Adding a production line or meeting a customer's new cleanliness requirement can expose the limits of an ordinary factory workshop. Products may collect visible particles, inspection teams may repeat cleaning work, and production managers may worry that a cleanroom project will interrupt existing operations.
A modular cleanroom for an existing factory can create a separate controlled production area without rebuilding the entire workshop. The right solution, however, starts with the process that needs protection, the source of contamination, and the conditions already present in the building.
STJH is a professional cleanroom builder providing layout planning, cleanroom structures, filtration and supporting systems, and installation coordination. This guide explains what to assess before selecting a system and what a useful project handover should include.
Why are products collecting dust in the existing workshop?
Consider an electronics assembly and visual inspection area. Operators may find particles on components, clean products repeatedly before inspection, or notice that environmental conditions change between shifts. These are practical symptoms to investigate, rather than enough information to select a cleanroom class.
Possible sources include airborne particles, clothing, packaging materials, equipment, cleaning practices, and movement through the work area. Ordinary air conditioning mainly addresses thermal comfort; its filtration, airflow arrangement, and room sealing may not suit the production process.
Adding filters alone may leave other routes of contamination unchanged. Before designing the room, establish:
- Which operation is affected, and how long the product remains exposed.
- Whether contamination appears during assembly, transfer, inspection, or packaging.
- Whether personnel, incoming materials, and waste share the same route.
- Whether equipment generates particles or heat, or needs process exhaust.
- What the customer requires for particle control, temperature, humidity, and electrostatic protection.
These findings help define how much space needs control and which systems the project actually requires.
Do you need a clean booth or a modular cleanroom?
If only one inspection station or machine needs local particle protection, a clean booth may be worth evaluating. Its suitability depends on the surrounding workshop, operator activities, and disturbances to the clean airflow.
If assembly, inspection, and packaging must remain within a controlled environment, an enclosed modular cleanroom may be more appropriate. It can accommodate connected work areas, controlled entry, material transfer, and environmental systems selected for the process.
| Decision point | Local clean booth | Modular cleanroom |
|---|---|---|
| Area to protect | A workstation, machine, or local operation | Multiple workstations and connected production areas |
| People and materials | Primarily local operating controls | Space for gowning, buffer areas, and planned transfer routes |
| Environmental needs | Emphasis on local air cleanliness | Can integrate particle, pressure, temperature, and humidity control |
| Future changes | Local relocation or adjustment | Expansion interfaces can be considered during design |
The choice should follow the workflow. A protected area that is too small may expose products again during transfer. An unnecessarily large area increases construction, operation, and maintenance costs. Projects requiring broader facility integration can also be assessed as standard cleanroom solutions.
How STJH plans a modular cleanroom inside an existing factory
Check the layout beyond the production equipment footprint
The available floor area is only the starting point. STJH considers equipment entry dimensions, operator access, maintenance clearances, personnel entry, and material staging. Filling every available square metre with production equipment can make filter replacement, material movement, or future equipment removal difficult.
A useful layout follows the sequence of work. It should show where products enter, where they remain exposed, how they move between processes, and where they leave the controlled area.
Coordinate filtration, supply air, return air, and exhaust
Fan filter units and HEPA filters form part of the system. Supply air, return paths, makeup air, and process exhaust must also work together. If production equipment extracts air, the design needs to consider replacement air and the effect of that extraction on room pressure.
Installing filtration equipment without checking these relationships can leave the clean area vulnerable to changing operating conditions.
Assess temperature, humidity, and equipment heat
Operators, machinery, and lighting add heat. The existing factory air conditioning may not have enough capacity, or the right control arrangement, for the proposed room. Temperature and humidity requirements therefore need a separate assessment. An FFU does not replace a complete temperature and humidity control system.
Match the enclosure and utilities to daily use
Wall panels, ceilings, doors, windows, service penetrations, and floor connections need to suit cleaning and normal operations. For electrostatic-sensitive electronics work, flooring, workstations, and grounding measures should be evaluated against the process requirements.
STJH coordinates these elements as a working production environment, including access for cleaning, inspection, and maintenance.
How should you choose the cleanroom class?
Industry labels alone do not establish the right classification. General electronic assembly, optical surface handling, and precision inspection may have different contamination risks.
If your customer specifies ISO Class 7, clarify which areas the requirement covers and the occupancy state in which testing will take place. Personnel, equipment operation, and production activities affect the conditions that must be assessed.
ISO 14644-1 addresses air cleanliness classification by airborne particle concentration. That classification alone does not establish product yield, microbial control, or compliance of the complete manufacturing process. Record temperature, humidity, pressure, and any additional process requirements separately.
STJH can help organize these requirements for design. The customer and project team should agree on the acceptance targets before installation begins.
How can installation reduce disruption to existing production?
Modular construction allows some fabrication and preparation to take place before materials arrive on site. It can reduce on-site fabrication, but shutdown requirements still depend on the building, utility connections, and construction scope.
For an operating factory, the installation plan should establish:
- How the construction zone will be separated from active production.
- Where materials and installation personnel will enter.
- Whether electrical, air-conditioning, or exhaust connections require a shutdown.
- Which tasks can be completed in advance and which need a planned shutdown window.
- How much time is required for cleaning, commissioning, and testing.
STJH can coordinate the sequence around site conditions, preparing components first and arranging connections within agreed access windows. A realistic programme distinguishes structural installation complete from ready for agreed operational use. Cleaning and performance checks remain part of the project.
What improvements should the completed project deliver?
The handover should address the original problem. Where exposed products previously moved through an ordinary workshop, the goal may be a clearly defined clean area, better control of personnel and material movement, and environmental conditions that can be measured and recorded.
| Original problem | Design response | How to assess the result |
|---|---|---|
| Surrounding workshop activity affects critical workstations | Separate enclosure with coordinated filtration and airflow | Particle testing under the agreed conditions and method |
| Uncontrolled movement of people and materials | Planned entry, gowning, and material transfer routes | Review the actual operating routes and procedures |
| Unstable temperature or humidity | Environmental control based on personnel and equipment loads | Record performance under agreed operating conditions |
| Process exhaust changes room pressure | Coordinate makeup air, exhaust, and pressure control | Check pressure while the relevant equipment operates |
| Difficult maintenance access | Accessible service spaces and filter maintenance locations | Confirm access on site and review maintenance instructions |
The project agreement should define the tests, methods, and acceptance criteria. Depending on the agreed scope, handover documents can include layout drawings, equipment schedules, operating and maintenance instructions, and relevant test records.
Changes in product contamination, cleaning rework, or rejection rates require production data from before and after implementation. Completing a cleanroom does not by itself justify a fixed yield-improvement claim. This article describes a planning approach, rather than results from a specific customer project.
What should you prepare for a modular cleanroom quotation?
To discuss a modular cleanroom for your existing factory, send STJH a floor plan or room dimensions, available clear height, industry and process details, equipment layout, number of operators, and any specified cleanliness requirements.
If you do not yet know the required class, explain the contamination problem, your customer's requirements, and the operations you need to protect. Site photographs, equipment heat and exhaust information, and your intended production date will also help clarify the scope.
Discuss your factory cleanroom project with STJH. We can help assess whether a clean booth or modular cleanroom fits your process and identify the layout, system configuration, and installation requirements needed for a meaningful quotation.
Send your project requirements or contact STJH on WhatsApp. You can also email [email protected].