A cleanroom is one of the biggest single investments any business is likely to make. There are many great reasons why companies literally cannot afford to get it wrong, so it makes sense to ensure it is kept operational for as long as possible. The fact of the matter is that overspecifying on sterilisation could well be increasing the lifetime cost of cleanrooms through the wholly avoidable degradation of furniture and equipment.
All fixtures and fittings in cleanrooms must facilitate Good Manufacturing Practice, meaning that materials from which they are constructed need to be chemically inert. It should also be tough enough to withstand the regular sterilisation, which is why austenitic stainless steel has always been such a common feature in cleanroom design. Furniture and other equipment built from this material will maintain its structural integrity for decades, not years. However, this is only the case when it is looked after properly, which means matching it to the chosen sterilisation option and also ensuring it is not at risk from detergents and disinfectants.
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