Hardwall cleanrooms and rigidwall cleanrooms share many of the same attributes and advantages, but there are several key differences between them that are important to consider when deciding which your facility would be better suited to.
Hardwall Cleanrooms: Overview & Applications
The more rigorous the classification standards, the more hardwall cleanrooms stand out as the ideal choice, as they can be engineered to comply with cleanroom classifications as stringent as ISO Class 1 and any classification below.
A modular hardwall cleanroom can be integrated into an existing building, and its walls can be built as a freestanding structure. These permanent cleanrooms provide a durable, long-term solution that can be expanded, reconfigured, or upgraded as your needs evolve.
Hardwall cleanrooms offer exceptional environmental control, allowing for precise regulation of static, humidity, temperature, and air pressure, in addition to their inherent air change and particle count regulation. Their durability, ease of cleaning, and high customizability further enhance their value.
Some of the many hardwall cleanroom applications include aerospace, pharmaceuticals, medical and research, and electronics manufacturing.
Rigidwall Cleanrooms: Overview & Applications
Like hardwall cleanrooms, rigidwall cleanrooms are durable, easy to clean, and completely customizable, giving you a sleek, secure, controllable cleanroom best suited for ISO Classes 5-8.
Versatile rigidwall cleanrooms give you immense flexibility as they are easy to reconfigure, relocate, or even store when not in use. Due to their panel-based construction, they are entirely customizable to fit your application and give you full control over air pressure as well as strong control over temperature and humidity.
A few of the industries that rely heavily on rigidwall cleanroom uses are life sciences, aerospace, automotive, and medical device assembly, among many others.
Hardwall or Rigidwall: Which Type of Cleanroom is Right for Your Facility?
Hardwall and rigidwall cleanrooms share many of the same strong points, but depending on your exact application and circumstances, one type of cleanroom will likely fit your situation better than the other.
Cleanroom Classifications
Cleanroom classifications determine the quantity of size and particles allowed per cubic meter of air. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) governs the classification system and rates cleanrooms between ISO Class 1, which is the most stringent (extremely clean), through ISO Class 9, the least stringent (clean). Rigidwall cleanrooms are ideal for ISO Class 5-8, and hardwall cleanrooms can be engineered to comply with any class, including ISO Class 1.
Environmental Controls
Environmental controls are essential to complying with the necessary cleanroom classification. While both hardwall and rigidwall cleanrooms have strong environmental controls, hardwall cleanrooms have the advantage here. Both have full control over room particles and air pressure, but hardwall cleanrooms have more control when it comes to humidity, temperature, and static.
Flexibility & Installation
Flexibility and the potential for moving the cleanroom’s location are important to consider. Hardwall cleanrooms, while reconfigurable and adaptable, are permanent structures and thus take a bit more time to install than other types of cleanrooms. Once installed, they stay there. Rigidwall cleanrooms are much more flexible, as not only can they be reconfigured, but you can move them from one area to another or even from one building to another. In fact, rigidwall cleanrooms are so versatile and flexible that you can store the panels when not in use.
Budget Considerations
In most cases, hardwall cleanrooms, due to their robust construction and more permanent nature, have a higher price point than rigidwall cleanrooms. This difference in price stems from various factors, including the materials used, the complexity of installation, and the level of customization available. Hardwall cleanrooms typically utilize heavier-duty materials like aluminum composite panels or acrylic, offering superior rigidity, better sound dampening, and a more controlled environment. Rigidwall cleanrooms, on the other hand, often employ lighter materials and a simpler framing system, making them a more economical choice.
Contact Flow Cleanrooms to Construct Your Cleanroom
Still unsure of which type of cleanroom is right for your application? Reach out to our team of cleanroom experts with more than 30 years of industry experience. Flow Cleanrooms is here to guide you to the perfect cleanroom for your project.
