Posted to News on 13th Jul 2021, 00:00
Igus wins the REINER! Award for modular cleanroom chain
Electronics manufacturing demands high purity manufacturing environments and requires particle-free machine elements in clean rooms to ensure product quality. The Fraunhofer Institute in Germany recognises innovative developments in clean manufacturing every two years with the REINER! Award.
Motion plastics specialist Igus has been awarded 2nd prize for its e-skin flat cable guide. An alternative to the ribbon cable, the e-skin is compact, modular and has achieved the cleanroom Class 1 standard. Cables can be easily placed in the chain using a zipper principle and can be quickly replaced for fast maintenance.
Microchips, flat screens, electronic implants, pharmaceutical active ingredients and micro and nanoproducts would be impossible to produce safely without high-purity manufacturing environments. Storage ICs (integrated circuit chips) used across the IT infrastructures of companies, in medical electronics and the automotive industry are in high demand, where some car plants have had to pause production due to chip shortages. At the same time, manufacturers are looking for machines and equipment that work quickly and safely to meet the growing demand for these semiconductors.
One of the biggest challenges is particles that detach from machine components and contaminate the ambient air. New solutions are needed that make production processes economical while applying high safety and hygiene requirements. To acknowledge advances in clean technology, Fraunhofer IPA – Germany’s national technology innovation centre – runs the Fraunhofer Purity Technology Award “REINER!” every two years. Igus has been awarded 2nd place for the development of the e-skin flat power supply, as part of the Digital 365 Cleanroom Process.
