A Case Study For The Automobile Industries

Project Overview

• Project: Cleanroom for Component Testing & Assembly
• Industry: Automotive
• Client:Embassy Group (for a leading automobile manufacturer)
• Cleanroom Size: 20 x 16 x 4 meters
• Location: Chakan, Pune, Maharashtra
• ISO Classification: Class 8 (100,000)
• Application:Automobile Component Testing and Assembly

About the Client

The Embassy Group, one of India’s leading infrastructure partners and developers, is renowned for constructing top-quality commercial and industrial premises. They worked with Kaizen Airtreat on the present project, which involved installing a modular cleanroom system at an automobile manufacturing plant of good standing and repute in Chakan, Pune.

With a mandate to cause minimum disturbance to the current activities, the project’s scope included the design, engineering, supply, and installation of a cleanroom enclosure along with its associated HVAC system, electrical integration, and all the relevant cleanroom components.

Project Objectives and Client Requirements

The aim was to provide a contamination-controlled environment for component testing and high-precision assembling. The latter, in the case of automobile manufacturing, involves precision testing and sensitive assembling, where minor contamination can adversely affect product performance, leading to product failure in real-world use.

To address these challenges, the client needed a solution that offered rock-solid control over temperature, humidity, and airborne particle ingestion while ensuring compliance of the facility with ISO Class 8 standards, all without disrupting the facility’s ongoing production activities.

Products & Materials Used

Materials chosen for the project met compliance standards while offering performance, durability, and ease of installation,

• PUF Insulated Panels (50 mm thick): Used in walls and ceilings of the cleanroom, these panels ensure thermal insulation, fire resistance, and air-tight integrity.
• HVAC System (26,000 CFM AHU):Integrating HEPA filters, custom HEPA terminal boxes, and supply-return ducting, the solution provided by Kaizen Airtreat provides consistent airflow, besides contamination control up to the desired levels.
• MS Structural Trusses: Heavy-duty Mild Steel trusses were custom-built to suit the structure to support the entire cleanroom structure and related HVAC system.
• Electrical and Automation Equipment: The cleanroom solution included components like cleanroom-grade lighting, smoke detection systems, air showers, and boom barriers to support the functioning to the desired level, besides the safety of everyone, including the plant itself.
• Control Panel: A custom-built panel was put in place to manage the power load for centralised control over cleanroom operations. The panel also provided centralised control.
• Modular Partitions: With the structure likely to undergo a range of uses, modular partitions were put in place to create additional zones such as a high-temperature ageing room for specialised component testing.

The Project

In a normal working environment, a typical turnkey cleanroom project has four main sections, namely the enclosure, the HVAC system, the electricals, and miscellaneous items. In the present case, we used PUF panels of 50 mm thickness to eliminate the possibility of heat transfer to insulate the enclosure. We used AHU and HEPA filters in the HVAC system for air filtration and maintaining the required humidity and temperature.

Ultimately, equipment that formed part of our offering included Air Showers, Smoke Detectors, Lights, and a Boom Barrier. To cater to the power load of the final equipment and the project, we used a customised control panel.

The goal was to implement a cleanroom system to create a controlled environment that complied with ISO Class 8 standards and supported processes like component testing and precision assembly. In this case, while the mandate regarding its usage was reasonably clear, what added to the complexity was a strong focus on minimising disruption to the existing operations.

The Solution

With the client approving our designs, Kaizen Airtreat’s engineering and execution team initiated a structured implementation plan with each stage being focused on functionality, compliance, and integration, all taking place within the space of an active manufacturing site. Components of our primary offering thus included the following,

• Customised Cleanroom Enclosure: PUF panels were used for the walls and ceiling of the enclosure. It ensured insulation besides ISO-compliant airtightness. At the same time, the enclosure layout was aligned carefully with existing facility operations to maintain high workflow efficiency at all times
• Structural Framework: With the building lacking dedicated ceiling support, we fabricated a heavy-duty Mild Steel framework to hold the cleanroom and HVAC ducting system firmly in place
• HVAC System Design: The 26,000 CFM Air Handling Unit was integrated to provide filtered, temperature and humidity-controlled air. In addition, customised terminal boxes were used to ensure smooth duct fitting with the ceiling structure
• Cleanroom Equipment & Electricals: Cleanroom operations were backed with equipment including air showers, cleanroom lighting, smoke detectors, and a dedicated control panel for easy operation and load management
• Installation & Execution: We put in place a phased, low-disruption installation model wherein prefabricated parts were first tested off-site and then delivered to customers with labelled components. Dust and noise control measures ensured uninterrupted client operations during execution

Manufacturing, Testing, & Delivery

The Kaizen Airtreat’s approach towards tough quality control framework involved the following,

• Full off-site fabrication of panels, trusses, and ductwork
• Proper Load testing of the support structure.
• Testing of the electrical panel, besides equipment validation, using the right means.
• Clear and non-complicated labelling and documentation for trouble-free on-site installation.
• Smooth delivery and final assembly with minimal problems at the site.

Project Results & Client Benefits

• We managed to successfully deliver an ISO Class 8 cleanroom that went live within a fully operational automobile plant, while the plant functioned in the normal way.
• Optimised environment for precision component testing and assembly.
• Enhanced safety and workflows through divided modular partitioning.
• Enabled the control panel and enabled centralised management of all cleanroom equipment.
• Quick, efficient, and dust-free deployment within a running facility.
• Future-ready structure designed for scalability and easy maintenance.

Structural System Overview

The structural framework and cleanroom integration at the customer were first validated using,

• Load-bearing analysis of trusses.
• Compliance testing for insulation and fire resistance.
• Airflow distribution simulations.
• Safety reports on electrical and HVAC integration.

Conclusion

The successful installation of a cleanroom for the Embassy Group was of special importance as it showed Kaizen Airtreat’s ability to successfully execute the project within a running automobile facility, which meets ISO Class 8 standards, without disturbing ongoing operations. The solution that was provided brought about a contamination-free environment for precision testing and assembly. With the combination of efficient installation, integrated systems, and future scalability, the setup now supports the client’s high-performance manufacturing needs and will do so for quite some time.