Medical Cleanroom Design Tips: Cleanroom Windows

When it comes to medical cleanroom design, you are constrained by the cleanroom classification you must meet. That said, every medical cleanroom has its own unique application and processes that require an accommodating design. One common design feature of a medical cleanroom is cleanroom windows. Can your medical cleanroom have windows? And if so, what types of windows are available that provide the design you’re looking for, while meeting your specific classifications? 

Here’s what you need to know about medical cleanroom windows, from why you might install them to the different types of cleanroom windows that can suit medical cleanliness requirements. 

 

Why Install Windows in Your Medical Cleanroom?

 

Medical cleanrooms, especially those used for pharmaceutical and hospital applications, must meet some of the most stringent cleanroom classifications. It might feel that windows would only detract from the standards you’re trying to meet, but in reality, true cleanroom windows can provide the cleanliness and security you need, with a few additional benefits you may not have considered. Here are just a few reasons to install windows in your medical cleanroom:

• • Morale. A little natural light can go a long way to boost team morale. Sitting in a windowless room all day can affect your staff’s mood, and studies have shown that workers who sit by a window are more productive than those who don’t have access to natural light.
  • Lighting. Cleanroom windows can let in a significant amount of natural light. Not only does this make it easier for your team to complete their processes, but it also can help you save on electricity costs, and minimize the number of cleanroom-specific lighting fixtures you need to install.
  • Supervision. For applications that must adhere to specific protocol, like pharmaceutical cleanrooms, windows provide the transparency your facility needs. Supervisors can easily monitor production from outside the cleanroom. This helps maintain your cleanroom classification, and minimizes the number of people within the space, without sacrificing the quality and procedure of your process.

 

Medical Cleanroom Window Styles

 

The benefits of cleanroom windows are clear — they can help increase productivity, reduce lighting costs, and ensure proper supervision without compromising your controlled environment. Any quality cleanroom window will feature a glaze or finish that works to make the window easy to clean, sealed, and contaminant free. Glazing options for cleanroom windows include:

• Tempered glass
• Tinted glass
• Static dissipative
• Lexan™
• Laser glass
• Acrylic
• Double glazing
• Film covered glass
• Acrylic
• UV

A quality cleanroom supplier can provide the cleanroom window with appropriate glazing for your application and cleanroom standard. While the type of window glaze is important for any medical cleanroom, the window style you choose is a bigger consideration to make. 

If you’re considering installing windows in your medical cleanroom, here’s a look at a few of the styles most suited to your applications. 

Flush or Double Flush Cleanroom Windows

 

Flush cleanroom windows are the best option for nearly any medical cleanroom application. As the name suggests, these windows are installed flush with your cleanroom wall, eliminating any frame or sill where dust, debris, or particle might collect. 

Flush cleanroom windows are available as double flush windows, which means they’re installed directly into the wall, usually with two panes, each of which is flat with its side of the wall. Regular flush cleanroom windows can also be installed flat on the clean side of the cleanroom, with a ledge on the “dirty” side of the cleanroom. 

Beveled Cleanroom Window

 

Beveled cleanroom windows are an affordable alternative to the double flush window. The window itself is flat to the wall but features a beveled sill that eliminates any corners that dust, particles, or micro-organisms could sit on. Since a beveled cleanroom window requires just one pane of glass, it’s more cost-effective than the double-flush window while achieving a similar look and functionality.  

Floor-To-Ceiling Cleanroom Window Panels

 

The final window option available to medical cleanrooms is floor-to-ceiling cleanroom window panels. Depending on your classification, you can opt for a fully windowed cleanroom like Angstrom Technology’s RigidWall cleanrooms. Our RigidWall product offers crystal clear paneling throughout the cleanroom. This is ideal for pharmaceutical and medical applications where transparency and supervision are essential. It also offers a clean aesthetic that allows in plenty of light for your staff. 

If you’re not sure about a completely transparent cleanroom, it’s also possible to integrate just a few window wall panels to let in light, without compromising the design or standard of your cleanroom. These clear panels can meet a variety of cleanrooms classifications. Since each panel is one complete piece of glass or fiberglass, they eliminate the potential for leaks around window seals.  

Installing Cleanroom Windows for Your Medical Application

 

Cleanroom windows are an excellent addition to any medical or pharmaceutical cleanroom. They provide additional light and the transparency and supervision many medical processes require. If you’re working to integrate windows into your existing cleanroom, or if you’re designing a new cleanroom and are hoping to incorporate cleanroom windows, it’s always best to work with a cleanroom expert. 

Cleanroom windows provide a range of benefits, but proper installation is key to ensuring you get the light you need while maintaining your cleanroom’s classification. Look for a cleanroom expert with experience in medical and pharmaceutical cleanrooms, and try to find a provider that will work to help you design and install the ideal cleanroom for your unique application. 

Windows make for a more attractive cleanroom that’s easy for your investors to see and appreciate. If you’re looking to design, build, or reconfigure a cleanroom with windows, whether you’re in the pharmaceutical or medical industry, let us know. We design and install custom cleanrooms that are built to your exact specifications, from the HVAC system and classification down to the windows. Give Angstrom Technology a call at 888-768-6900 or contact us online for more information today.