Recognising excellence: The Cleanzone Awards 2020
11 settembre 2020
Outstanding innovations generate excitement for the future – for
the cleanroom industry and beyond. That is why the Cleanzone
Award honours outstanding projects that promise key benefits for
their users and for the cleanroom industry as a whole.
On 3 September, the panel of judges for the Cleanzone Awards 2020 got
together for their virtual meeting. The team of specialists from the fields
of academia, engineering, journalism and cleanroom technology
evaluated twelve submissions.
The panel is made up of Egon Buchta, Managing Director, Ingenieurbüro
& Reinraumservice Egon Buchta GmbH; Dr. Roy Fox, Editor-in-Chief of
the ReinRaumTechnik trade journal; Josef Ortner, owner of Ortner
Reinraumtechnik GmbH; Prof. Andreas Schmid, Dean of the Life
Sciences Faculty at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University; and Anja Diete,
Director of Cleanzone.
Every one of the entrants’ projects has a great deal of potential – so
much, in fact, that the award’s panel faced quite a challenge. Finally,
after much back and forth and dozens of arguments for and against, the
panel selected seven finalists in an open process. However, the final
decision lies with the visitors to Cleanzone.
The international trade fair for cleanroom technology is taking place on
18 and 19 November 2020. Both the trade fair and the industry are
utilising high-tech to avoid contamination through micro-organisms,
pathogens and particles – and one of the reasons they are doing so is to
make face-to-face encounters and the advantages they bring possible
again soon.
Beckman Coulter GmbH has been chosen as one of the finalists for its
MET one 3400+, an air particle counter that automates the routine
monitoring of GMP cleanrooms.
Josef Ortner, owner of Ortner Reinraumtechnik GmbH, offered his
analysis: “By automating some data importation and employing
modern visualisation technology directly with the measurement
equipment, this innovation improves measurement processes
while significantly increasing process security.”
Another favourite of the panel is the Fan-Filter-Module submitted by
Colandis GmbH. Its compact construction allows for flexible utilisation,
while its low energy consumption contributes to sustainability efforts.
Egon Buchta, Managing Director of Ingenieurbüro &
Reinraumservice Egon Buchta GmbH: “The wide-ranging
application possibilities in standard ceilings are a big advantage –
it can be used in new cleanrooms or retrofitted to upgrade existing
facilities.”
Contec’s ReFIBE wipes also made a real impression. Designed for
applications where single-use is a necessity, these polyester wipes are
made entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.
Prof. Andreas Schmid: “I believe that using recycled PET bottles
to clean cleanrooms is an innovative contribution to increasing
sustainability for disposable consumables.”
The concept submitted by Initial Textil Service GmbH & Co KG is
‘playful’ in the most literal sense of the word. The board game created by
the CWS Group company uses game play to impart cleanroom
knowledge with 600 questions in six categories.
Dr. Roy Fox, Editor-in-Chief of the ReinRaumTechnik trade
journal: “The game helps test fundamental knowledge and what
has been learnt. The company not only thought outside the box –
they put their concept inside one.”
The panel was also impressed by the hood-goggles combination created
by Dastex Reinraumzubehör. Two clicks and pulling two straps is all it
takes for snugly-fitting goggles – and the circumference of the hood is
automatically adjusted at the same time.
Prof. Andreas Schmid, Dean of the Life Sciences Faculty at
Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, is certain: “The innovative hoodgoggles
combination will greatly simplify the process of properly
donning goggles – a process that can otherwise be prone to
contamination.”
Fraunhofer IPA submitted 2ndSCIN®, a breathable, textile protective
cover that is suitable for use in cleanrooms. It also can be individually
adapted to the requirements of dynamic automation components. The
panel thought quite highly of its capabilities.
Anja Diete, Director of Cleanzone: “They have created a highly
intelligent bionic protective sleeve whose sensors allow it to
register the data of its environment and employ it using artificial
intelligence.”
An innovative coating of textile surfaces with special paints also scored a
nomination. The project submitted by the Textilforschungsinstitut
Thüringen-Vogtland e.V. textile research institute and the Ortner
company involves the application of a protective coating to textiles that is
only 100 nanometres thick. This coating shields them against things
such as cyanobacteria and moulds.
Dr. Roy Fox, Editor-in-Chief of the ReinRaumTechnik trade
journal: “It is an excellent example of modern, interdisciplinary
collaboration: innovative, creative and at the forefront of modern
science and developments. Surface functionalisation for the 21st
century!”
Cleanzone is taking place on 18 and 19 November 2020. The event is
aimed at decision-makers from all industries that use or build cleanroom
production facilities or that are considering their future use to ensure high
product quality – from the pharmaceutical and medical technology
industries to the food industry, the field of microtechnology and the
automotive industry.
More information on Cleanzone can be found at:
www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com
www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com/facebook
www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com/twitter
www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com/linkedin
Messe Frankfurt’s hygiene concept:
www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com/hygiene