CleanRooms articles from November 2004

CleanRooms archives from November 2004

FDA proposes tougher shell egg safety.(CleanZone)
November 1, 2004... ROCKVILLE, MD -- An estimated 118,000 illnesses per year are caused by consumption of shell eggs contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) bacteria. That's not acceptable, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; www.fda.gov), which...

Chiron loss hammers home critical contamination control.(NEWS)(Chiron Corp.)
November 1, 2004... EMERYVILLE, CA -- After discovering serratia marcescens bacterial contamination in what it claims was a "limited number of lots" of its Fluvirin flu vaccine late this summer, Chiron Corp. (www.chiron.com) quarantined the approximately 46...

Better chips need purer gases.(NEWS)
November 1, 2004... Recent announcements from Pall Microelectronics, a part of Pall Corp. (East Hills, N.Y.; www.pall.com), and Mykrolis Corp. (Billerica, Mass.; www.mykrolis.com) may portend a time when gas filters and purifiers are the same device, and when...

A fluorine alternative.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Fluorine gas is favored for use in next-generation semiconductor chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber cleaning because of its effectiveness and because it does not directly contribute to PFC emissions. But expense, plus...

Bigger isn't always better. Smallest isn't always best. Standard isn't for everyone.(Editorial)
November 1, 2004... $3, $5, even $10B. These are the astronomical numbers being cited for the next generation of semiconductor megafabs. With each new generation scale reduction, the cost climbs exponentially higher, while uncertainty over the source of product...

Wafer measurement technology reduces contamination risks.(NEWS)
November 1, 2004... BEAVERTON, ORE. -- CyberOptics Semiconductor (www.cyberoptics.com) has introduced WaferSense ALS technology, designed to provide real-time measurement data to fab managers and engineers without having to shut down process equipment to take...

Millipore boosts ultrafiltration production.(NEWS)
November 1, 2004... JAFFREY, N.H. -- A 44,000-square-foot membrane casting manufacturing facility, designed to increase production of Millipore Corp.'s ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for biopharmaceutical markets, is now in operation next to the company's existing...

Solar cell support.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... PALO ALTO, Calif. -- A U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract, which includes up to $2.2 million in funding for the first 12 months, has been awarded to Nanosys Inc. (www.nanosys.com) to support development of...

A bay state biotech boom.(particles)(Associates of Cape Cod )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... EAST FALMOUTH, Mass. -- Associates of Cape Cod (ACC; www.ac-ciusa.com), a manufacturer of endotoxin and beta-glucan detection products, has moved in to a new 83,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, which includes an integrated, FDA-licensed...

Beating back bioterror.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... LIVERMORE, Calif. -- Pending an appeal by community groups, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (www.llnl.gov) hopes to soon open a biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) lab--already under construction--for the purpose of studying and developing...

Wafers without warts.(particles)
November 1, 2004... CHELMSFORD, Mass. -- Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. of Taiwan has purchased a multi-million dollar contract with Brooks Software (a division of Brooks Automation Inc.; www.brooks.com) for its fault-detection software designed for productive...

R & D demand dictates desert decision.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... TEMPE, Ariz. -- Austrian wafer-bonding and lithography equipment manufacturer EV Group (www.EVGroup.com) is combining its U.S. subsidiary headquarters, technology center and customer support division in the Arizona State University (ASU)...

Process-friendly technology inactivates prions on critical healthcare, pharmaceutical surfaces.(NEWS)
November 1, 2004... MENTOR, OHIO -- Anti-prion processes developed by STERIS Corp. (www.steris.com) have been found to inactivate deadly prions that can lead to fatal illnesses in humans and animals. Prions are believed to be the causative agent of a group of...

Biosensor system helps detect pathogens cleanly, rapidly.(NEWS)
November 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Biosensor technology developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL; http://stm2.nrl.navy.mil) is being incorporated in a contamination-controlled laptop veterinary diagnostic system now under development by Seahawk...

Production and packaging pact.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... BOLOGNA, Germany -- IMA (www.ima.it), an international designer and manufacturer of automatic machines for pharmaceutical products, will acquire a majority of the shares in Delaware-based Packaging Systems Holding LLC, which holds 100 percent...

e-foodsafety.com e-mbarks on e-xpansion.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- Food safety innovator e-FoodSafety.com is leasing an 84,000-square-foot office, production, research and distribution facility here, with plans of using the entire space as a test pilot plant for food sanitization of...

Transition at the top.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... EAST HILLS, N.Y. -- Group Vice president and Treasurer John Adamovich Jr., who has served as CFO at filtration manufacturer Pall Corp. (www.pall.com) for six years, has resigned to join a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp. Pall President...

Manufacturing modern memories.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DRESDEN, Germany -- Infineon Technologies AG (www.infineon.com) is constructing a seven-story Memory Development Centre, adjacent to its semiconductor facility here. It will feature nearly 25,000 square-feet of cleanroom and office space for...

Companies create chemical co-op.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... SHANGHAI, China -- The Asia Union Electronic Chemical Corp. (AUECC) is teaming with BOC Edwards (www.bocedwards.com) to use Shanghai as a base to produce, package and distribute ultra-high-purity process chemicals for semiconductor and...

Supplying shocking services.(Novx Corp.)(Applications Engineering Group )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Cleanroom environment monitoring company Novx Corp. (www.novxcorp.com) has introduced the Applications Engineering Group (AEG), which will provide consulting and certification services, strategic development of electrostatic...

Immersion immunization.(particles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... FRANKLIN, Mass. -- The NanoTech Research Center at the University of Albany is using Extraction System's (www.extraction.com) proprietary E3000 hybrid filter technology to control molecular contamination in one of the world's first 193-nm...

Wireless system measures photomask processes.(OnWafer Technologies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DUBLIN, CALIF. -- A wireless sensor-on-a-plate is giving photomask makers a view inside the manufacturing process, letting them solve critical dimension challenges without work disruption or the need for manual modifications. The MaskTemp...

Technology purifies organic materials.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... EAST HILLS, N.Y. -- A proprietary membrane-based filtration module that removes contaminants and separates unwanted molecules in polymer and solvent solutions is designed to provide a more cost-effective and efficient method for purifying...

The need for lighting equipment performance standards.(SETTING THE STANDARD)
November 1, 2004... A high percentage of existing cleanrooms are outfitted with lighting equipment that is not effectively sealed against leakage. The lighting equipment permits contaminants to enter the cleanroom space and it permits dangerous pathogens to escape...

CMOs in the forefront of contamination control: pharmaceutical outsourcing taps the expertise and flexibility of contract manufacturing organizations.(SPECIALREPORT)(contract manufacturing organizations)
November 1, 2004... Small and large pharmaceutical companies are beginning to see the value in exporting highly technical manufacturing processes (like production and packaging of products) to contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs). These third-party...

Know what's in your cleanroom wipers: how much contamination does a wiper create and how well does it wipe? This two-part article arms users with the essential information to make the best wiper choice.(Wiper testing)
November 1, 2004... Contamination control is becoming ever more stringent in the semiconductor, data storage, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. This in turn focuses attention on the cleanliness of cleanroom consumables. Not surprisingly, wipers, which...

Modular cleanrooms.(PRODUCTSPOTLIGHT)
November 1, 2004... Modular hardwall and softwall cleanrooms can be found in industries ranging from precision manufacturing, medical, pharmaceutical and biological to semiconductor, aerospace and food processing. The modular approach offers a number of...

Integrated technology systems.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Integrated technology systems for the semiconductor and electronics industries enable precise, accurate and reliable operations and performance of equipment in cleanroom and vacuum settings, according to the company. Applications include...

Infrared thermometer.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The ThermoTrace Infrared Thermometer, Model 15030, has been re-engineered for improved accuracy. This unit's accuracy has been validated at +/-2 degrees F (1 degree C) from 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) to 590 degrees F (310 degrees C). ...

Sorbent canister.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Camsorb sorbent canister systems remove high gas and vapor loads in HVAC systems. They are designed for installation in the company's leak-free housings and frames and can be used for the protection of sensitive materials such a laboratory and...

Turbo pumps.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The TMH 261, 521, 1001, 1601 and 2101 turbo pumps are well suited for ion implanters. According to the manufacturer, they have been proven to improve vacuum pump performance by as much as 300 percent. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pfeiffer...

Pure steam.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Vapotron VT generates sterile steam that is free of pyrogenic substances. The manufacturer reports that it is particularly suitable for SIP sterilization, the humidification of cleanrooms and the operation of steam sterilizers. The system,...

Dual-layer filter.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Protec RM0.5 is designed with an outer layer of glass fiber and an inner layer of hydrophilic PVDF membrane. According to the manufacturer, the prefilter, rated at 0.5 um, removes particles and reduces bioburden in biological liquids to...

Worktables.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Used in cleanrooms, labs and processing operations, the worktables are configured using standard modular components and feature heavy-gauge type 304 stainless-steel construction. The hat channels, legs and gussets also are made of type 304...

Airborne particle counter.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Lasair II 550L uses a flow rate of 50 LPM to sample one cubic meter in 20 minutes. The software walks the user through the process of EU GMP sampling then automatically generates a full final report. According to the manufacturer, this...

Flow indicator.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Series SFI-801 Sight Flow Indicator has a clear polycarbonate body that enables 360-degree viewing of the bright-red PBT rotor. The product has a pressure rating of 125 psi (8.62 bar), temperature rating of 130 degrees F (55 degrees C) and...

Blower.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... A small footprint ionizer for benchtop and in-tool applications, the Local Area lonizing Blower Model 6432 fulfills static control needs in the IC packaging, marking and insertion markets, or where workstations are susceptible to robotic...

Gas flow measurement.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The DryCal ML-800 fluid flow measurement system features +/-0.15 percent standardized accuracy. The standard is at once dry (no mercury, oil or soap solution), portable, fast and hands-free. Backed by an uncertainty analysis and inter-lab...

Storage and retrieval.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Shuttle VLM (vertical lift module) utilizes overhead space by scanning the stored item's height every time to store in the least amount of space. The system comprises vertically arranged trays in the front and rear of the unit, an...

Color-coded relief valves.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The relief pressures on this series of relief valves are identified by the color of the valve. Offered in 1/8 and 1/4 male NPT and 1/8 female thread, the valve housing is molded of PVDF. The internal relief material is nylon with a Buna-N seal....

Drive sockets.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Intended for cleanrooms and sterile production environments, the 3/8-inch drive Deep Sockets are made entirely from stainless steel and are designed for repeated autoclaving. The six-point sockets are 2 1/2-inches in length and are available in...

Auto leveling sensor.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... A wireless, wafer-like device, the WaferSense ALS (Auto Leveling Sensor) is designed to be handled like a 150mm, 200mm or 300mm wafer. The tool can be placed in cassettes, FOUPs, on end effectors, aligners, in load locks and process chambers to...

C[O.sub.2] analyzer.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The CEA 266 is a wall-mounted infrared C[O.sub.2] gas analyzer contained in a water-and dust-tight NEMA 4X enclosure with digital display readout. Ranges of 0-2000 ppm, 0-500 ppm, 0-1 percent, 0-2 percent, 0-5 percent, 0-10 percent or 0-20...

Linear motion slide.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The RGS 10000 Slide handles dynamic axial loads up to 100 pounds at speeds of more than 60 ips. According to the manufacturer, it has a unique, compact profile that provides torsional stiffness and stability. The integral mounting base allows...

Compact desiccator.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Secador Mini Desiccator is used for safe storage of valuable moisture-sensitive chemicals and electronics. The compact footprint and 0.35-cubic foot volume keep a small quantity of needed materials nearby without crowding the benchtop....

Gas springs.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Well suited for food processing and packaging industries, the Lift-O-Mat INOX stainless steel gas springs reportedly are maintenance free, easy to install and specifically designed for environments requiring total cleanliness. The springs...

Vacuum conveyor.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... In food manufacturing applications, the C-Series of conveyors are ideal for handling ingredients such as cocoa, sugar, vitamins and coffee beans. Powered by pneumatically driven vacuum pumps, the systems transport up to 10-15 tons/hour of...

Belting.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The C-CureEdge open-mesh, stainless steel wire belting is designed to increase productivity and enhance safety in the production environment and is suitable for heating, cooling, drying and coating. Reportedly, the closed-loop ends reduce...

Handsink.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Handsinks featuring Microgard antimicrobial protection offer foodservice operations a second line of defense in battling germs. To provide further protection, the company offers a completely touch-free sink that features an electronic eye...

Valve.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Intended for use in water treatment, the upgraded Swing Check Valve features a top bonnet O-ring seal design, which allows for improved pressure rating performance when using elastomeric seal materials. The product is available in _-inch to...

Wire gowning bench.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Gowning benches meet the needs of Class 1 to Class 100,000 cleanroom operations and feature a special wire under-shelf for under-the-seat storage of booties and other clothing articles. Available are stainless steel or chrome-plated wire...

Cage creep eliminator.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Anti-Creep System (ACS) reporedtly eliminates "cage creep" in cross-roller precision rail guides and offers PEEK material as an option. The specialized plastic exhibits low outgassing properties for X/Y positioning applications in vacuum or...

Storage cabinet.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Constructed with 16-gauge, cold-rolled steel and finished with white, baked enamel, the Series 91SC storage cabinets provide clean, durable storage for cleanroom applications. According to the company, the heavy-gauge steel construction will...

Hat liner.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Economy style 600R liner is made of flame-resistant Sparkguard material. It is designed precisely to provide maximum protection for the head, neck and ears, and it is now available in green. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Magid Glove &...

Biohazard lid.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... A motion-activated trash bin lid opens automatically so that hands can stay safe from biohazards and other wastes. Infrared sensors detect motion and provide "touchless" opening. The lid closes automatically three seconds after the hand/object...

Turbopump.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The 1200 1/s TPH 1201 contains the combination of high pumping speed for light gasses and high throughput for heavy gases. An advanced rotor geometry permits a high foreline tolerance of 0.5 mbar without the need for a drag stage, which...

Drive sockets.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Deisgned for cleanroom and sterile production environments, the new 3/8-inch drive Deep Sockets are made entirely from stainless steel and are designed for repeated autoclaving. Intended for applications that require longer reach and greater...

Wheel cleaning device.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The Caster Cleaner enhances a wheel's performance by continually cleaning the wheel, reducing the build-up of dirt, wax and residue that may insulate the wheel from the floor. Reportedly, it also extends the life of conductive wheels to reduce...

Glove.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Intended for cleanroom and critical environment industries, the Polyurethane glove made from Dow Performance Polymers has been tested for particulates and extractables in accordance with IEST RP-CC-005.2. Intacta 4 and Intacta 5 are...

Laser dicing system.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... The 300mm laser dicing system LDS 300 can handle 12-inch wafers. The waterjet-guided laser avoids heat damage and cracking, allowing for high fracture strength. Protective coatings are not needed and the wafer surface is free of contamination....

PES filters.(NEW PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2004... Millipore Express SHC (Sterilizing grade High Capacity) polyethersulfone (PES) filters are used for processing a variety of process fluids, including cell culture media and media additives, process intermediates and protein-containing...

Engineering manual.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... The updated DESICAiR Series 2000 engineering manual is a 36-page, color publication featuring detailed information such as product attributes, guide specifications, performance and dimensional data, and electrical characteristics. The desiccant...

Controls and gages.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... The 2005 Dwyer catalog is presented in a convenient and easy-to-use format and includes complete product ordering information and schedules for discounts. The catalog features more than 3,800 products. Additionally, the company has added a new...

Gage guide.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... Options and accessories for Magnehelic pressure gages are featured in the Magnehelic Accessory Guide. The guide includes cleanroom products such as static pressure sensors made of all stainless steel and flush mounting brackets with integral...

Cleaning solvent table.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... The results of a series of cleaning solvent compatibility evaluations are presented in a recently published table. After extensive testing and a thorough analysis, the company found a high degree of effectiveness using a wide range of cleaning...

Production supplies.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... The full-color, 864-page VWR Production Supplies for Controlled Environments Catalog offers more than 13,300 products for a range of industries and applications--from research laboratories to production facilities. The catalog features a...

Airshower studies.(NEW LITERATURE)
November 1, 2004... Results of separate clinical studies in Sweden proving the effectiveness of the Airsonett Airshower are summarized in a flier available from the company. The product is a self-contained mobile air purifier based on the principle of...

Calendar.(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... NOVEMBER 14-17 SEMI NanoForum. Hilton Austin, Austin, Texas. To register: http://wps2a.semi.org NOVEMBER 16-17 International Biotech and Lab Automation Europe. The Olympia, London, U.K. To register: www.international-biotech.com...