Clean Booth vs Clean Room: Key Differences & How to Choose
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In high-tech manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and precision electronics, maintaining a contaminant-free environment is critical. While clean rooms and clean booths both provide controlled environments, they differ significantly in design, cost, and applications. This guide compares their structures, ISO classifications, and ideal use cases to help you select the right solution.
1. Structural Differences
Feature | Clean Room | Clean Booth |
Enclosure | Permanent walls, ceiling, floor | Modular frame + curtains/acrylic panels |
Sealing | Hermetic (prevents 99.97% external contaminants) | Partial gaps (curtains may allow minor particle ingress) |
Airflow | Unidirectional (laminar) or turbulent, controlled by AHU/FFUs | Localized laminar flow via built-in HEPA filters |
Key Insight: Clean rooms are fully sealed ISO-certified spaces, while clean booths offer portable, localized protection.
2. Cost & Installation Time
- Clean Room
- Cost: $100–$500/sq.ft (for ISO Class 5–8) due to complex HVAC, epoxy flooring, and validation.
- Time: 3–6 months for design, construction, and particle count certification.
- Clean Booth
- Cost: $5,000–$20,000 (ready-to-use units) with minimal site prep.
- Time: <1 week for assembly (no structural changes needed).
Best For Budgets: Clean booths reduce upfront costs by 80% for small-scale needs.
3. Cleanliness Standards (ISO 14644-1)
Class | Max Particles/m³ (≥0.5µm) | Typical Use |
ISO 5 | 3,520 | Semiconductor fabrication (clean room) |
ISO 7 | 352,000 | Pharma compounding (clean room) |
ISO 8 | 3,520,000 | Electronics assembly (clean booth) |
Note: Clean booths typically achieve ISO 7–8, while rooms reach ISO 5–6 with advanced FFUs.
4. Flexibility & Mobility
- Clean Room: Fixed layout; modifications require demolition.
- Clean Booth:
- Wheel-mounted options for relocation.
- Adjustable sizing (e.g.,GMP curtain booths for batch changes).
Ideal For: Labs needing temporary clean zones or multi-product facilities.
5. Application Scenarios
When to Choose a Clean Room
- Semiconductor wafer production (ISO 3–5).
- Sterile injectables manufacturing (FDA Annex 1 compliance).
- Nanotechnology research requiring vibration/EMI shielding.
When a Clean Booth Suffices
- PCB assembly (localized ESD protection).
- Medical device packaging (ISO 8).
- Lab sample preparation (PCR workstations).