development process was the proper design of the luminaires. Corners and edges promote the accumulation of contamination. "Through a cascade-shaped design of our luminaires and VSG plates, we achieved complete ceiling tightness," Friedrich Fischer is pleased to report.

The minimization of energy consumption was of particular importance not only because of costs and the environment. Heat – here, the heat dissipation of the luminaires – promotes the growth of bacteria, fungi, and spores, and temperature differences lead to increased air movements and turbulence. "We were able to almost halve the basic energy requirement – and thus the corresponding heat development – through economical light sources and our new mirror reflectors," Fischer states with pride.

Through the research project with Fraunhofer IPA, Fischer has gained a significant development advantage and, of course, enormous competitive benefits. The aim of the Seifriz Prize, awarded by various stakeholders of the craft, is to promote and recognize cooperation between science and craft. Three prizes have been awarded nationwide, two of which went to the Fraunhofer Institutes IPA and IBP in Stuttgart.

About the Seifriz Prize

The nationwide Seifriz Prize is organized and supported by the trade magazine handwerk magazin in cooperation with the Signal Iduna Group Insurance and Finance, together with the Steinbeis Foundation. The prize has been awarded since 2014 for the 26th time for successful cooperation projects between craft companies and science, focusing on the development of new products, processes, services, or new forms of operational organization. The competition is supported by the Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH), the Baden-Württemberg Crafts Day and its members, the Chambers of Crafts from North Rhine-Westphalia, the Ministry of Finance and Economics Baden-Württemberg, and sponsors from the economy. The Verein Technologietransfer Handwerk e.V. is responsible for the organization.

About Fischer Elektro-und Beleuchtungstechnik GmbH

For over 30 years, the medium-sized company Fischer Elektro- und Beleuchtungstechnik GmbH has been offering high-quality, certified services for electrical installation, network technology, or lighting systems. Industry, commerce, trade, private, and public enterprises receive complete solutions from a single source, from planning to technical implementation and ongoing service.

(Source: handwerk magazin)