A cleanroom is an area with the lowest possible levels of gases, dust particles, micro-organisms, and pollutants in the air. It is a sterile space in which both temperature and humidity are controlled. Here are the most important things to know about a cleanroom.

Cleanroom standards

Cleanroom standards aim to remove as many contaminants from the air as possible. However, this cannot be achieved 100% of the time, which is why the ISO classification system had been introduced, which is based on the number of particles per cubic metre in the cleanroom. Let's look at the most common standards!

US FED STD 209E

This was the first standard for a cleanroom, set in the USA. Although it was later withdrawn, many large companies still follow it today.

ISO 14644-1

ISO 14644-1 is the most popular of the modern cleanroom standards. This standard not only contains requirements for the design of the space but also guidelines for its creation and use.

GMP-EU

This standard examines the quality of cleanroom space in practice, i.e. during the implementation of defined methods and procedures. They are therefore very strict guidelines to be followed.

In which sectors is a cleanroom relevant?

There are manufacturing and research processes that demand impeccable purity, and even more! A sterile environment, free of all contaminants, dust, and organic matter. Without this, error-free production would be impossible.

The development of the cleanroom laboratory evolved out of the habits of the pharmaceutical and research sectors, where a completely clean and sterile space was first needed to carry out processes. Over time, however, other industries have emerged which have also required clean working areas. These include nanotechnology, hardware manufacturing, information technology, automotive component manufacturing, optics, space industry, the food industry and any other sector that requires a high degree of precision.

What contaminants can enter the working areas?

The source of contaminants can be almost anything that rotates in the air. It can be brought in by workers on their clothes, hair, or make-up. Sources can also include dirt on tools and pieces of equipment, fragments, and particles from packaging.

Finally, the room characteristics should also be mentioned. If the walls are full of cracks, paint is running off the walls, and the windows and doors do not close properly, the cleanliness of the room can be compromised.

How can a contamination-free space be created?

The heart and soul of a cleanroom is the aeration system. The air handling unit sucks air through the surface of the ventilation grille, cleans it with a HEPA filter and then returns the air to the cleanroom through the ceiling fan. This air replacement is carried out several times an hour to ensure that the particle count does not exceed a specified level.

The design also ensures that there is an as little surface area as possible where dust particles can get stuck. For example, curved profiles are placed in sharp corners so that dirt cannot gather and settle in the corner and is easier to clean.

In the case of a clean area, care must also be taken not only to create cleanliness but also to maintain it. Therefore, care should be taken at the entrance to keep dirt outside the door. Available from Flanker, the 3M™ Nomad™ 4300 Ultra Clean Cleanroom Sticky Mat is antimicrobial and multi-layered. As the name implies, the sticky surface does the cleaning, with one-half of the sticky mat adhering to the floor and the sticky top half removing dirt. Available in a range of sizes, there are water clear and blue sticky cleaning mats.

As described above, the source of the dirt is very often the employee, so people should only enter the cleanroom, if not the plant area, wearing protective clothing. Shoes and capes are a basic requirement in most cases, as is the requirement to wear clothing that covers the entire body. Hair nets, face masks and gloves are also compulsory in many places. Some protective clothing can be cleaned after use, but some must be thrown away. In most cases, access is through an airlock door.

Objects and equipment are moved through a material transfer box. These boxes are designed to have a door on each side, both to the clean room and to the outside. When inserting objects, care must be taken to ensure that only one door is open at any one time, so that the two spaces are not in direct contact.

The clean space is a complex environment that not only needs to be designed and constructed with specific considerations in mind but also requires great care in its use. Advanced equipment is used to ensure air quality and strict rules apply to the work processes in the cleanroom.

Flanker is a major partner of industrial operators. Whether in the printing, paper, packaging, electronics, or automotive industries, we offer high-quality solutions and products. Click here to browse our webshop!

Window film is used, among other things, to decorate and protect glass surfaces. Its great advantage is that it can be applied very quickly, easily and simply, even by hand. In this article, we will show you how to apply window film at home!

What is window film for?

Window film can have many different functions, depending on the type and colour of the film. Some people use it for decorative purposes on the surface of the window or glass, others to prevent people from seeing through the glass into the room or car. Shading is also achievable through applying films.

The film or foil can be applied to any kind of glass, whether it's a window in a room, a shop window or even a partition wall. Special types of window film are those designed specifically for cars, read more about them here!

Window films can filter out a good 85% of UV rays, and some types are also shading, which helps to keep the space they enclose from getting hot.

The film is hard-wearing and long-lasting, so it will remain on the surface for up to 10 years. It is waterproof so it does not get wet and the surface is easy to clean. It is important to note that normal window film is not the same as safety film, the former is an aesthetic plus, the latter also protects against breakage.

Window filming at home

Window filming is an easy DIY operation, all you need is a tape measure, scissors, a trowel, and some water. Let's look at the process step by step!

Step zero

The first and most important thing to do before you start with the foil is to clean the surface to be foiled. The window or glass surface must be free of dust, dirt and greasy fingerprints, as this will affect how well the film will adhere.

Step one: preparation

Cut a piece of foil approximately as big as you need. You don't have to be exact, but make sure you don't cut out a smaller size. Once you have the foil in your hand, use water to wet the surface of the glass. The easiest way to achieve this is to use a spray bottle.

Step two: fitting

Next, remove the protective layer of self-adhesive film and press it against the glass surface. When applying the film, be careful not to let it slip! Find its position and wet the other side of the film while you are doing this, so that smoothing will be much easier.

Step three: smoothing

Once the self-adhesive film has been applied, the next step is to fix it, i.e. smooth it down, just like you would with wallpaper. This should be done using a trowel, which can be a window sander or any other tool that can be used to smooth the film. The main thing is to remove any air, bubbles or unevenness. It's a good idea to move the trowel from the centre outwards, slowly, to make sure all air bubbles are removed.

Step four: shaping

Once the foil is stable, you're almost done. What you still need to do is to remove any excess using a scalpel or wallpaper cutter. If you need to, use a ruler or straightedge to make it straight.

Step five: cleaning

Window filming is a framing process at home, so start with cleaning and finish with cleaning. Once the window film is applied and cut to size, there's nothing left to do but clean the surface.

Get everything you need for window filming from Flanker! Check out our online shop!

A sorbent is a water softener that can be used to clean up spills of hazardous substances so that they cannot cause damage to the environment or personal injury. In this post, we have collected information on the different types of sorbents and when to use them. Let's see how to get your work area clean after a spill!

What is a sorbent?

The industrial sorbent is designed to absorb spilt liquids and hazardous substances, thus helping to avoid accidents and property damage. In general, it is very light in weight and can absorb liquids very quickly. Let's see what types of sorbents exist!

Types of sorbents according to their material

In terms of consistency, there are two main groups of sorbents: textile sorbents and granulates. The main ingredient of textile sorbents is polypropylene, which can bind large amounts of liquid by the fibres. They have a very fast dissolving capacity, which makes them suitable for large volumes of dirt and for preventing leaks.

Granulates are typically made of various minerals and can be used for small to medium spills. They are highly effective on porous and uneven surfaces and in situations where spillage is difficult to reach. The advantage of granules is that they can be used for all types of liquids, but they have the disadvantage that they must be deactivated, in a safe way, after they have absorbed the liquid. In the case of textile sorbents, this means simply throwing them away in the appropriate waste bin, but the granules need to be swept up and vacuumed.

Types of sorbents by absorbable material

In the case of textile sorbents, three further types can be defined according to the material they are intended to absorb. According to this differentiation, there are general, chemical-resistant, and oil-sorbent solutions.

The general sorbent

General sorbents are widely used, but it is important to be aware that if you are dealing with a very dangerous substance, you may want to choose a different type of sorbent. It can also be used for water, weaker acids and oily liquids, although in the latter case the result may not be 100%.

The oil sorbent

For oil spills, it is advisable to use special oil sorbents, which are highly effective at soaking up even the most unpleasant-looking oil spills.

The chemical-resistant sorbent

Chemical-resistant sorbents are specifically designed to soak up dangerous, corrosive substances and poisons, and can be used to remove more aggressive substances with great safety. However, it must be noted that in the unfortunate event of a spillage of a hazardous substance, neutralisation must be carried out first, followed by the clean-up.

The signalling of the sorbents

Sorbents are marked with different lettering to help you find the right type for your situation. The M symbol, for example, indicates that the sorbent has a single layer of absorbent material, but is not resistant to various mechanical stresses. CMC, on the other hand, is much more robust, with a protective layer on both sides of the half-coat. SMS is the most resistant of the sorbents to damage but at the cost of a slightly slower speed of digestion.

In what forms sorbent are available?

Sorbents are available in a variety of forms, including mats, cushions, sorbent sheets and so-called oil sorbent slings. Mini-Booms, for example, are excellent for surrounding barrels with the sorbent, but also for delimiting dirt. Furthermore, pillows prove to be the best choice when it comes to removing spillages under machinery.

What are the criteria for choosing a sorbent?

Choosing the right sorbent is not so easy at first, mainly because of the abundant supply. First, you need to consider what liquids you will be using it for, how uneven the terrain is and whether you need a faster or more resistant material.

Flanker has been supplying products to the printing and paper, packaging, automotive and electronics industries for over 20 years. Should you be in doubt about choosing the right type of sorbent, do not hesitate to contact us. Click here to browse our webshop!

Sanding is generally considered an unpopular activity, but that doesn't mean you can get away with it. It is an activity involving a lot of dirt and is designed to remove surface irregularities. However, it is not all the same what material you use and exactly how you do it. Let's look at the properties of abrasives and what you need to know about them!

The importance of sanding

Sanding is a cutting process that removes surface roughness, improving the quality of the surface by making it suitable for a wide range of uses. Sanding can be done by hand or with a sanding machine, but the main aspect is the sanding material itself.

Sanding may be necessary for all sectors, especially where the use of metal, wood and glass is paramount. Sanding requires the right skills and experience with multiple surfaces, as thanks to advances in technology, it is possible to buy special sanding discs for different materials, thus ensuring that the quality of the sanding is good and that no damage is done to the material.

However, it is not enough to choose the right abrasive, you also need to pay attention to the grinding pressure, the cutting speed, and the feed rate to achieve the right result.

Properties of abrasives

The properties of abrasives determine the applications for which they can be used. Their structure is very simple, usually consisting of a carrier material, a binder, and abrasive particles. Let's look at them!

The carrier material

The function of the substrate is to provide a base for the grains, which is why it must withstand the various mechanical stresses, pulling, bending, and repetitive and dynamic movements. Typically, the following materials are chosen as substrates:

• paper, which can be denoted by the letters A, B, C, D and E, based on g/m2,
• fabric, denoted by X, XF, YX, J and JF,
• vulcanised fibre, which can be denoted by thickness as V8 and V6,
• foil.

The popularity of paper carriers is high. Paper carriers are very reasonably priced, but not so strapacious, and are therefore mainly used for flat grinding. Tissue backings are stronger than paper and are therefore well suited to processes such as abrasive stripping or profile sanding using abrasive belts. Vulcanized fibre, or fibre material, is made of cotton and cellulose fibres. This type is used only and exclusively for fibre discs. Finally, the foil is a thin layer of polyester, best used when fine sanding is done with discs or belts.

The binder

The bonding agent ensures that all abrasive particles adhere to the surface of the substrate and do not detach from it. It must therefore provide sufficient strength, yet still, allow for elastic movement of the grains. Resin is the most suitable material for this purpose, but natural adhesives may also be used as a bonding agent.

The abrasive grain

Abrasive grit can be made from a variety of materials, including corundum, zirconia-corundum, ceramics, silicon carbide and diamond. The following is an overview of the types of grit that can be used to grind which materials:

• Ruby: this is a natural abrasive grit with a hardness grade of 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale.
• Smirgel: this is a harder (7.5-9) but natural grain, like Ruby. It is used for grinding non-ferrous metals and precious metals.
• Cycron corundum: cycron corundum is a synthetic material with a hardness grade of 9. It is used for grinding minerals, CK (cement-bonded chips), and steel.
• Brown corundum: also a synthetic material, brown corundum has a hardness grade of 9.
• Semi-precious corundum: reinforcing the corundum camp, it is a synthetic material used for grinding wood and metal.
• White corundum: white corundum has a hardness of 9,4 and is used for sanding wood, paint and varnish.
• Silicon carbide: silicon carbide with a hardness grade of 9,3-9,7 is widely used for grinding glass, stone and MDF.
• Diamond: the strongest abrasive grit is diamond, suitable for grinding glass, marble and ceramics.

It is also important how the grains are positioned on the substrate, i.e. how the grains are distributed. With open grit, the grains are less frequently spaced, allowing the dust generated during grinding to settle temporarily between the grains. This is advantageous because it prevents dust from remaining on the surface. With closed grit, the grains are more densely spaced, which means that there are more of them and therefore more cutting edges. While open grit abrasives are recommended for softer materials, closed grit abrasives are recommended for harder materials.

The higher the value, the smaller and finer the grain. In the process, it is, therefore, advisable to use a coarser grit for pre-sanding, followed by an intermediate grit, and finally a fine grit for finishing.

The abrasive varies according to the application. There are, for example, sanding sponges, sanding belts, sandpaper, sanding rollers and sanding discs for machines.