Making Sense of Cleanroom Consumable Technical Data Sheets

When comparing cleanroom products that impact quality, compliance, and operational performance, one of the first steps is reviewing technical data sheets. These documents should give a clear sense of whether or not a product meets or exceeds specific process and cleanroom requirements.

Simple, right?

Well…not quite.

What can initially seem like an apples-to-apples comparison often turns into a confusing mix of inconsistent metrics, test methods, and fine print. Why? Because not all technical data sheets speak the same language. Even when they use similar terms, they don’t always mean the same thing.

What’s Actually on a Technical Data Sheet?

While each manufacturer has their own distinct format, most cleanroom consumable data sheets include information in three broad categories:

• Physical properties (e.g. material type, basis weight, dimensions)
• Cleanliness characteristics (e.g. particle counts, extractables, residues)
• Product-specific attributes (e.g. tensile strength and elongation for gloves, absorbency for wipers, filtration efficiency for garments)

Identifying these categories is the easy part. The real challenge lies in how the data is presented and interpreted.

The Difference Between SPECs and TPVs

When evaluating or comparing cleanroom consumables, one of the most important things to understand is the difference between Typical Published Values (TPVs) and Product Specifications (SPECs).

Here’s the breakdown:

• Typical Published Values (TPVs): These are averages that show how a product typically performs under normal conditions. TPVs are hypothetical performance indicators. They aren’t strict limits or guarantees. Because manufacturers can calculate them in different ways, sometimes without explaining their methodology, TPVs are best thought of as subjective benchmarks.
• Product Specifications (SPECs): These are the real upper/lower material limits of a product. SPECs are tightly monitored during the manufacturing process and represent a clear, enforceable guarantee of performance. Unlike TPVs, SPECs are objective and measurable.

What does this mean?

A TPV from one manufacturer cannot be compared directly to a SPEC from another. They're fundamentally different types of data. While some manufacturers provide both TPVs and SPECs on products, understanding the difference between them is critically important.

Why Comparing TPVs to SPECs Can Be Misleading

At first glance, a SPEC may look "worse" than a TPV because it defines the lowest (or highest) acceptable limit on a specific attribute. But in reality, SPECs provide a guaranteed and transparent performance measure on a product. TPVs, by contrast, only represent averages.

While TPVs can provide meaningful data, understanding how manufacturers calculate a TPV is also critical in making informed product evaluations. Often, manufacturers don’t readily disclose all the necessary information.

Key questions to ask about TPVs:

• Is it a rolling average or a single data point?
• Over what timeframe?
• How many lots were included?
• How often is it updated?

At Valutek, TPVs are based on averages from actual 36-month lot data and updated on a rolling basis. While most manufacturers have different methods for establishing TPVs, many do not readily provide context, methodology, and validation.

Hidden Gotchas: Test Methods & Units of Measure

Even when comparing TPVs to TPVs or SPECs to SPECs, it’s important to be careful about how numbers are measured and reported. The devil is in the details when it comes to the test methods and units of measurement reported on data sheets for cleanroom gloves, wipers, and apparel.

Test Methods

While industry standard test methods (like those defined by IEST, ASTM, and the ESD Association) are widely recognized and accepted, some manufacturers use “internal test methods” instead of these public and reproduceable standards.

That’s like reading a food label that says, “Calories measured using proprietary methods.” You wouldn't trust that for nutrition, and you shouldn’t for cleanroom products either.

A test that mimics one outlined in IEST-RP-CC004.3 (Evaluating Wiping Materials Used in Cleanrooms) may sound credible, but unless it’s the exact test, the numbers may not hold up in a true comparison.

Units of Measure

Even slight differences in measurement units can also result in major product misunderstandings.

For example, one product manufacturer might report out on Liquid Particle Counts (LPC) per cm², while another reports per m². Without checking the fine print, your comparison is off by a factor of 10,000. The same can be true with other measurements. Are you evaluating in grams and meters or pounds and feet?

If units aren’t consistent, comparisons are meaningless.

Demystifying the Data

Too often, technical data sheets bury critical details in the footnotes, rely on inconsistent test methods and units of measure, or substitute TPVs for actual product specifications. This confusion makes it harder to compare and select the right critical products for unique cleanroom environments.

To simplify the process and make more confident product decisions, follow this simple 3-step checklist:

1. Start with Definitions. Before comparing any numbers, confirm what you’re looking at. Is the data reported as a SPEC or a TPV? If it’s not clearly labeled – ask!
2. Review Test Methods and Units. Ensure the test methods are clearly cited and based on recognized industry standards. Check that the units of measure you’re comparing are consistent between data sheets. If they’re not, you’re comparing apples to oranges.
3. Request Real Data. When switching products or suppliers, don’t rely solely on TPVs. Ask for:

• Manufacturing SPECs

• 36-month trending data

• Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for recent lots

The Valutek Difference

Valutek is one of the few manufacturers that openly provides:

• Manufacturing specifications (SPECs) – Clearly defined upper and lower limits based on standardized test methods.
• Typical Published Values (TPVs) – Based on 36-month rolling averages across multiple lots, for full visibility into lot-to-lot performance over time.
• Certificates of Analysis (C of A) – Actual test data available by lot number.

This isn’t just transparency. It’s commitment to consistency.

Because when reviewing cleanroom consumables, building SOPs, validating processes, or auditing suppliers, what really matters is lot-to-lot reliability and repeatable performance.

Valutek gives you the full picture.

Explore More Resources

• Quality Matters: The Significance of Transparent Test Data

• 5 Reasons to Choose Valutek for Your Critical Environment Consumables

• Critical Applications Require Repeatable, Standardized Testing