Cleanroom Lifting Equipment: How to pick the right solutions for a clean room

In this article, we'll explain how various cleanroom lifting solutions can be used to lift loads safely and efficiently. We'll also approach commonly asked questions about clean room lifting equipment.

What is a cleanroom?

A cleanroom is a room with controlled filtration of pollutants and particles. A clean room can be classified by the concentration of air particles per sqaure foot. They also control variables such as airflow and temperature. Maintaining the standards of a cleanroom can be difficult, and challenges involve keeping equipment sterilized and running.

Cleanrooms are commonly used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, life sciences, and other industries that are sensitive to environmental contamination.

There are four sources of contamination in cleanrooms;

1. Environment
2. People
3. Process
4. Tools

Any movement, walking, or lifting creates particles. Cleanrooms are accessed through airlocks, and staff is required to wear protective clothing while inside. Prior to entering a cleanroom, all equipment, containers, and materials must be sterilised.

How to choose the correct cleanroom lifting equipment

Any equipment to be used in a sensitive environment must be designed to generate minimal contamination. The surface and design must be easy to clean and allow minimum particle buildup. Stainless steel lifting equipment can offer efficient and ergonomic handling, without compromising the strict hygienic requirements.

Clean room-approved lifting devices help to handle materials safely and increase safety in the workplace. By using approved clean room lifting equipment, workers can safely move materials around the workplace.

What factors do I need to consider when choosing cleanroom lifting equipment for my facility?

Clean rooms differ in terms of classification levels, size, layout and material handling requirements. An individual approach is often necessary to fully meet the requirements of a specific facility.

Some main factors to consider include:

• Clean room layout (available space, headroom, material and process flow etc.)
• Material handling requirements (the need for mobility and/or flexibility, need for turning or tilting goods, handling frequency etc.)
• The nature of the material to be handled (size, weight, shape, surface etc.)

TAWI - provider of cleanroom lifting solutions

TAWI is a Swedish company supplying ergonomic lifting equipment for various industries, including pharma and food manufacturing. We focus on streamlining processes while improving safety. Our cleanroom lifting equipment includes both stationary and mobile lifters, available in stainless steel and optimized for easy cleaning. Our solutions enable customers to lift safely even in the most demanding environments.

Our lifting solutions cover the following:

• Stainless steel systems (vacuum lifters, crane systems, jib cranes & mobile trolleys)
• Washdown lifting equipment specifically designed for easy cleaning
• IP65-rated lifting trolleys
• Custom-made solutions on request

Our three top material handling solutions for lifting in a cleanroom environment are:

1. Stainless steel vacuum lifters
2. Stainless steel cranes
3. Stainless steel lifting trolleys

Stainless steel vacuum lifters

Vacuum lifters in stainless steel are easy to keep clean and can handle loads up to 165lb. Some of the typical goods lifted by vacuum-powered devices include drums, pails, and sacks. Lifting with a vacuum is easy and ergonomic, while also being gentle to the load.

Stainless steel cranes

Overhead bridge cranes are always customized to meet the exact needs of an individual facility. Therefore, the planning stage is crucial when acquiring a crane system to ensure it meets all current and anticipated future demands.

Stainless steel lifting trolleys

TAWI Lifting Trolleys for cleanrooms are used in many pharmaceutical companies, ensuring safe and efficient lifting of up to 550lb. The CR80 is a waterproof IP65 trolley specifically designed to withstand rigorous sanitation requirements and high-pressure washing. The lifters can be equipped with various tools to facilitate the lifting of anything from drums to machine parts or reels. Operators who use the lifters in their daily work find them easy to maneuver, and appreciate that they relieve them from heavy or repetitive lifting that often causes aching backs or shoulders.