This ambitious project involved a significant overhaul of the client’s existing warehouse, transforming it into an ISO 4 (FED STD 209E: Class 10) cleanroom spanning 25,000 ft2. This “bay and chase” cleanroom was held to stringent ISO 4 standards, allowing no more than ten thousand 0.1μm sized particles per cubic meter. A new mezzanine floor was constructed above the cleanroom and will support re-circulating air handler units, secondary production tool equipment, and utility connections for production equipment on both levels.

The project proceeded at an astonishing pace, with certification of the cleanroom being achieved just six months after the completion of the new structure. Cleanroom certification was finalized one month ahead of the original schedule, an achievement that wouldn’t have been possible without the efficiency and dedication of the entire project team.

Successful execution of the project involved two meticulously planned “factory idles” to relocate utilities supporting the existing fabrication floor. Months were spent establishing new utility infrastructure due to the older infrastructure obstructing the new project area. The project team executed two strategically timed “fabrication idles” one lasting 36 hours and the other a mere 12 hours — chosen to minimize disruptions to the client’s production. Our team swiftly executed the shutdown of the old system along with the detailed tie-in and start-up of the new system. This ensured seamless factory reactivation and paved the way for removing existing infrastructure that clashed with new project construction. The orchestration of these “factory idles,” along with executing major construction activities beneath an active plant that is very sensitive to vibrations, marked the project’s most distinctive and challenging elements.

The culmination of this project, coupled with the tool install project, resulted in a twofold increase in the client’s factory production output.

Other notable features of the construction included:

• New foundation system with deep micro piles inside the existing building.
• New steel structure with intumescent paint.
• Pump Room and equipment for the new Process Chilled Water (PCW) and Secondary Chilled Water (SCHW) systems.
• Scrubbed exhaust system, including two new scrubbers and three roof-mounted exhaust fans.
• Cleanroom elevator connecting the existing and new cleanrooms.
• Ultrapure Water (UPW) supply and return laterals.
• High-purity process gas lines, including connection points for gases including argon, nitrogen, oxygen, and more.
• Makeup air system, featuring four new units with custom hydronic piping.
• Installation of life safety devices, including horns, strobes, toxic gas monitors, exhaust monitors, and security devices.
• Raised access floor system in the cleanroom, providing access to connections for UPW, PCW, acid waste, and house vacuum systems.
• Major power and emergency power capacity upgrades
• Instrumentation and Controls for monitoring and operating all-new base build systems including cleanroom airflow and pressures