 Greg Heiland was name as the recipient of the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology 2018 Robert L. Mielke Award, on May 2nd, 2018. This award is given for his efforts to recruit subject matter experts for working groups to ensure that recommended practices retain technical accuracy and relevance to current markets, and for his willingness to volunteer for multiple roles in working groups and conference presentations. The significance of the award is grounded in what Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST) contributes to critical environment practices, policies, processes, and guidelines. IEST is the leading technical, nonprofit membership association that connects professionals who deal with controlled environments. IEST offers technical guidance through International Standards, Recommended Practices, and education programs developed by experts in the fields of contamination control, environmental testing, and nanotechnology facilities. Greg Heiland being a preeminent member and contributor.
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When talking about cleanroom wipers, the edge is the primary contaminant source. If your environment requires critically low levels of particle and fiber release, then this blog is for you!  Cleanroom wipers come in a variety of substrates, and each has different levels of contamination based on the edges. For example, a Polyester wiper with a knife cut edge will release fibers during the application. The “knife-cut edge” method consists of using a steel blade to cut the fabric… this method can leave a certain amount of threads in the wiper open and loose and can lead to particulate contamination in your cleanroom.
Training new employees can be challenging, especially if you are consistently bringing in new hires. If you do not have a strict system in place or a team just for training, relevant topics can quickly be pushed to the side, leaving your critical environment at risk of contamination. Lucky for you, Valutek developed a complete training to solve this problem; and better yet, it's completely free. Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions:  What's included? Critical Academy is full of the best training that is current to today's IEST standards. How long is it? New operators can expect to finish Critical Academy in about a day. There are quizzes that they must pass to make sure they are learning the material. What do I need? Nothing. That's the best part about Critical Academy. We went ahead and built a kit to help make this successful for you. To get the kit, all you have to do is let us know how many you want and where to send them to. What does it look like? Great questions! This whole training is full of quick and simple videos. You can check out the screenshot below to get a better idea.  Why am I not enrolled?
Well...we were wondering that too? Click the button below to grab a seat!
You might have read that title and said: "why would clean room operators want to have a Red Solo Cup in the lab"? Maybe the right question to ask is, how do I reduce solvent exposure for my operators? We get this question a lot from Environmental Health and Safety staff because exposure to these solvents can be a severe issue. I'll get back to the Red Solo Cup soon.
 When it comes to choosing new gloves for your cleanroom, the options can be very overwhelming. There are many choices to be made, from different materials to colors and textures. While glove trends come and go, the one constant in all the changes is the use of latex as the material. That is why we have put together a list of some advantages and disadvantages of latex to bring attention to why it has been around for so long.
Ever wonder if you're a good cleanroom operator? Put your knowledge to the test and find out now!
 Latex has been a leading material in the disposable glove industry for a very long time. During the years 1980-2000, Latex had the best cost/performance ratio to any material available. Latex is both durable and easy to manufacture. Times have changed since its reign, but latex is still a very prominent element when it comes to making disposable gloves. Especially, in the cleanroom.
Normally, when we ship out an order we are under the impression that our consumables are going to be used in a very critical environment. But this past week we were reminded that our products can make a big impact outside of the cleanroom as well! Ms. Gilkey's 7th grade students in Austin, Texas combined their art skills with science and drew the different anatomy systems on our coveralls. This was a great way to map out the human body, key into art talents (our coveralls work well with paint and Sharpies, by the way) and use our garments in a new and innovative way! Our Director of Marketing, Jeff Saville, said "It's always a great day at Valutek when we get to support STEM efforts within schools!" Here's a look at what the Harmony School students created.Keeping your pre-wetted wipers wet is not always as easy as it sounds. The use, the packaging, the solution can all have an effect on how long it takes for the wipers to dry out. Today, we are going to talk about the packaging that they come in and how that can be the cause of your dry wipers. Most pre-wetted wipers either come in a pouch or a pail. The major differences between these two options are obvious, but there are some differences that you might not consider. In a pouch with a sticker seal, the alcohol can deteriorate the sticker making it lose its adhesive glue. So, when you go to close the wiper pouch, the sticker does not seal and the outgassing continues. Another pouch option is one with a zipper seal. This is better than the sticker option, but it leaves room for error. If there is air still stuck in the pouch, that can aid in the drying out process as well. The best way to ensure your wipers stay wet it by keeping them in a pail. The biggest advantage to the pail is the guaranteed air tight closure every time. This is not something that can be guaranteed by the pouches.
To learn more about keeping your pre-wetted wipers wet, watch the video below! One of the most common ways to cut corners in a cleanroom is by buying generic consumables for your operators. While this can prove to be a great way to save money, it is not a sure way to prevent contamination. Generic consumables can have hidden contamination and fillers that make the product look clean but releases contamination when used. For some, this can be easily managed but for others it can stop production and temporarily close. To learn more about a mismatch set in a cleanroom watch the video below or give us a call!
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