How To Choose Your Products

Cleanroom Wipers: The three attributes to consider when choosing your wiper needs is Absorbency, Extractables, and Particles.

Absorbency: The rate and amount of liquid that a cleanroom wiper can hold, usually measured in milliliters (ml). It’s important to determine the proper rate and amount of absorbency for your specific environment.

Extractables: The amount of elements extracted from the cleanroom wiper in a wash test, generally measured in Parts Per Million (PPM) or Parts Per Billion (PPB).

Particles: The number of particulates that are released by the material during testing. Polyester usually has the lowest particle rate, followed by nylon, poly-cellulose blend, and cotton which has the highest rate.

Cleanroom Gloves: The five attributes to consider when selecting your gloves is Particle Count, Extractable Count, Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Properties, Dexterity, and Chemical Compatibility.

Particle Count: Number of particulate matter that comes off the cleanroom gloves, typically measured in a dry test, Nitrile has the lowest amount of particles, follow by PVC and latex has the highest particle count.

Extractable Count: The amount of elements extracted from the cleanroom gloves in a wash test, generally measured in Parts Per Billion (PPB) or Grams per Square Meter (g/m2). Washed nitrile has the lowest ionic counts, followed by PVC, and latex.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Properties: The capacity of a cleanroom glove to reduce static discharge. Both PVC and nitrile exhibit excellent ESD qualities.

Dexterity: Latex cleanroom gloves fit right on the hand, but have no “memory” to conform to your hand shape. Nitrile’s memory properties provide more comfort, but are slightly looser fitting than latex. PVC has much lower dexterity and is recommended when tactile requirements are low.

Chemical Compatibility: Latex is a good choice for protection against acids. Nitrile has better resistance than latex to brood range of chemicals and performs well with solvents and acids. PVC has poor acid/base resistance and is best suited for a dry environment. Note: Thin-walled gloves are only intended for splash protection.

Independent studies have shown that cleanroom glove liners will:

• Reduce the number of cleanroom glove changes per day because operators’ hands don’t get “that sticky feeling.”
• Eliminate operator downtime due to skin irritations and dermatitis caused by wearing gloves alone.
• Increase productivity, because happy operators generate greater yields.

Cleanroom Adhesive Mats: The three attributes to consider when choosing your cleanroom adhesive mat is Tack Level, Adhesive Softness, and Adhesive Thickness.

Tack Level: This is determined by the force necessary to remove a one ince (25mm) wide strip from a polished stainless steel plate at a constant speed, and usually measured in ounces or grams.

Adhesive Softness: If the adhesive is too hard, particles will not transfer from the shoe or wheel to the cleanroom mat. If it’s too soft, adhesive transfer to the shoe or wheel can sometimes occur.

Adhesive Thickness: Typical adhesive layers have a thickness between 2-4 millimeters (50-100 microns). If the adhesive layer is too thin, the particles will remain on the surface and shorten the time that the cleanroom mat can continue to function.

How often should I change my mats? It depends on your number of operators, number of “passes” (1 person walking across the cleanroom mat with their left and right foot) in a given time, and environment class. However, one suggestion is to change a cleanroom mat after 50 passes.

Purchase Hint: Avoid “tiling” If the doorway leading to your cleanroom is 36”, for example, we recommend covering the entire entrance with one 36” wide cleanroom mat. Avoid the temptation of “tiling” your cleanroom mats because particulates can get in-between the mats and pose a contamination risk. Also, when changing sheets, remember to start at the tabbed corner (which should be closest to the doorway) and work your way into the middle, rolling it into a ball as you go.

Cleanroom Paper: The three attributes to consider when choosing your cleanroom paper needs is Base Substrate, Uniformity, and Coating.

Base Substrate: What is the cleanroom paper made of? Many lower-quality cleanroom papers contain ash fillers, which means they will introduce particulates when torn or folded. Valutek’s cleanroom papers are of higher quality and 100% filler-free.

Uniformity: Cleanroom paper goes through a stringent collandering process which reduces the size of the fibers, forms them into a page, and provides additional stability and uniform flatness. High-quality cleanroom paper receives more collandering than standard cleanroom paper, and has greater success passing through high-speed laser copiers and printers.

Coating: Cleanroom paper should be impregnated with a synthetic coating. Beware of low-cost options, which contain lower quality latex and resin treatment.

Did You Know?
Both PVC and nitrile gloves have static dissipating properties, and can further reduce rick of electrostatic discharge.

Third-party testing helps ensure that Valutek products will perform as expected under the most stringent real-world conditions. Product compliance information is also available.