Technical cleanliness plays an important role, especially in areas where components are manufactured, such as electrical engineering or the automotive industry. If contamination occurs at particle-sensitive points, this can quickly lead to functional impairments or even malfunctions. If the residual dirt in a system is so low that no damage occurs, it is considered technically clean. 

Technical cleanliness is particularly important in the following sectors:

Automotive and electric vehicles
Medical industry
Mechanical engineering
Additive manufacturing
Electrical engineering and battery production
Optical industry
Oil analysis and Hydraulics

Why is technical cleanliness so important?

Thanks to technological progress, many industries require increasingly complex systems. As early as the 1990s, there was an increase in damage caused by contamination on components in the automotive industry. It quickly became clear that procedures had to be standardized. The so-called "VDA 19 Guideline", also known as "Testing of Technical Cleanliness – Particle Contamination of Functionally Relevant Automotive Parts", was published in 2004 and revised in 2015 as VDA 19 Part 1. At the international level, ISO 16232 (2007) forms the standard set of regulations. VDA 19 Part 2 from 2010 contains a guideline of rules for cleanliness-relevant orientation of assembly production.

VDA 19 Part 1 precisely defines various types of contamination. With the help of these definitions, contamination can be detected by cleanliness analyses and other technical cleanliness processes and appropriate decisions can be made. The aim is to preventively avoid residual dirt on components.

Correlative particle analysis to characterize process critical contamination
Suppliers, manufacturers and end users expect constantly higher quality standards. Therefore, an innovatively designed cleanliness process is essential to exclude any contamination of functionally relevant parts and components throughout the production process. ZEISS solutions for technical cleanliness identify the root cause of contamination and enable to make the right decision more quickly. 

Watch the video to the right.

Do you need more information about ZEISS Technical Cleanliness Solutions? Download brochure here.