ReinRaumTechnik 3/2015 Englische Ausgabe:

The Reinraum Akademie (Cleanroom Academy) is calling once again for applications from companies and research institutions involved in the cleanroom industry for the Cleanroom Award 2015. The five best innovations will be presented at the Cleanzone trade fair which will take place from 27th to 28th October, 2015 in Frankfurt / Main, Germany. The winner, chosen by Cleanzone’s attendees, will be awarded €  3000.00.

Have you ever – perhaps only for testing purposes – tried an all-out full braking maneuver with your car, simply to get the feeling how your car would react? Probably not. You are not alone in this instance. Many people have never attempted how quickly they can bring their car to a full stop when they really step hard on the brakes. Many do not trust themselves to do perform such an act, or the strength and determination to do so is missing.
Therefore some resourceful automobile suppliers have developed tiny sensors which recognize the moment the brakes are applied and whether the driver wants to do a full stop, or more exactly said, has to brake hard. In the blink of an eye, the sensor recognizes the failing braking power and thereby possibly rescuing the driver’s life. The injustice in this matter is that the driver credits the automobile manufacturer for his rescue who has manufactured such a marvelous vehicle. The supplier who actually produced the sensor and deserves the glory remains unknown.

Improving Awareness in the Industry
Companies in the cleanroom industry have as a rule the same situation as described above. Although many products used in our daily lives would not have the desired quality or functionality when not produced in cleanrooms, the companies in the cleanroom technology industry are hardly noticed or appreciated.
In order to change this situation the Reinraum Akademie brought into life the Cleanroom Award. This distinction has been bringing into the public eye since 2012 the best and most innovative ideas, products and services coming out of the cleanroom industry. Every year out of a variety of entries the five best ideas are selected by a jury and effectively presented to the media and the attendees to the Cleanzone Trade Fair in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 2015, Cleanzone – the International Trade Fair and Congress for the Cleanroom Industry will be taking place from 27th to 28th October.

Cleanroom Award Increases Awareness
Which of the five nominated ideas is selected as the best, most pioneering idea for the cleanroom industry is decided by Cleanzone’s attendees by ballot. The award ceremony takes place on the second day of the fair, awarding to the winner €  3000 in prize money and extensive press coverage. Jan Gerbrands, Managing Director of Technology of Sense B.V. in the Netherlands won the very first Cleanroom Award in 2012. This award has helped to put his company on the map. “A great deal of attention and coverage is given to us by industry professionals.” says Gerbrands. “This is a lot of free publicity for our company.” The result is that numerous inquiries have been received regarding his new product.
Applications for the Cleanroom Award can be submitted by companies, scientific institutions and individual developers. What are sought, are innovations, concepts and ideas for improving sustainability and energy efficiency. The deadline for submission is August 31st, 2015 (see box).

These are the previous Cleanroom Award winners APMON: Cleanroom Award 2012
The Dutch company Technology of Sense won the very first Cleanroom Award in 2012 with the project Apmon. Apmon stands for Advanced Particle Deposition Monitor and refers to a measuring device which above all monitors the particles in a room which could fall onto a product. A computer assesses the data which the Apmon device is sending out, shows permanently the current levels of contamination on a product’s surface area and sounds an alarm when a threshold value has been exceeded. This makes possible a significant reduction in the number of faulty or defective products.

Blautouch: Cleanroom Award 2013
The Portuguese company Laborial S.A. won the Cleanroom Award 2013 for their project Blautouch. Blautouch is a laboratory table with an interactive surface which was developed in compliance with the GMP Guidelines for Cleanrooms. The interactive Touchsystem has been built under a glass surface and makes it possible to use a computer which actually is located outside of the cleanroom. Therefore any possible contamination sources coming from a work station have been ruled out. The smooth glass surface is easy to clean and disinfect. Blautouch is a solution for aseptic facilities.

CleanVision Cleanroom-Suit: Cleanroom Award 2014
Cleanzone’s visitors chose the German company Initial Textil Service GmbH as the winner of the Cleanroom Award 2014 for their innovative product Cleanvision Cleanroom-Suit. The one piece suit has an integrated hood and a replace-
able visor. Thanks to its construction, the suit is nearly completely closed which predestines the suit for deployment in sterile environments. The zip is located on the inside of the suit’s leg instead of on the breast which allows the user to completely operate the zip from the left side reducing the risk of outside contamination while dressing. The integrated visor makes the wearing of safety glasses unnecessary.

The Nominees from Previous Years
Every year at Cleanzone, five candidates are presented for the Cleanroom Award who had been chosen by a jury out of the variety of applicants. From these five finalists, Cleanzone’s visitors select the winner for the innovation of the year. The winners from previous years are found in the box “These are the previous winners of the Cleanroom Award“. Here are the other candidates who were nominated and made it into the final round.
Finalists in 2012:

• Palas: Referenz Aerosol System for the cali­bration of particle counters.
• TU Graz: University Course of Studies in Cleanroom Technology.
• AAF-Lufttechnik: A new generation of filter equipment.
• Colandis: A project for bringing art into the cleanroom.

Finalists in 2013:

• Berner International: The new generation of safety work-benches.
• Albany Door Systems: Rapid Roll Clean – The first certified cleanroom gate.
• CO₂Nexus: Tersus Liquid CO₂ Cleanroom Laundry Solution.
• Curasan: Innovative cleanroom concept: Maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing CO2 emissions with cleanroom climate control systems utilizing a power-heating-cooling-coupling technique.

Finalists in 2014:

• Schiller Automatisierungstechnik: Ceiling conveyor system for factory automation
• Topas: Innovative fog generator for visual­izing air flows.
• W.O.M. World of Medicine: A cleanroom production facility with diverse production areas under one roof.
• AAF International: Sterilization circuit with hot air for the pharmaceutical industry.

Applying for the Cleanroom Award 2015
What is allowed to be submitted?
Sought are ideas and innovations which involve the topic of sustainability and energy efficiency. The submissions should bring to the cleanroom industry advances in technology, energy benefits and advantages in competitiveness. It doesn’t matter if the concept has already been put into practice or if it exists only as a sketch in a notebook. All interesting ideas can be submitted – scribbles on a piece of paper on up to a finished product.
Until when can applications be submitted?
The deadline for submission is August 31st, 2015. Participants can be companies, institutions, scientific facilities and individual developers.
Where are applications to be sent?
Please send applications for the Cleanroom Award 2015 to the following address:

ReinraumAkademie GmbH
Code Word “Cleanroom Award”
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 12–14
04103 Leipzig, Germany
Tel.: +49 341 98989 302
info@reinraum-akademie.de
www.reinraum-akademie.de