Show stoppers at the NEC in Birmingham
This year’s 3C show, held alongside Medical Device Technology, had a buzz that signalled not only growing interest in cleanroom products from several industries, but also increased health sector spend.
The show for contamination control and cleanroom products and services (3C), which was this year held next door to Medical Device Technology (MDT) at the NEC in Birmingham, proved to be a successful meeting point for those looking to build new cleanrooms or introduce cleaner workplace practices and environments.
This year’s busy show signalled not only a growing awareness of the event, but also a positive vibe about future economic growth in the sector. Annexing the show to the annual Medical Device Technology event clearly increased attendance from the medical field, but the current wave of new spending in the UK hospital sector also seemed to be a factor.
An optimistic industry outlook from the cleanroom sector was evident from interviews carried out by Sambrook Research with 25 companies at 3C and MDT. Cleanroom suppliers were forecasting on average a 15% annual growth rate. Medical device manufacturing and assembly companies were also predicting a healthy growth rate of around 12.5% a year. However, Sambrook’s research also revealed that competition from the Far East is a significant concern for most companies and they see innovation and focus on high quality output as key to keeping the competition at bay.
Growth markets
According to Sambrook’s study, the medical device sector is enjoying growth and medical clients are demanding cleaner and more environmentally-friendly production methods. A growth area for the cleanroom industry, meanwhile, is in nanotechnology where developments are moving from the research labs to manufacturing facilities.
Among the innovations launched at MDT was a futuristic modular, enclosed assembly platform, supplied by AGR Automation, of Arbroath, Scotland. As dust and contamination control becomes ever more critical in new process operations, this type of enclosed assembly platform is of growing interest. The class 10,000 cleanroom rated assembly platform is made of stainless steel and aluminium with GRP guard and can be supplied up to 12m long, or linked to several other lines.
The pod-like structures are fully compliant with FDA requirements, making them suitable for medical device manufacture, but they can also be used in a wide variety of industrial applications, such as laser cutting, liquid dispensing and micro-assembly. The modules can be purchased un-tooled, readily configured to undertake a wide variety of assembly, test, packaging and process options, or fully tooled for a specific application, with the possibility to integrate with third party proprietary equipment.
Also of interest for those in microbiological QC and validation is a new concept for microbiological testing by membrane filtration, introduced by the French DTP Groupe. MediaSure is a pre-poured, airtight agar dish that has an articulated lid to ensure the aseptic transfer of the membrane filter to the culture medium.
Also on show was the first professional computer keyboard designed for medical environments from InduKey of Begbroke, Oxfordshire. The InduMedical keyboard features an easy-clean surface with specially treated antimicrobial front sheet impregnated with Microban. Extremely durable it is also built to withstand the kind of rigorous cleaning that would render other keyboards useless.
Innovations on show at 3C included what is claimed to be the only viable air sampler that is ATEX zone 1 certified for companies operating in hazardous areas. The supplier, Arc Technologies of Nottingham, UK, also promoted the Core2Clean stainless steel, autoclavable spray-mop-fog cleaning and disinfecting system from Velteck Associates. These systems are made of 304 and 316 stainless steel and can be steam sterilised.
Compressed air-operated, they dispense a continuous flow of a clean solution to the surface via a trigger-activated dispensing mop, a sprayer or a fogger, all in one unit. The system can reduce cleaning time by 50% and is easily moved from area to area by a four-wheel castor dolly that can be removed and cleaned.
Safety garments
Consumables and garments supplier Kimberly-Clark Professional Safety showed its new Safeskin Cleanroom Acid glove, which is said to offer superior protection in a cleanroom environment. The company also announced the availability of its Kleenguard T65XP garments in new compressed, paperless packaging. This clothing not only reduces contamination but also increases personal protection for the wearer.
Many companies promoted cleanroom facility design, construction, and validation services, and based on this year’s event many are planning to return next year on the 14-15 February, when the co-hosted 3C and MDT will move to Hall 12.