NEW FREEDOM, Pa.--Crescent Industries Inc., a custom injection molder and contract manufacturer of thermoplastic products ranging in quantities from prototype to high volume, recently completed the addition of a 768-square-foot, Class 10,000 clean room to its manufacturing facility. The new ISO Class 8 clean room will give Crescent Industries the capabilities to meet the increasing demands of particulate-free assembly and packaging in the medical and electronic markets, the company said in a recent statement.

"Not only do the particulate levels come down when using a clean room, but the bio-burden levels of the product are also reduced," said George Anello, quality manager for Crescent Industries, in a recent phone interview with Design-2-Part. "This in turn reduces the sterilization cost. Operating in a controlled, clean room environment is a vital element of medical parts manufacturing. Typical parts we will be handling in the clean room are breathing circuits, catheter assemblies, centrifuge products, and fixator devices."

The clean room, designed and operational to Class 10K standards, is equipped with a "once-thru" positive airflow system. This "once-thru" design, also known as "single pass," draws ambient air into the SAM fan filter units at ceiling level. The HEPA-filtered air passes into the clean room and is transferred out of the room through grilles at the bottom of the walls. The clean room is temperature- and humidity-controlled, and all inventory and equipment remain in the room at all times. Crescent Industries' staff is "well-trained to pay strict attention to cleanliness and product quality," the company says.

Assembly and packaging personnel in the clean room will be wearing special clean room garments, including hair nets and gloves, to keep particulate levels down. "No cardboard will be allowed in the clean room, and all products will be transported in bags that are placed in plastic totes to prevent damage," says Anello. "A cart pass-thru is used to transport product from the staging area into the clean room. Work areas are cleaned daily and the entire clean room more thoroughly on a weekly basis."

Founded in 1946, Crescent Industries is an ISO 9001:2000-registered contract manufacturer and a major supplier in the plastic injection molding and mold building industries. The company's capabilities range from simple products to complex devices. For more information on Crescent Industries Inc., contact Kevin Allison, business development manager, at kallison@crescentind.com, or visit www.crescentind.com.