In environments where contamination control is of paramount importance, the role of cleanroom pass-throughs cannot be understated.
Much like cleanroom furniture and cleanroom air showers, cleanroom pass-throughs are a vital cleanroom component.
Pass-throughs play a pivotal role in maintaining sterility while facilitating the transfer of materials and equipment between different controlled environments, or between controlled and uncontrolled spaces.
In this article, we delve into the world of cleanroom pass-throughs, exploring their significance, functionality, benefits, challenges, and the future of this technology.
Let’s get into it.
Introduction to cleanroom pass-throughs
Before we get into the brass tacks of this article, it’s important to fully understand why cleanroom pass-throughs are so important, and what purpose they serve. In industries such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and healthcare, maintaining contamination-free environments is essential.
Contaminants can lead to product defects, compromise research, and risk patient safety. Cleanroom pass-throughs act as gateways, preventing the spread of contaminants from one area to another.
They are a very important part of a much larger controlled environment.
Cleanroom pass-throughs serve as a conduit for transferring materials, tools, and equipment between controlled environments without compromising the sterility of either side.
This is crucial for ensuring the integrity of products and research outcomes by eliminating the possibility of particulates entering the space during transfer.
Consider a pass-through as a smaller, more cost-effective version of an anteroom that allows the transfer of personnel and larger equipment.
They maintain the separation of spaces while allowing controlled access.
By creating this sealed separation barrier between cleanroom spaces, pass-throughs prevent direct contact between personnel and contaminants, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
What smaller components make up a pass-through?
The biggest factors to consider when looking at what components make up a cleanroom pass-through are the materials used to construct the structure and inside of the pass-through, and the door that creates the separation barrier we talked about earlier.
For this, it is important to look at pass-through material choices. Cleanroom pass-throughs come in various materials, including stainless steel, acrylic, polypropylene, and glass, each offering distinct benefits in terms of durability, ease of cleaning, and resistance to chemicals.
Usually, pass-throughs are installed towards the end of the controlled environment construction, so you would be best served to match the material of the pass-through to what you’ve used in the rest of the cleanroom for continuity.
Different door mechanisms, such as interlocking, mechanical, and automated systems, are utilised in cleanroom pass-throughs to maintain airlock integrity and minimise contamination transfer.
The type of door mechanism you choose is more a matter of cost, and desire for access control, like a badged access.
Design Considerations
The biggest factors that are considered during the design process is the location of the pass-through itself, and the size of the object being transferred.
Pass-through dimensions are tailored to accommodate the specific equipment, tools, or materials that need to be transferred, ensuring a seamless process.
It’s important to understand the cleanroom process and materials being handled to size the pass-through appropriately.
The choice between wall-mounted and floor-mounted pass-throughs depends on the available space, workflow requirements, and the need for flexibility in cleanroom layout.
Past a certain size, a floor mounted pass through may be the right choice, as they can accommodate lab carts, and batched quantities of material.
If you choose the right team to build your controlled environment, they will have taken these into account when designing your room.
At the end of the day, cleanroom pass-throughs are not cookie cutter. Each one we build has a set of special considerations that need to be incorporated.
For example, to enhance contamination control, pass-throughs can be equipped with features such as UV sterilisation, air curtains, and HEPA and ULPA filtration systems, and cooling systems for refrigerated specimens.
Some emerging and innovative design trends in cleanroom pass-throughs include advancements in door mechanisms, more intuitive control systems, and better integration with cleanroom automation. With these innovations, the future holds the potential for cleanroom pass-throughs to be seamlessly integrated into Internet of Things (IoT) networks and automated workflows.
Installation and integration
Now that you have all necessary planning done for your cleanroom pass-through, let’s talk about how we make sure the installation and integration is done properly.
Correct installation is critical to maintaining the integrity of the cleanroom environment. Correct installation involves ensuring airtight seals remain intact on the doors, and proper alignment takes place into the wall.
When installing a pass-through, it is also important to make sure it fits perfectly with the already in-place cleanroom components as pass-throughs are integrated into the overall cleanroom infrastructure which includes walls, doors, and airlocks.
Maintenance and cleaning
Keeping a controlled environment requires consistent, calculated maintenance. Routine maintenance is essential to keep pass-throughs in optimal working condition and to ensure that they continue to provide effective contamination control.
Each company will have a different maintenance checklist to follow, so it’s important to stay up to date with your organisation’s standards.
Proper cleaning protocols prevent the buildup of contaminants and maintain the sterility of pass-throughs, contributing to overall cleanroom hygiene.
Specific chemicals and cleaning techniques should be utilised, but make sure to check with your controlled environment manager to ensure you’re using the proper chemicals for the pass-through in question.
Common challenges in using pass-throughs
We’ve talked extensively about the benefits of using a cleanroom pass-through, but it’s very important to highlight some common challenges, to give you a more holistic view of what you should expect.
It is important to check the potential points of failure and contamination risks. While highly effective, cleanroom pass-throughs can present challenges such as mechanical failures or breaches in airlock integrity, leading to potential contamination risks. This is one of the biggest reasons you need to keep up on your maintenance.
To address this, the cleanroom should have a robust troubleshooting plan in place, along with regular inspections, which can help identify and address issues promptly. This is also where proper cleanroom monitoring and logging comes into place.
Cost considerations and ROI
We know it’s on your mind. Let’s discuss cleanroom ROI for pass-throughs.
Initial investment vs long-term benefits: While cleanroom pass-throughs require an upfront investment, their long-term benefits in terms of contamination control and operational efficiency far outweigh the initial costs.
Calculating return on investment: Calculating the ROI of cleanroom pass-throughs involves considering factors such as reduced downtime, enhanced product quality, and regulatory compliance. Figuring out the ROI is extremely important, and also extremely specific to your business and your production process.
Common FAQs
Q: What industries benefit from cleanroom pass-throughs the most?
A: Cleanroom pass-throughs are most beneficial for industries where contamination control is critical, such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and electronics manufacturing.
Q: Are there size limitations for pass-throughs?
A: Cleanroom pass-throughs can be customised to accommodate various sizes of equipment and materials, with considerations for workflow efficiency. In terms of practicality, and as material transferred and batch sizes increase, consider upsizing from a wall to a floor mounted pass-through, or from a floor mounted pass-through to a full size material transfer room.
Q: How do pass-throughs maintain a sterile environment
A; Pass-throughs maintain a sterile environment by creating a sealed barrier between cleanrooms, preventing the transfer of contaminants.
Q: Can pass-throughs be retrofitted into existing cleanrooms?
A: Yes, cleanroom pass-throughs can be retrofitted into existing cleanrooms, provided there is sufficient space and integration can be executed without compromising cleanroom integrity.
Top image: Example of a pass-through