New at Cleanzone: AMC Workshop

At Cleanroom Technology 2016, a workshop on Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC) will be held for the first time in the morning of November 8th. In cleanroom technology, besides pure particle control, the focus today is on measuring and eliminating chemical contaminants in the air and on surfaces. Ruth Lorenz, Head of Technology & Production at Messe Frankfurt, explains: "We are very pleased to be able to offer visitors a workshop on this highly topical subject this year. With this event, we are specifically addressing one of the industry's central challenges, which is becoming increasingly important for production in cleanrooms." The organizer of the workshop is Markus Thamm from Cleanroom.de. He summarizes the goals of the event: "It's about bringing users and manufacturers together. In the current stage of development, it is very important for users to describe their requirements and problems so that manufacturers can develop appropriate product innovations."

The workshop features two focus lectures. Frank Spehl from Mann + Hummel and Dr. Peter Heinrich from Artemis Control will speak. Those wishing to participate in the workshop can book a congress module via www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com. The event is primarily aimed at protagonists from the semiconductor industry, aerospace technology, and the high-end plastics sector.

Among the airborne molecular contaminants that are of particular interest because they can cause damage during production are substances such as ammonia, hydrochloric acid, sulfur compounds, silicones, or organic compounds. Currently, these molecules pose new challenges mainly for manufacturers in microtechnology. However, Markus Thamm is confident that these contaminants will also become more significant in the long term for manufacturing in the life sciences sectors: "There is a risk that reactions could form new substances or that the mentioned substances could serve as nutrients for microorganisms." Air purity based on chemical concentrations is documented in both EN ISO 14644 and VDI 2083.

The workshop primarily focuses on developments in measurement and filtration technology. Filters for airborne chemical substances are mostly custom-made for the customer. First, it must be determined together with the user which molecules could cause failures in their production process. Based on these results, the filter manufacturer can then design the appropriate filter. Regarding measurement technology, ammonia and acids can already be effectively monitored in real-time using monitoring systems. The industry is working on solutions for silicones and epoxides. Currently, to detect these substances, plates need to be laid out and analyzed, which has the disadvantage that it is not always clear when the contamination occurred.

On Cleanroom Technology, users can learn about innovative products and new solutions directly through exchanges with experts or at manufacturer booths during the AMC workshop.