Universities and research institutes are drivers of innovation for industry – particularly in the highly dynamic field of cleanroom technology. Their findings give rise to new approaches, offer solutions to current problems and lay the foundation for future products and processes.
With Cleanzone Campus at the Cleanzone trade fair on 23-24 October 2018 in Frankfurt am Main, Messe Frankfurt has created a platform where research institutes in the field of cleanroom technology can present their projects.
Ruth Lorenz, VP technology at Messe Frankfurt, explained: “We initiated Cleanzone Campus as a way of highlighting the key role that research plays in driving innovation and securing the future viability of cleanroom technology. As an international and interdisciplinary event, Cleanzone is the platform that brings together everyone in the fields of science and research in one place.”
Universities present their projects not only as a way of sharing their findings and information, but also to make it clear just how important and necessary it is to foster exchange between research and industry.
Institutions that have already signed up include the following: Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), Hermann-Rietschel-Institut (HRI) at the Technical University of Berlin, and OTH – Technical University of Applied Sciences, Amberg-Weiden.
Standardising the preparation of cleaning textiles
Albstadt-Sigmaringen University will be utilising Cleanzone Campus to present its current project from the field of cleaning and hygiene technology. The concept is to establish round robin tests as a means of standardising procedures for the preparation of cleaning textiles (eg wiping cloths and covers etc).
Another project addresses the potential offered by technical cleanroom systems for food processing. The company will also be showcasing the possibilities presented by collaborations between universities and industry and anchoring the field of cleanrooms in the curricula of life sciences faculties.
Cleanliness and hygiene in the field of medical technology
Cleanroom technology is an important part of both instruction and research at OTH Amberg-Weiden, which is why the university will be taking advantage of the opportunity offered by Cleanzone Campus to present its industry projects in the fields of cleanliness and hygiene.
The university also operates an ISO class 7 cleanroom at the Weiden campus. Here, students in the medical technology faculty are given the chance to familiarise themselves with cleanroom technology on both a theoretical and practical level.
Mobile cleanroom tent and IT communication tool
Two innovations – a mobile and flexible cleanroom tent, and the ‘FlexNote’ IT communication tool – will be the focus of attention for the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA). This year marks the first time that the Fraunhofer Institute will be providing a detailed presentation of the creation phase for a cleanroom at Cleanzone: it will shine a spotlight on the entire process, from the initial concept to the first drawings and construction of the prototype all the way to the final product.
With FlexNote, Fraunhofer IPA has developed a mobile application that represents a significant step towards paperless cleanrooms and further reducing the sources of contamination. With the help of this mobile application, it is possible to quickly record various necessary observations or document pending tasks – resulting in targeted distribution and transparent tracking.
Projects focusing on cleanrooms, operating theatres and special isolation wards
The primary focus of research at the Hermann-Rietschel-Institut is cleanroom hygiene. In particular, the institute works to develop concepts for rooms with special protection requirements that make it possible to keep concentrations of chemically, physically or biologically active aerosols as low as necessary.
Furthermore, experimental and numeric studies are undertaken to investigate the dispersal and sedimentation behaviour of particles in enclosed spaces. At Cleanzone, HRI will be presenting the findings from their most recent projects concerning cleanrooms, operating theatres and special isolation wards.