Pass Box

Pass Box: The Complete Guide

Zonsteel pass box could be simple with just a UV lamp, or equipment with high efficiency filter. It all depends on your needs.

Zonsteel pass box body is stainless steel 304.

Zonsteel pass box work area size 500x500x500mm, 600x600x600mm or 800x800x800mm, other size can be customized. Just tell us item transfer direction and we will know how to fix door direction.

Pass box delivery time is 15 days, well packed in wooden case.

Zonsteel is ISO9001:2008 factory, founded in 1999 year, with 26000 m2 workshop, 300 workers and staffs. It has full production line for clean room products. Main clean room equipment are air shower, clean room hvac, pass box, clean room air curtain, commercial ozone generator, clean room air filter, sampling booth, fan filter unit, air filtration unit, and laminar flow hood.

Zonsteel is a one stop clean room solution provider, contact us today to customize your pass box.

Pass Box: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

If you are interested in using, building or wholesaling  cleanrooms, then the chances are you have heard of the term pass box or pass through box. So, what is it all about?

That is what we want to check out in this guide to give you all the important information about a pass box and why you might want to get one.

Let us dive into the guide already to learn more.

 

What Is a Pass Box?

Pass Box

A pass box can be defined as an auxiliary equipment for your cleanroom and acts as a transfer window for moving items or trolley between the clean area and the non-clean area.

The aim is to reduce the need for opening the clean room door more often. This will in turn reduce the pollution of your cleanroom.

Thanks to its operation, we find that the pass box can be quite versatile. You would find it being popular in industries such as biological labs, food processing industries, electronics factories, pharmaceutical factories, hospitals and more.

If it is set up correctly, the pass box can serve you better to keep the contamination to a minimum on overall.

 

What Are the Common Pass Box Characteristics You Should Know?

Before you can buy a pass box, you would want to know its characteristics to see whether it would work great for your applications. Here are the common characteristics that you are likely to experience with the Zonsteel pass box.

✧  You will find that the work surface of the small pass box will be of stainless steel material. The stainless steel is good in terms of being smooth and wear-resistant. You can expect it to be usable for many years down the line.

✧  If you are going to opt for the larger pass box, then its surface would be unpowered roller. Having a roller will make it easier for you to move the large items between the outside and the cleanroom.

✧  The doors of the pass box on both sides come with mechanical or electronic locking mechanisms. The aim of such locking mechanisms is to help maintain the cleanroom integrity. They are only opened when the need arises.

✧  The pass box come in different sizes. We have the standard and non-standard sizes so that the user can get the right pass box for the money. It is possible to get a custom pass box depending on your needs for one.

✧  All the different pass boxes we make adopt the use of high efficiency filter. The aim is to ensure there is the best purification level of the item before it gets into the cleanroom.

✧  There is also the option of having a pairable intercom so that you can communicate with the other person on the other side of the pass box.

 

What Are the Types of Pass Boxes Found at Zonsteel?

If you are new to using a pass box, you will not be sure about which is the best for you. Luckily, Zonsteel makes multiple types of pass boxes for you to consider. Below, we will discuss the top models that we make and where best you can use them.

 

        .  Aseptic Lamina Flow Pass Box 

Figure 1: Stainless Steel Pass Box

This type of pass box offers the basic functions and will commonly have a self-circulating air purification system. This system comprises of a fan and high efficiency filter. As a result, the air in the pass box will always be purified.

This pass box can also be installed with an exhaust system in addition to the high efficiency filter. This means that the exhaust air will also be clean.

In case there was something toxic in the pass box, then the air leaving the pass box will still be clean.

Figure 2:  Aseptic Lamina Flow Pass Box Diagram

 

        .  Air Shower Pass Box

 

Figure 3: Air Shower Pass Box

 

A cleanroom air shower can still be used as a pass box for you to try out. This is where the clean air is sprayed onto the cargo before it can move into the cleanroom area. The air is fast moving so that it can blow all the particulates from the surface of the cargo.

In most cases the air would be flowing at around 25m/s or even more depending on the air shower pass box configuration.

The aim is to always have enough speed to appropriately clean the cargo before it gets into the cleanroom.

When the air shower is activated, an air lock is created to prevent the dust, dirt, and other particulates from getting into the cleanroom.

Figure 4: Air Shower Pass Box Diagram

 

. Roller Type Pass Box

Figure 5: Roller Type Pass Box

For this pass box, you will find it commonly being used for handling large cargo between the cleanroom and the non-clean area.

This type of pass box will also need more room to assemble the rollers. Once it is put in place, it will make it easier to move the heavy and large cargo as you simply push it over the rollers into the cleanroom with ease.

The pass box is still equipped with electronic interlocks to prevent the dust from entering the cleanroom when the cargo is being sprayed.

Figure 6: Roller Type Pass Box Diagram

 

. Pass Box With Lift Door

 

Figure 7: Pass Box With Lift Door

This type of pass box will have features such as an electronic button switch control, interlock function, anti-pinch function, built-in germicidal ultraviolet lamp, and intercom function.

All these features will make it easier for you to pass the different items through the pass box while at the same time cleaning them.

Just as the name suggests, the door quickly lifts when you press a button for you to put in the item that needs to be transferred. Once this is done, press the button to close the hatch again.

Figure 8: Pass Box With Lift Door Diagram

 

. Floor-To-Ceiling Pass Box

 

Figure 9: Floor-To-Ceiling Pass Box

This will be the most common type of pass box you get in different places. It is designed to be installed to the ground and will also be tall sometimes getting to the ceiling.

Because of its size, this type of pass box will be ideal for transmission of logistics material.

You will find such a pass box common in areas such as workshops that need the best cleanliness. It could be for food, electronics, or chemical packaging applications.

 

. Combined Pass Box

 

Figure 10: Combined Pass Box

It is commonly used in hospitals for material transfer between different departments in the hospitals. The idea is to strengthen the overall management of the disinfection zones to avoid cases of cross-infection.

Figure 11: Combined Pass Box Diagram

Figure 12: Combined Pass Box

 

How Do You Maintain a Pass Box?

As part of using your pass box, we recommend that you turn it on 15 minutes before using it. The idea is for the clean air to blow over the surface of the pass box to clean it better before it can be used to pass cargo.

Make sure that the cargo is correctly oriented as advised by the manufacturer so that it can be cleaned better before it is released to get into the clean room. The last thing you want is to affect the clean room integrity.

You need to try as much as possible to avoid disturbing the laminar flow in the pass box. This can affect the purification level of your pass box.

To keep the pass box a clean area, you need to regularly remove the non-woven filter material for cleaning more often. It is recommended that you do this every 3 to 6 months.

If you find that the filter is too old and it needs replacing, make sure you do that to improve the pass box cleaning performance.

Another thing to try out should be a dust particle counter. The particle counter is good for measuring the room cleanliness or the work area.

If the dust particle counter shows that the room does not meet the parameter requirements, then you need to replace the high-efficiency filter.

On average, a high efficiency filter will have a lifespan of 9600 hours. Follow the recommended steps to replace the high-efficiency filter of the pass box. Once you have replaced the filter, use the dust particle counter again to see if anything has changed.

In case you end up with electrical faults, let a professional handle them. You do not want to end up making them worse or electrocution.

We also recommend that you keep the operating temperature of the pass box below 50 degrees Celsius. Also, open flames are strictly prohibited in the pass box.

There will be many other maintenance checks you have to do in your pass box. We are always available on call to help our clients to learn more about maintaining their pass boxes better.

You can get in touch with us whenever you are not sure how to proceed.

 

Why Should You Get a Pass Box from Zonsteel?

 

Figure 13: Pass Box

Some people might not be sure why they should install a pass box from Zonsteel. If that is the case, we look at the reasons people commonly get a pass box from Zonsteel.

. Reduces Foot Traffic

This must be the most important reason for most people who want to set up a pass box just before the cleanroom.

With the pass box set up, there will be reduced traffic of people getting into the cleanroom and thus less pollution of the cleanroom. At this point, only the vital personnel would be getting into the cleanroom while the others can only pass the supplies and cargo through the pass box.

Having the pass box will also reduce the amount of space required to store or even complete the work in the cleanroom. This will result in experiencing lower costs for building and operating the cleanroom.

There is no doubt that having reduced foot traffic will also increase the workflow efficiency in the cleanroom.

This is because the personnel do not have to go through the decontamination process all the time before getting into the cleanroom. All the supplies are brought to them via the pass box.

. Pass Box Increases Productivity

A Zonsteel pass box can also help with increasing the overall productivity of your staff. This is because it would be able to automate some of the processes that would have to be manual otherwise.

Some of the ways you can achieve this by using configurable pass boxes for your cleanroom. A good example is when you use the electronic and programmable control to the pass box. Instead of having someone operating it manually all the time, it can all be automated.

The Zonsteel software is also scalable. This means that it can be configured to take on more features and applications depending on the user needs. In case you want to increase the access points or authorized personnel, you will find it being easy to do so.

The automatic HEPA filter can also do automatic recirculation to ensure that your pass box can get the clean air it needs to remain clean even when not in use. As such, it will always be ready to decontaminate the different supplies before they can be passed into the clean room.

. Better Safety

Even if some might think it is just a pass box, it is good to know that a pass box is also designed with security in mind. This is because the pass box will come with built-in indoor interlocks. The locks will remain closed each time decontamination is going on.

This is to keep the contaminants from getting into the cleanroom.

Depending on the type of pass box, there are some that will have heightened security features to allow only vital personnel to use them. Some of the security features will include key card readers, fingerprint scanners, and more.

It is easy to see that you can trust the pass box to be a secure place too for your cleanroom.

. Ease of Cleaning

A pass box will have its own cleaning mechanisms as part of the unit. As such, you will end up with an ever-clean environment that you need for the cleanroom.

Also, we use stainless steel material to make the pass box. This is because steel is generally the easiest material to clean. Because of its smooth surface, it also makes it hard for dirt and dust to keep sticking on it.

Even with the regular use of the pass box, it would be hard for it to have dirt, making it so easy to clean it.

. Specific Designs Available

Now that you know more about the benefits of having a pass box, you might be wondering if it would apply to your application. The good news is that we made specific designs for various applications.

Yes, we have the standard pass boxes, but we can always make something unique to your application.

So, what are some of the places you can use out pass box? Such places include pharmaceutical, hospital, chemical manufacturing, semiconductor & electronics, and more.

We will tailor the pass box depending on your needs. The pass box for handling chemical manufacturing would be slightly different from that required for semiconductor & electronics manufacturing.

. Durability

You can be sure that the pass box that we make is all about durability. We use stainless steel and other related tough materials to ensure durability is not an issue. As such, the pass box that you buy from Zonsteel will last you to decades without an issue.

We also make the maintenance to be easy. The idea is to help you have a great time using the pass box without worrying that it might break down because you could not do basic maintenance.

 

What Is Validation of a Pass Box? And Why Is It Important?

Validation is simply the quality assurance process that documents the operation of the pass box to see if its working as expected. At the end of the process, you would know if the efficiency of the pass box is good or you need to do some maintenance to make it better.

Validation of a pass box is inevitable if you want to keep it working great for years down the line. A pass box is known to easily contain the bacterial, dirt, and other contaminants if it is not properly cleaned.

Validation will have to be done in stages and everything documented properly. Depending on the findings of the validation report, there might be the need to have a deep study to understand the working of the equipment.

It is easy to see that your validation process can help to keep the cleanroom from having contaminants. The last thing you want is for the cleanroom integrity to be affected. As such, it will eliminate the possibility of regulatory non-compliance.

Considering the many benefits that come with validation, we recommend that everyone who owns a pass box to do it more often. It ensures that you get to keep the pass box in the right working condition.

 

What Are the Quality Factors a Person Should Consider When Getting a Pass Box?

Figure: 14 Pass Box

The next time you are looking to get yourself the best pass box, here are a few things that you should keep in mind.

. Ease of Cleaning

Just like any other surface close to the clean room, it has to remain clean all the time. That is why you need to get the best pass box that is still easy to clean.

A good manufacturer will give you all the cleaning procedures that you need to follow to keep the pass box in the right clean condition.

Here at Zonsteel, we make pass boxes that are easy to clean on overall. The inside is sanitary corner. You will notice that our clean rooms will also be easy to maintain regardless of their applications.

. Ease of Integration

Another thing a person would want to keep in mind is the ease of integrating the pass box into the cleanroom.

Unlike other manufacturers that might make a pass box that can only work with their other systems, we make models that will easily integrate into other types of cleanrooms without much of a problem.

The whole idea is to make it easy for you to set up the pass box and get down to using it easily.

. Construction

The construction of the pass box has always remained an important consideration for anyone who needs to use a pass box for years. Look at the material the manufacturer uses to make the pass box.

If the material is durable, it means that the model will last you for long so that you feel it is worth the money.

Also, consider the locking mechanism to ensure that you are buying a high-performance pass box that can live up to your needs for an effective pass box. That same goes for the air tightness of the pass box.

. Turnaround Time

Zonsteel stands out with its turnaround time for making a pass box. We must point out that the turnaround time will vary from one design to another. However, we try to make it fast so that you can have the pass box set up on your cleanroom or any other application in a short time. Usually 15 days.

. Design Options

We have an experienced design team that can deliver on the best designs that you need for a pass box. We know that you would always want different types of designs. That is something that Zonsteel will provide for you right now.

Regardless of the industry that you might be in, we have a team that can handle all your needs. Talk to us today to see what we can make for you depending on what you have to accomplish.

. Maintenance Needs

If you are going to get a pass box, you still have to consider the maintenance needs that come with that pass box. Just like any other machine, you will also have to consider giving it a proper maintenance if you want it to last for longer.

It is good to look at the reviews of other people who have used the pass box from the company to see what they say. If there are positive reviews about their pass box, then you would know that the company makes the best pass box that you need.

At this point, you have more information about owning a pass box and where you can use it. If you have any more questions, then we recommend that you get in touch with us. We will be able to help you even more when know your needs for a pass box.

We can also offer a catalogue of our pass box products so that you know what is available for you to get depending on your needs.

 

Conclusion

With the information in this guide, am sure you can confidently choose a suitable pass box for your applications.

At Zonsteel, we manufacture and supply high quality pass box at affordable prices.

Contact us today to support your pass box OEM business.