Cleanroom Furniture: What Is It?

You might be wondering why only certain tables and desks can be used as cleanroom furniture. While this type of furniture comes in many different materials, sizes, storage options and other features, it really comes down to how the furniture can serve your cleanroom.

RDM Stainless Steel Cleanroom Cart – Model MC-109P-SS-PERF-01

These tables and carts must be durable enough for your procedures. For example, you will often need furniture that is chemically nonreactive, resistant to electric shock and easy to clean between procedures.

The furniture must also be functional. It might include have extra storage compartments, wheels for simple transportation and able to support workloads as needed.

Why Use Cleanroom Furnishings?

Not every industry needs cleanroom workbenches or stainless steel furniture. If you don’t work with corrosive materials, don’t worry about contaminating surfaces or don’t work with hazardous chemicals, then these tables and benches might not be needed.

This furniture is for industries that need that extra level of protection and for those who need their procedures to be exact and sterile. Cleanroom equipment is typically designed to be nonreactive to chemicals. This provides extra safety if spills or accidents occur. This type of furniture is also designed to help you control the environment.

If you work on any industry that requires a cleanroom, then you know how important control and reliability are. You need the environment to be exactly the same every time you perform procedures, from mixing substances to working with hazardous materials. Even a small change can result in failure or danger. This furniture is designed to prevent even minute changes in your room.

What Industries Use Cleanroom Furnishing?

There are many industries that require laminar flow HEPA workstations and cleanroom countertops. The most obvious setting would be a laboratory with laboratory cabinets and countertops, but there are many other industries that need these types of cleanroom furnishings as well.

Manufacturing settings are nearly as common as laboratories. Caustic and hazardous materials are no stranger here. Using inadequate furniture can lead to failed procedures and even safety concerns. Imagine what would happen if the environment was contaminated with unwanted chemicals. Or worse yet, an accident occurred and hazardous materials spilled on a reactive surface. This could be a financial and safety nightmare for the whole business.

Some industries need cleanroom to control electricity and static rather than chemical reactions. Many computer manufacturers and electronics producers require cleanrooms. One small static discharge can cause untold damage to electronics. Imagine hours or days of work being destroyed from one little zap. Proper benches and tables prevent this from occurring.

Food manufacturing is also a common place for cleanroom furnishings. You need a clean environment where ingredients can be mixed. This is especially true if you are working with common allergens, or if you produce products both with and without allergens. Not only does this furniture prevent reactions, but it’s also incredibly easy to clean and nonporous.

As you can see, there are many industries that need this type of furniture and for different reasons. Some for chemical resistance, others to control the environment and reduce shock and others to have a sterile and easy to clean workspace.

What are Cleanroom Furnishings Made From?

Cleanroom workbenches and other cleanroom furnishings are constructed with various nonporous materials. The most common would be industrial quality stainless steel. You can also find aluminum furniture and some other materials, but stainless steel furniture is the most common in this arena.

That’s because stainless steel serves all the major purposes you need. It’s nonporous, nonreactive, easy to clean, durable and can be quality designed to fit many shapes, sizes and needs.

Key Features and Benefits of Cleanroom Furniture

There are many key features and benefits associated with this furniture. The most important one is that this furniture serves your purposes and keeps you safe. The furniture is nonreactive to resist chemical spills, nonporous, highly durable and very easy to clean.

This furniture is also customizable. Each cleanroom is unique and has specific needs. Whether you need levelling casters, extra shelves, uncommonly large or small furniture or anything else, our manufacturer direct service will ensure your needs are met.

Another major benefit is that this furniture improves your output and productivity. If you work in a sterile or clean environment, then you know how costly cross-contamination and accidents can be. This is especially true if your settings are not equipped to deal with these problems. Cleanroom equipment is primarily made to resist chemicals. It should also be easy to clean and allow you to easily move from one project to the next.

You’ll also find that this furniture has a very long lifespan. Resisting corrosion and other forms of damage don’t just help your productivity. This also ensures that the furniture resists aging and daily dings and scratches. This furniture is an investment in your lab, manufacturing plant or wherever else you need it.

What to Know Before Making a Purchase

This is a big investment and we want to make sure that you know everything before putting your money down. Cleanrooms each have specific requirements, so know what you need before buying any furniture. For example, do you need a standard table, or an equipment rack? We offer many options at RDM Industrial Products and we want to offer the best ones for your needs.

Since this furniture is also ideal for storage, consider how many shelves and storage spaces you need for your equipment and other items. Many industries also need help with transportation, so consider carts that fit your needs.

You should also consult the safety guidelines of your industry. What is safe for one industry might not be enough for another.

Conclusion

Cleanroom furniture not only helps with productivity, but it also keeps your workers safe while providing them with the best equipment. Be sure to consider all your options and ask questions, we are happy to address your concerns while also with any custom items that you might need. We at RDM Industrial Products are here to help your lab, manufacturing plant or other business succeed.

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You shouldn’t let these wonderful features fool you into complacently thinking that stainless steel furniture is invincible and needn’t be handled with care, however. As with everything else, time, chemical spills, possible laboratory mishaps, and general accumulated use do take their toll on stainless steel carts, tables, lockers, cabinets, and workbenches. To maximize the working lives of all of these things, you’ll need a well-stocked cleanroom and a thorough, established routine of cleaning and maintenance procedures.

Here are 10 critical tips to follow in all stainless steel cleanrooms so that you can get the most out of your furnishings. Some of these will be suggestions about what to do, and others about what not to do.

1. Don’t Clean Your Stainless Steel Furniture With Chlorine

RDM Stainless Steel Casework is available in a variety of Stainless Steel Cabinet Styles: including Base Cabinets, Upper Cabinets & more.

One of stainless steel’s most useful features is its imperviousness to oxidation or rust. Ordinarily, stainless steel tables and other furnishings are made using an alloy of both steel and chromium, the latter of which works to prevent oxidation by keeping oxygen molecules from reacting with the metal. Chlorine and solvents containing chlorine strip away this protective chromium and expose the furniture on which they are used to the dangers of rust.

Do not use anything chlorine-based to clean your lab furniture. That means no acetone, mineral spirits or isopropyl alcohol, among some other things.

2. Stick to Cleaning With a Warm Cloth, Water and Detergent

As simple as it sounds, a good, thorough wipe using some warm water and a damp cloth will be sufficient to handle most mild stains that show up on your stainless steel cabinets or other types of furniture. That should be enough to remove dirt and other simple things. To make sure that the furniture isn’t plagued by any water stains, rinse everything with water once more and gently wipe it down with a dry cloth.

3. Use Solvents for Tougher Stains

If there are fingerprints, oil stains, chemical stains or anything else that’s more difficult to clean on your stainless steel surface, use any good detergent or dish soap to get the job done. In a pinch, baking soda, vinegar and even toothpaste can also be effective.

4. If You Must Use Chlorine, Electropolish Your Furniture First

Let’s say that you’re in a bind. For whatever reason, your lab is fresh out of detergent, soap, baking soda and all other acceptable cleaning solvents. Also, all of the water at hand is dirty or unsuitable. The only thing within reach are those dreaded chlorine-based cleaners. What do you do then?

If you absolutely must use a chlorine-based solvent to clean your stainless steel furniture, it is essential that you electropolish the furniture first. Electropolishing is a process whereby minuscule jagged edges and stray ions are removed from a metal surface. In particular, electropolishing will remove metal ions from stainless steel workbenches or other kinds of lab furniture that would make that furniture vulnerable to corrosion, thus neutralizing chlorine’s chief threat.

5. Regularly Do Some Stainless Steel Passivation

Stainless steel passivation is a process whereby stainless steel can be made less generally reactive to external and environmental chemical influences, particularly to rusting. Oxidation can make your furniture weak and brittle, and you should obviously take steps to prevent it or arrest it. This is what passivation achieves.

The best and simplest way to passivate your stainless steel lab furnishings is simply to clean them with deionized water. You will probably also have to clean furnishings with a nitric acid solution or other mild oxidant to really kickstart the process. Doing this will lead to the formation of a passive film over the surface of your furniture.

6. Don’t Clean Against the Grain

All stainless steel furnishings, from simple cabinets to stainless steel tables with adjustable legs, have a wood-like grain to them. A close glance at any stainless steel surface will reveal that grain. When wiping down your furniture, always follow the grain. If you don’t, you will make it easier for dirt or chemical irritants to build up within the surface as the furniture experiences more and more use. That can cause damage in innumerable ways, from creating ugly and hard-to-remove stains, to cracking, corroding, destroying and breaking apart the stainless steel at its very foundations.

7. Try to Be Gentle

When dealing with particularly stubborn stains, some hard scrubbing may be warranted. Don’t overdo it, though. Scrubbing too hard will create scratches and abrasions on stainless steel’s surface, and these abrasions, however small, are openings through which chemical irritants can later seep in to cause yet further damage. You should therefore use only soft cloths made of materials like nylon or microfiber to wipe down surfaces. Do not use steel wool or any kind of abrasive cleaning pads, liquids or powders.

8. Get Special Stainless Steel Furniture for Cleanrooms

Even though your cleanroom is the place to clean your stainless steel casework and other furniture, the cleanroom itself can use certain stainless steel furnishings of its own. In addition to our quality-designed and factory-direct lockers, workbenches, carts, and stainless steel tables with adjustable legs, we at RDM also make special industrial-quality furniture that is specifically designed for use in cleanrooms. Among our stainless steel cleanroom furnishings are racks where you can store all of your various cleaning tools and solvents, stainless steel tables of various shapes and sizes to keep things close at hand and stainless steel lockers to store yet more critical supplies. Take a look at our stainless steel cleanroom furnishings here.

9. Make Sure to Keep Furniture Polished

A proper deep clean is always great, but to really put the finishing touches on your lab furnishings, you need to make them glimmer and shine. The glimmer of stainless steel is part of its allure, and you certainly wouldn’t want that to fade. To keep stainless steel lab furniture polished and shiny, we recommend using lemon oil, special sprays designed to let your furniture keep its undiminished luster, or any of the many commercial stainless steel polishers that are available on the market.

Truthfully speaking, polishing should really be the third step in a tripartite process. First, you wipe the furniture using some combination of clean water and a solvent, then you rinse it off and dry it with another cloth, and then you spread a few drops of polish onto the surface with another cloth — all moving with the grain.

10. There’s No Such Thing as Cleaning too Often

Cleaning, when done right, does no damage whatsoever to stainless steel furniture and does a great deal to prevent and even repair damage. You can clean your furniture as often as you like. How often to take things to the cleanroom is a personal decision for you to make, but we recommend doing it as often as possible unless some other pressing need prevents you. The more vigorous the work that goes on in your lab is and the more caustic substances and spills there are, the more often you should do so.

Conclusion

High-quality stainless steel furniture is indispensable to research and development labs, factories and types of businesses that are too numerous to mention. RDM’s stainless steel furniture is proudly manufactured in the USA up to the very highest design standards, but even it needs to be cared for. Since you’ll be making a significant investment when you buy stainless steel furnishings, our advice on how to keep things functioning properly should help you get more bang for you buck.

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As its name implies, a cleanroom should be “clean.” It must also have the needed features, for utmost efficiency. Remember: the cleaner your cleanroom is—the better things will be.

With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the main advantages of a good cleanroom—and why you should keep it as effective as it should be:

Better Results

Certain manufacturing operations actually require a controlled environment. This is where a cleanroom comes into play.

Cleanrooms, through the use of the proper equipment such as fume hoods and the like, are able to control the components that may contaminate the working area. In effect, it helps prevent dust, dirt and other contaminants from “infecting” specific areas—thereby leading to better and more efficient results.

Safety

These special rooms are likewise designed to provide safety of the processing operations, the environment and of course, the workers.

Cleanrooms make use of laminar air flow work stations to ensure that the atmosphere in the working area is as clean as possible. Usually, they utilize HEPA or ULPA technology, in order to guarantee the accuracy and cleanliness of the surrounding environment.

Users are also required to make use of cleanroom garments, to minimize the entry of contaminants. Such safety gears include: masks, gloves, lab coats, boots, aprons and other essentials.

Compliance with Industry Standards

A cleanroom is required to comply with certain standards, in order to be considered as “clean.”

These rooms are usually regulated and classified according to ISO (International Standards Organization) standards. And of course, the more your cleanroom is able to comply with such standards, the safer and better it will be.

Note: there are various ISO cleanroom standards and classifications. Being so, it would be advisable if you looked into each of them, in order to see where your cleanroom falls. This will give you an idea as to whether you will need to introduce some improvements or whether you should be buying new flow benches or other cleanroom equipment.

These are just some of the things you should know about cleanrooms. In the end, what’s essential is that you are able to get that room that will provide you with the benefits you need, as well as the features that will keep things as reliable and safe as they should be.

RDM is a lab furniture specialist that offers a wide array of lab furniture pieces and cleanroom essentials for interested parties.

Our pieces comply with the required standards, as well as the needed technology that can help ensure that things will fall into place. And we have more in store for those who need our help.

If you want to know more about our company, click here for added details or call us at 877-777-9130.

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Stainless Steel Industrial Tables for Different Work Areas

Executives need room to store documents and supplies in their offices. For them, stainless steel executive desks are smart choices. These desks feature adjustable heights compatible with seated or standing work. For use in computer server rooms, technology executives may prefer rolling stainless steel tech tables featuring optional keyboard trays.

Several stainless steel table designs are intended for laboratory environments and some are designed for cleanroom atmospheres. Available in assorted heights and with options such as drawers and pull-out keyboard trays, these tables are versatile. A stainless steel lift table is another lab-friendly furnishing because it brings the work closer to the technician, making delicate operations more convenient.

Food Service Industrial Tables

Several tables made from stainless steel are designed for food service environments. These range from a basic light to medium duty ergonomic table with adjustable height to a customizable workstation featuring drawers and shelving. Optional accessories include cutting mat surfaces, stainless steel vise units, and a deluxe adjustable foot rest for seated work.

This is just a sampling of the stainless steel table options available. When they order from RDM Industrial Products, customers customize these tables to meet their space and functional needs. The result is a table that fits within the work area and is equipped with all the accessories necessary for the desired use. This furniture is built to last, making this a one-time investment when the correct style and accessories are selected.

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Surprisingly there are more industries today relying heavily on lift tables and lift equipment to get more jobs done. Construction workers for example rely on such designs of equipment to elevate materials for easier usability. Lift tables have been known to reduce strain and injuries, while improving efficiency and productivity. In today’s work environments extra safety for workers goes a long way.

Lift tables are designed to aid in performing job related tasks in such a way that makes the process easier for the workers involved. Not to mention the safety aspects associated with easier lifting, making them effective in numerous industries everyday. They’re portable, user friendly and safety enhanced making them a hot commodity while being convenient to use.

Manufacturing technology for industrial and commercial use has come such a long way; could you imagine not having lift tables in certain working environments? This type of equipment is used regularly in commercial and industrial type industries including certain jobs in the Medical field, Manufacturing sector, Construction and Mining fields, and more.

When choosing the right lift tables for your work environment, you need to look at quality products based on performance, durability and effectiveness. Ensure that it is well constructed and sturdy enough to manage the jobs it is being purchased for. You also want to review the safety features included. The overall performance of your new Lift Tables will depend on its purpose and the way it is used.

There are various types of lift tables available such as hydraulic, pneumatic, multistage, self-leveling, bin tilters and scissor lifts, just to mention a few. Lift tables usually provide additional beneficial features such as tilting, rotating, counterbalance, wheels, truck mounting and safety rails. It’s often the additional features that can make Lift Tables more convenient and safer to work with. They’re available in variety of capabilities and sizes to match the requirements of different jobs in various industries.

Manufacturing of quality Lift Tables is a highly specialized business; RDM Industrial Products should know – they have been manufacturing Industrial furniture since 1977.

Call us at 1-877-777-9130 to discuss your next industrial furniture project.

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An industrial duty stainless steel table can be manufactured to accommodate nearly any type of environment. At RDM, Standard construction includes a fully welded tubular frame made from 304 or 316 stainless steel. Assorted finishes are available including #4 brushed, 2B smooth, with an electropolished finish option that is offered for cleanroom and food-prep use. Different versions are available for light, standard, medium, and heavy duty.

Optional features offered by RDM Industrial Products for stainless steel tables include a manual or electric lift that adjusts table height, ADA handicapped or ergonomic design, drawers, and additional legs. Custom tables with multiple platforms and lifts are also available. Other stainless steel work table designs are available that are suitable for marine or cleanroom environments.

RDM even provides a stainless steel executive desk that could be ideal for a military environment. It is designed for standard to medium duty use and features an adjustable height designed to accommodate seated or standing use. Whether it is being used at headquarters, on base, or in the field, it will provide durability and good-looks. This table could also be suitable for use in a lab, offering workers a place to sit while recording their findings.

Whether they are being used to display or transport food, serve as work areas, or being used to support expensive laboratory equipment, stainless steel tables from RDM Industrial Products can handle the task. They are attractive, durable, and compatible with many optional features designed to improve their functionality. A stainless steel work table is a great, economical, long-term choice for a variety of specialized applications.

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Unique Aspects of a Cleanroom

Cleanrooms range in size from very small to quite large. Some represent entire facilities, requiring all workers to wear protective clothing and use special equipment. Outside air is filtered before it enters the room, removing dust, and the inside air is subject to constant recirculation to remove contaminants generated within the cleanroom.

Though a cleanroom is not sterile, equipment used in this environment is designed to create minimal air contamination. Pencils and paper are replaced with items that create fewer environmental pollutants. Furniture, including lab chairs, has features that create a minimum of particles. Laboratory seating and other cleanroom furniture are also easy to clean. A particle counter is used to test particle levels, ensuring that they remain within a certain range.

Features of Cleanroom Seating

Cleanroom chairs are offered in different classes, designed to be equivalent to different ISO Class standards. For example, a class 1000 chair from RDM Industrial Products features chrome-plated metal parts, a task control ergonomic mechanism, vinyl upholstery recommended for cleanrooms, and vinyl seat underwrap featuring filtered exhaust ports. A class 100 chair eliminates the seat underwrap and adds Grade 2 vinyl upholstery and a Class 100 filtration system.

Standard features of these  lab chairs include an upholstered seat, painted metal parts, backrest with tilt and lumbar support, adjustable height, a foot ring, and nickel plated glides. Armrests, articulating seat control, and casters are a few options. By selecting the proper class of cleanroom laboratory seating and adding desired features, comfort is achieved without presenting environmental risk.

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Selecting industrial quality tables and workstations can save you money. At RDM Industrial Products, craftspeople skilled in creating durable, functional industrial furniture like workbenches, lab tables, custom carts and custom shelving for specialized applications. Whether looking for laboratory furniture or units to be used in industrial applications, consider RDM’s top quality industrial furniture products. 

One of the obvious benefits of purchasing industrial quality tables and workstations is gaining long-term durability.  RDM builds their industrial furniture to endure the toughest environments. Another benefit to purchasing RDM products is that no assembly is typically required. This means no time spent pouring over a complicated assembly guide or sorting through complicated screws, nuts, and bolts.

Industrial quality tables and workstations are available for various specialized applications. Some styles are suitable for cleanroom furniture, while others feature large shelves that are appropriate for large monitors in a computer networking room or medical technology environment. Space-restricted laboratories and warehouses are the perfect locations for RDM’s double-sided workstations that feature upper shelves and light booms.

All RDM tables are available in either a standard or a customized version, available in various colors, shapes, and sizes. Their design staff is one of the most creative and enthusiastic engineering teams in their industry.  They thrive on new challenges.  RDM offers the most flexibility.  They do not attempt to shoehorn you into a standard unit that does not fit your specific needs.  With RDM Industrial Products, you can have it your way.  Even if having attractively colored furniture is not a high priority for you, the fact that RDM has several color options is nice.

Whatever your industrial furniture or laboratory furniture need, industrial quality tables and workstations are a phone call away. You will be rewarded by spending the extra money on RDM’s top quality products by purchasing direct from the manufacturer and by saving time that would be spent on assembly with weaker, bolt-together furniture units. The ability to customize your units also makes RDM Industrial Products a feasible solution.  Take a look at RDM and see how they can help get your business rolling in the right direction.

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Cleanroom: Stainless steel is not always the go-to material for the surface of a cleanroom workbench. The exact requirements are based on particular cleanroom standards. Stainless steel surfaces don’t scratch easily or accumulate foreign matter. They can also be quickly and easily cleaned. Electropolished stainless steel can be very pricey, but is necessary for clean rooms of class 10 or above. For cleanrooms of class 100 or less, there are many other more cost-effective options available, such as our standard plastic laminated top with added phenolic backing sheet. The laminated surface does not particulate, and the underside of the wood substrate is sealed with the phenolic backing sheet.

ESD Static Control: If you are working with static sensitive materials or equipment the top choice is clear: You need a static control table with an ESD protective laminated work surface. These surfaces work in concert with our properly grounded steel table frames, providing a dissipative path that leads harmful static away from your products or equipment. They also help to reduce electrical charge buildup.

Heavy Duty Manufacturing: Stainless steel tables provide a durable work surface for manufacturing, though an additional layer of rough material may be warranted for traction. Keep in mind that in these cases, you will need a table frame that will support your specific load / activity. We also offer solid plate steel tops for heavy-duty applications.

Semi-Service: In this case, the workbench actually serves as front of house furnishing where it’s not only visible to the public, but may even be used by customers. There are a number of “Do it yourself” businesses that need a proper mix of beauty and utility. In this case, the right material is really based on a combination of use and image. Stainless steel is great for kitchens, for instance, while wood (see our wood industrial workbenches) is a great all around material. Also, our plastic laminated tops are available in hundreds of standard colors and patterns.

Whatever your choice for a work surface, we have the industrial table solution you need, or we can manufacture one with the dimensions and materials you specify. Contact RDM to find out how we can make tables / workbenches that are a precise fit for your needs.

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