Testing and validating cleanrooms is a necessary activity for any factory or manufacturing unit that has constructed and installed cleanrooms. Its purpose is to detect potential issues early, prevent unwanted incidents, and ensure that critical factors in the cleanroom such as temperature, humidity, pressure, cleanliness, etc., always meet standards.
What is NEBB?
NEBB stands for National Environmental Balancing Bureau, a non-profit international organization established in 1971, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. Currently, NEBB has offices in many other countries around the world such as South Korea, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
NEBB provides internationally recognized certification for operation and supervision in various high-tech fields, including cleanroom validation according to NEBB Certification.
NEBB certification is widely recognized worldwide and is a high standard of quality and competence in the field of HVAC system balancing, testing, and adjusting cleanroom system. Companies and technicians with NEBB certification are guaranteed to have the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs efficiently and safely.
Requirements for achieving NEBB certification
The NEBB Certification process involves many steps and strict adherence to principles and standards. Companies or facilities receiving cleanroom certification through NEBB Certification must meet the following criteria:
– Have been operating for at least 12 months, as an engineering company; mechanical contractor; plumbing contractor; fire protection contractor; electrical contractor; testing contractor; or a testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) contractor.
– Provide six letters of recommendation from building owners or agencies in the area regarding the company’s reputation and responsibility.
– Be a reputable member of the local NEBB.
– Own the necessary Cleanroom Performance Testing (CPT) tools required for NEBB certification in cleanroom performance testing.
– Have current NEBB standards for cleanroom performance testing.
– Appoint a designated expert, someone with NEBB certification, to represent the company and be responsible for supervising cleanroom validation according to NEBB Certification.
Why should cleanrooms be validated according to NEBB standards?
Ensure that the cleanroom quality always meets standards: Conducting testing according to NEBB standards ensures that your cleanroom meets strict requirements for cleanliness, temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. This ensures that your products are manufactured in a clean and safe environment, meeting the highest quality standards.
Enhance credibility and trust of customers: NEBB certification demonstrates that your cleanroom has been tested and certified by a reputable organization, providing evidence of the capability and credibility of your business. This increases the trust of customers and partners in the quality of your products and services.
Improve operational efficiency: Testing and validating according to NEBB standards helps identify potential issues in the cleanroom. Therefore, businesses can take timely corrective measures to improve the operational efficiency of the cleanroom. This helps save costs and increase productivity.
Testing methods when validating cleanrooms according to NEBB standards
Check air flow rate and velocity.
Check HEPA/ULPA filter leaks.
Check room pressure.
Check recovery ability.
Check particle concentration and size in the air.
Check relative humidity.
Check temperature.
Check other test conditions.
Process of validating cleanrooms according to NEBB standards
Validating cleanrooms according to NEBB Certification is typically carried out in three main stages:
Stage 1: Installation Validation
Cleanroom validation according to NEBB Certification is performed to check connections before equipment, manufacturing materials, and workers are present. Demonstrate that installations are accurate.
Stage 2: Operational Validation
Conducted after equipment installation but before workers perform tasks inside the cleanroom. This test in cleanroom certification according to NEBB Certification ensures the operational performance of equipment as per the original design.
Stage 3: Performance Validation.
The test is conducted and evaluated when all equipment is operational and workers are directly working. Cleanroom validation according to NEBB Certification at this stage demonstrates that the cleanroom’s performance meets the organization’s intended purpose.
After initially receiving NEBB certification for cleanroom validation, manufacturing facilities still need to regularly inspect and evaluate cleanrooms. Typically, NEBB certification for cleanroom certification has a specific validity period. Therefore, companies need to have a periodic validation plan to extend the life and improve the efficiency of cleanrooms.
Trusted and quality cleanroom testing organizations according to NEBB standards
With many years of experience in the industry and a team of experienced engineers and experts, INTECH Service specializes in providing accurate and quality cleanroom testing and certification services according to NEBB standards. All services from INTECH Service are performed using calibrated and internationally certified equipment, providing detailed, comprehensive reports, and the most reputable certification for assessing cleanroom quality.
The above information covers NEBB standards, the process of certifying cleanrooms according to NEBB standards. I hope this information has helped you understand more about this standard and the importance of NEBB testing and validation for businesses using cleanrooms. If you have any further questions or need advice, please contact INTECH Service for the earliest support and consultation from our experts.