Clean packaging is crucial in high-tech supply chains where even microscopic contamination can have major consequences. The article explains how specific requirements, cleanroom classifications and material selection are decisive for successful packaging and how we support companies with sustainable, reusable solutions.
Summary of this article
Partly 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, customers are clear about their requirements and will specify them in the request or project description. Some companies even specify a particular type of packaging, while others only indicate the requirements the packaging must meet. These may include the applicable ISO standard, parameters, cleanroom classification or required material.
The more clearly your customer defines the requirements, the easier it is to select or produce the right packaging. If the information is incomplete, make sure you ask the right questions so that you do not choose an unsuitable solution. This can have financial consequences and may also affect your delivery performance, reputation and customer relationship.
As experts in packaging solutions and clean packaging, we are happy to advise you on developing the right packaging solution.
Few companies consider how much added value selecting the right packaging can offer their customers. To make the right choice, it is important to understand your customer, the application of the component you supply and the processes taking place in the customer’s cleanroom.
Will the entire packaging enter the cleanroom, for example? If so, which ISO standard applies? If not, could a simpler and more cost-effective solution be used without compromising product safety or performance?
Your proactive approach will certainly be appreciated. At Faes, we are happy to help you explore the available options.
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 customer does not only require cleanroom-proof packaging, but may also expect the packaging or even its contents to be delivered fully cleaned. However, you do not have your own cleanroom and it is not cost-effective for your company to install one.
At Faes, our work does not stop at developing cleanroom-proof packaging. In our own cleanroom, we can package products under controlled conditions in accordance with predefined cleanliness requirements and work instructions. We align the packaging, handling and packaging process with one another. This ensures that the product not only leaves our cleanroom clean and packaged, but also remains protected against recontamination during storage and transport.
We use this approach for major high-tech customers and suppliers for whom cleanliness, traceability and process reliability are part of the product specifications. Because we can both develop the packaging and carry out the clean packaging process, design and execution are directly aligned. This reduces handover points between suppliers and makes the process easier to manage, control and verify for the customer.
Whatever your reason, you may prefer to outsource the professional cleaning of products. In that case, you can use Faes’ Returnable Packaging Service. We establish a procedure in which your durable, reusable packaging is returned to our warehouse after each use. It is then inspected, repaired and cleaned in our cleanroom.
The cleaned packaging is returned to you for immediate reuse, or we can keep it in stock until it is needed again. We can even take care of cleaning your components or tools and packing them into the packaging. This more efficient process can save you a considerable amount of 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!
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 VerbovenGood packaging doesn’t just happen by chance. Using a tried-and-tested approach, our specialists guide you step by step from the initial idea to the finished product.
