Fraunhofer IPA test seal of cleanroom and cleanliness suitability successfully established on the market

The number of manufacturers who now have their products documented with the Fraunhofer IPA’s “Tested Device” seal of quality and cleanroom suitability is rising continuously. Since the introduction of the certificate about 3 years ago, over 150 products used for a wide range of clean manufacturing applications have passed the test for cleanroom and cleanliness suitability. Only recently available to the public, the new VDI 2083 Part 8 guideline which clarifies the suitability of operating utilities for cleanroom applications emphasizes the relevance of the tests.

The list of products which have been examined and testified for their cleanroom and cleanliness suitability at the IPA is becoming more and more comprehensive and reflects the successful acceptance of the test certificate by the market. In this way, over the last few years not only has the contamination behavior of handling equipment such as air bearing linear guides or robots been tested, but also materials with various coatings, wall, floor and ceiling systems for cleanroom constructions and even complete lithography systems.    

Component and equipment manufacturers benefit in many ways from the test results. By identifying contamination-sensitive product areas, the results assist design engineers to further increase the degree of development of their products for use in clean manufacturing industries. The confirmation of cleanroom and cleanliness suitability by the Fraunhofer IPA also permits many manufacturers to move away from the classical, over-saturated sales markets to some extent and successfully market their products in the sector of clean manufacturing. 

The success of the Fraunhofer IPA’s “Tested Device” seal of cleanroom and cleanliness suitability shows the necessity of constantly further developing products and adapting them to industrial requirements in modern manufacturing technologies.