Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Why must products intended for manufacturing environments such as cleanrooms, dry cleanrooms, and vacuum environments be individually tested?
Clean and hygienic production areas are complex systems designed to prevent contamination in manufacturing processes and in the products being manufactured. These systems consist of the production rooms and the production equipment located within them. The various subsystems and components—such as ceilings, walls, floors, sealants, manufacturing equipment, transport systems, tools, and consumables—can be collectively referred to as “equipment” (see ISO 14644-14).
To ensure clean and hygienic production areas, the equipment used must meet the specific/industry-relevant cleanliness requirements. Metrological evidence is required for objective assessment. The respective production environments must be taken into account here, as they can have a significant influence on the test results:
- Cleanroom
- Dry room / dry cleanroom
- Vacuum
What does Fraunhofer IPA offer, and what infrastructure is available?
Fraunhofer IPA currently offers customers more than 60 different test methods for determining cleanliness properties and maintains a specialized testing infrastructure. This includes:
- various Class 1 reference cleanrooms (ISO 14644-1),
- dry rooms with dew point temperatures down to -50°C,
- combined dry-cleanrooms,
- containers for high-vacuum applications
- as well as a wide range of test benches and measurement equipment.
How are the test results documented?
Our test results are documented in detailed, scientific test reports. In conjunction with the “TESTED DEVICE®” or “Cleanroom Suitable Materials®” (“CSM®”) test marks, overview reports, qualification statements and qualification certificates are issued in addition to the test report. The overview reports, qualification statements and qualification certificate contain a condensed version of the essential information from the test report and, thanks to their high level of brand recognition, are specifically intended for customer communication.
How well-established are our testing services?
Our services are internationally established, with industrial customers in over 39 countries and more than 5,200 product tests. Our unique selling points include:
- Internationally recognized test marks for products in clean/hygienic manufacturing areas
- Specialized infrastructure featuring the world’s cleanest cleanroom
- Expertise in contamination control
Where can the test results be listed?
On our online database Tested Device® / CSM®, our customers can publish their test results—including qualification statements, qualification certificates and company contact information—free of charge. With result overviews, filters, and a validation function, external users of the database have extensive research capabilities at their disposal.
