chainflex® cables & hoses for cleanroom applications

Having abrasion-resistant cables that meet cleanroom standards are essential in semi-conduction manufacturing, since the ISO norm 14644-1 comes into effect. ISO norm 14644-1 categorizes how many particles of <3µm are allowed to be contained in 1m3air into 9 different classes. These particles can damage the product that will be manufactured, increasing the scrap rate, so ensuring that all equipment being used with a clearoom is resistant to abraions is key.

Cleanrooms are not only found in semiconductor manufacturing, but also in laboratories, medical technology and the pharmaceutical industry—wherever meticulous cleanliness is essential. As our quality demand keeps increasing, the demand for this kind of production is also growing. Just think about how many cables are involved within the production of large flat-screen TVs, where any pixel errors are unacceptable. The same applies to vaccine cannulas, which have to be produced with precision and under hygienic conditions. If moving parts such as cable carriers are installed with flexible cables running inside, they have to be set up in a manner that reduces abrasion to minimal amounts, or the particles that develop during manufacturing, or emitted by the outside, have to be removed from the ambient air, which can be extremely costly. By using cables with low abrasion, i.e. few particles, the cumbersome and expensive removal of air particles is no longer necessary.