Cleanrooms are enclosed spaces controlled to protect against the infiltration of contaminants like dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles, or any other contaminants that can damage equipment, contaminate food and pharmaceutical products, and encourage the spread of viruses.
A cleanroom facility is designed to provide the cleanest and safest area possible. They are essential to many different industries, including industrial, manufacturing, food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare.
In this blog, we focus on the crucial role of electrical systems in cleanrooms. We also discuss electrical maintenance best practices for cleanrooms and why you should always choose an experienced electrical contractor for any cleanroom maintenance project.
Keep reading to learn more!
The Critical Role of Electrical Systems in Cleanrooms
A cleanroom requires a robust electrical infrastructure to maintain its controlled environment. The electrical systems within a cleanroom are responsible for powering and maintaining critical equipment and ensuring a delicate balance of ventilation and cleanliness.
Electrical systems in cleanrooms are essential for:
- Automated Lighting Controls: Motion sensors detect human presence and adjust lighting levels accordingly, eliminating the need for manual control and unnecessary touchpoints.
- Temperature and Humidity Controls: Electrical systems, such as HVAC systems, maintain optimal environment conditions by controlling temperature and humidity.
- Air Filtration and Ventilation: Cleanrooms rely on advanced air filtration systems, which are driven by electrical components, to remove contaminants and maintain air quality.
- Pressurized Entry and Exit Rooms: Having pressurized entrance rooms and exit rooms can also help reduce contaminants from entering via air exchange.
- Monitoring and Alarms: Electrical systems provide real-time monitoring and alarm functionalities to alert operators to any deviations in the controlled environment, allowing for a fast response.
Discover the power of Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) and how it keeps any facility, including cleanrooms, running at peak performance. Click here!
Electrical Maintenance for Cleanroom Facilities
Imagine a cleanroom where meticulous work is underway and air quality is of utmost importance. Yet, unknown to the operators, a fault in the ventilation system is silently compromising the environment. The source of this issue: a worn drive system and a faulty fan motor.
As time passes, this seemingly minor problem escalates — the compromised fan motor results in lower airflow performance, creating an imbalance in air circulation. The consequences become evident as air cleanliness and quality begin to deteriorate. Suddenly, the once pristine environment is now at risk, with potential consequences ranging from product contamination to research inaccuracies.
This is where electrical maintenance steps in as the safeguard against such scenarios.
Routine inspections, testing, and preventive maintenance allow experts to detect and rectify issues (like the failing fan motor) before they reach critical levels. By addressing the problem early, electrical maintenance ensures air quality and cleanliness remain at peak performance levels.
But you might be wondering, how do electrical maintenance best practices differ for cleanrooms compared to conventional facilities? Keep reading to find out!
Cleanroom Electrical Maintenance Best Practices
Electrical maintenance in cleanrooms must be tailored to the unique demands of the precision-driven, airtight environment.
For example, an electrical engineer can’t simply walk into a cleanroom and remove paneling to access a machine; they must adhere to a stringent set of cleanroom safety protocols and procedures.
Before even entering a cleanroom, a thorough decontamination process is mandatory, which begins at home with a regimen that includes proper showering, shaving, and adherence to specific hygiene practices. Once on-site, personnel must also follow strict gowning protocols, such as wearing a sanitized coverall suit, gloves, and mask.
Personnel involved in cleanroom electrical maintenance should be well-trained and qualified, equipped with the specialized knowledge and skills required to perform tasks effectively in a cleanroom environment.
Lemberg is your experienced cleanroom electrical contractor, serving Milwaukee-area businesses for over 95 years. Contact us today!
Electrical Maintenance Tips for Cleanrooms
Performing electrical preventive maintenance will help identify and address potential issues before they escalate and disrupt cleanroom operations. The following are all things you should be checking during your routine maintenance:
- Static Electricity Control: Implementing measures to monitor and control static electricity is vital to prevent damage to sensitive equipment and reduce the risk of electrical discharge.
- Proper Cable Management: Effective cable organization and management reduce safety hazards and minimize the risk of contamination within the cleanroom.
- Backup Power System Maintenance: Reliable backup power systems like uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are essential for preserving the integrity of critical equipment and processes during power outages.
- Calibration of Sensors and Controls: Regular calibration of sensors and control systems is necessary to maintain the accuracy of environmental conditions within the cleanroom.
- Cleanliness and Contamination Control: Implementing a regular cleaning routine for all machinery and equipment not only ensures optimal performance but it also helps prevent contamination within the cleanroom.
- Documentation and Record-Keeping: Comprehensive record-keeping helps track activities, identify trends, and demonstrate compliance with cleanroom standards.
It’s best to schedule electrical maintenance during the cleanroom's off-hours, which may help make the maintenance processes as minimally disruptive to everyday workflows as possible.
Learn 3 key ways electrical preventive maintenance can improve your operations in this blog post!
A Lemberg Case Study
The Lemberg Electrical Service team had the opportunity to help Lubrizol, a specialty chemical company, with the task of moving 52 electrical machines to create additional space for expanded manufacturing capabilities in its cleanroom facility.
Project details included:
- Following Cleanroom Entry Protocols: The Lemberg team followed the rigorous decontamination process and entry protocols, including wearing the required cleanroom garments, before entering the cleanroom.
- Electrical Capacity Augmentation: To accommodate the new machinery, the Lemberg team introduced electrical capacity in multiple voltages, ensuring adequate power for Lubrizol's manufacturing processes.
- Seamless Coordination: Lemberg's professionals arranged off-shift work to accommodate Lubrizol's production schedule.
- Cost-Efficient Solutions: To optimize operational efficiency and minimize labor costs, Lemberg constructed isolation walls that allowed certain work to continue during regular business hours.
Thanks to meticulous project planning and close collaboration with Lubrizol employees and their cleanroom processes, Lemberg not only successfully completed the project but also continues to provide ongoing cleanroom maintenance support.
Take a closer look at this unique cleanroom electrical project here!
Choosing The Best Electrical Maintenance Contractor for Your Cleanroom
Lemberg brings decades of electrical maintenance experience. Our team is well-versed in cleanroom standards and committed to upholding precision and cleanliness. We prioritize training, safety, and documentation to ensure your cleanroom’s electrical systems remain in optimal condition, contributing to the efficiency and safety of your controlled environment.
We are proud to be an industry-leading, full-service electrical construction company, providing Milwaukee-area businesses with comprehensive cleanroom electrical preventative maintenance and service support.
If you’d like to learn more about our electrical maintenance services, contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you!
