Robert Verboven
Sales Manager
Robert Verboven is Sales Manager at Faes and advises customers on smart packaging solutions within the industry. He translates complex packaging needs into practical solutions that contribute to a more efficient supply chain.
More articles by Robert VerbovenPartly due to the growth of the high-tech industry, the demand for 'clean production and assembly' has risen sharply in recent years, and with it the importance of suppliers delivering 'clean' parts and tools. In the semiconductor industry, among others, contamination of components has a negative impact on the operation and performance of the end product, which can ultimately cost capital.
Who says clean manufacturing, says clean packaging. So it also encourages suppliers to think about packaging designs, materials and processes. Because when a high-tech OEM sets high standards for packaging, it affects the entire chain.
Companies in the high-tech sector often assemble their products in a “clean room. A cleanroom is an enclosed space in which specific forms of contamination are eliminated or minimized to a certain level. Contamination can be degradation of a product by solid, liquid or gaseous particles. Predetermined parameters are continuously monitored in the cleanroom.
For example: temperature, humidity, electronic conductivity and electromagnetic interference. Because the level, parameters and number of particles per cubic meter vary by product, industry or application, cleanrooms are classified. Class 7 cleanrooms are often used in the high-tech industry. We also use this type of cleanroom at Faes.
Does your client have strict clean packaging requirements? Then you may have certain questions and face different challenges:
In many cases, clients are clear about the requirements and will state them specifically in the application or job description. Some companies even mention a specific type of packaging, while others only indicate which requirements the packaging must meet. For example, which ISO standard, parameters, type of cleanroom and/or which material must be maintained.
The more concrete your client creates the framework, the easier it will be to select or have the right packaging produced. If the information is incomplete, be sure to ask the right questions to ensure you don’t miss the mark. After all, this can be financially detrimental as well as damaging to your delivery performance, image and customer relationship. As experts in packaging solutions and clean packaging, we are happy to advise you on designing the right packaging.
Few companies give it much thought, but selecting the right packaging can add considerable value for your customer. In this case, it is important that you know your customer well, the application of the part you supply and the process that takes place in the customer’s cleanroom.
For example, does the packaging go fully into the cleanroom or not? If yes, which ISO standard is applicable? If not, is there perhaps an easier (and more economical) solution to propose that does not compromise product safety and performance? Your proactive approach to this will certainly be appreciated. We are happy to think with you on this.
With cleanroom-proof packaging, we pay attention to the outside of the case or flight case to ensure that it has as smooth a surface as possible, with few nooks, crannies and edges; where contaminating particles (particles) can accumulate more easily. The same applies to plastic or metal pallets. But of course, the inside, the interior, is also important. A foam interior often has an open cell structure, so dust particles quickly accumulate in it. Due to the increasing interest in and demand for ‘clean delivery’, we at Faes use LD45 foam for the interior, which is currently the best available solution for use in cleanrooms, due to the very compact cell structure of the material.
Your client demands not only cleanroom-proof packaging, but also that the packaging or even the contents be delivered completely cleaned. However, you yourself do not have access to a cleanroom and it is not lucrative for your company to install one yourself.
Whatever your reason, you prefer to outsource the professional cleaning of products. In that case, you can make use of Faes’ “Returnable Packaging Service. We set up a procedure whereby your durable (reusable) packaging is repeatedly returned to our warehouse, then checked, repaired and cleaned in our cleanroom.
The cleaned packages are delivered back to you for immediate re-use or we take them into stock until the need arises. It is even possible to leave the cleaning of your components or tools and the filling of your packaging to us. This increase in efficiency saves you space, time and money.
Ask your question in the contact form below and we’ll get back to you soon. Would you prefer to speak to a packaging specialist directly? Then call or email us!
