Industry 4.0 in the cleanroom: a revolution or just a buzzword?

What operators of cleanrooms in the automotive industry can learn  

Everyone talks about "Industry 4.0," also in connection with cleanrooms. However, what exactly is behind it often remains a bit nebulous. Clarity is provided by a visit to this year's Cleanzone trade fair on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 8 and 9, 2016, in Frankfurt am Main.  

In reality, "Industry 4.0" essentially means: condition monitoring and plant control using sensors and electronic data collection as well as data processing. This can ultimately even lead to self-regulating systems, which, through networking beyond production, can also include goods receipt and dispatch, logistics, invoicing, controlling, and much more. The Industry 4.0 philosophy is now primarily experienced in automation concepts, and they directly lead to the core of the matter in terms of cleanroom technology. 

An example of the advantages of a higher degree of automation is demonstrated by advanced filter integrity tests, which are indispensable for quality assurance of air in every cleanroom—whether it is in pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, chemicals, or other industrial sectors.

Problem solved: scanning with higher reproducibility and more speed

For a functional cleanroom, the installed filters are crucial success components. Even minor leaks can lead to an increase in particle concentration. Therefore, integrity tests on the installed filters are regularly performed as a preventive measure.  

In the case of thorough leak testing, the entire filter system is scanned with a measurement probe, and areas with elevated particle concentrations are identified. At the corresponding "suspect spots," a test aerosol is applied again, and the particle count is measured on both the raw air side and the clean air side using a stationary probe. Finally, the results are compared with the maximum permissible particle count.

However, using the stationary probe is somewhat tricky. Usually, filter integrity tests are performed manually. This means that an employee must scan the filter with a probe at a defined distance and a constant speed. During this process, they also need to monitor the current particle influx to perform re-measurements precisely at those points—this involves a multitude of potential inaccuracies. 

An improvement in filter integrity testing is provided by robot-assisted procedures, which automatically record the condition of end filters and laminar flow units. The measurement process is computer-controlled, and the results are automatically output—more reproducible and less time-consuming than manual scanning. 

Cleanroom robots can move autonomously

The ongoing automation is also reflected in currently available cleanroom-compatible robots that transport materials and products between arbitrary points in a factory, operate without guidance systems, and navigate autonomously—an alternative when rail or conveyor systems are not feasible or would be too complex.  

Beyond the undisputed advantages of automation, the utopia of "Industry 4.0" goes beyond current cleanroom concepts in a fundamental way. While currently mainly documenting cleanroom data (particle contamination, microbiological contamination), the definition of requirements should ideally be strictly product- and quality-oriented.  

"In the sense of this cross-process measure, Industry 4.0 is already being practiced in the automotive industry," judges Michael Skerat, managing director of skeratschoppe GmbH, a specialist in process optimization, change processes, strategic management, and product management.

There are already numerous applications in the automotive industry in pure cleanrooms, used for manufacturing diffuser lenses, electromechanical high-precision parts of tiny dimensions, media-conducting systems in valve technology, or parts with film overmolding. This includes a range of components from cleanroom or at least cleanroom-compatible manufacturing. It also involves the use of robots working closely with humans in confined spaces.  

"In the future, cleanrooms will increasingly be integrated into existing concepts, although I must also note that there are currently no tangible flagship examples," says Skerat. "The applications can also be transferred from process workflows to pharmaceutical manufacturing. However, the high requirements for microbiological purity must be considered separately." 

A main task will be defining interfaces at the transitions between cleanroom and non-cleanroom environments. Product and production data need to be supplemented with room-specific parameters. For example, the heat generated by an injection molding or tablet press machine installed in the cleanroom, if it proves to be a quality criterion for the product, can also be taken into account.  

Process optimization, digitization, and Industry 4.0 are top topics at Cleanzone 2016. For example, Michael Skerat will speak at the Cleanzone Congress about how processes from the automotive industry can be transferred to production in cleanrooms. The German Cleanroom Institute is organizing a high-profile panel discussion on "Industry 4.0: Opportunity for Innovation and the Future."