Cleanroom Wall Panel System with Angled Flange Retainers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleanroom wall panel systems are often cumbersome to assemble and require precise placement, leading to increased installation time and cost, while also sacrificing flexibility in orientation and variability in component positioning.
Innovation Solution
A cleanroom wall panel system featuring elongate retainer elements and wall panels with angled flange portions that allow for quick assembly in multiple orientations, supported by a footer or floor surface, enabling variability in component placement without compromising performance or quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional wall panel systems are used, then structural stability is maintained, but assembly time increases and installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall panel system is divided into modular components including wall panels with integrated flanges, retainer elements with positioning features, and footer assemblies. Each component is pre-configured with specific geometric features that enable rapid connection without complex alignment procedures, thereby increasing assembly speed while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The wall panels are pre-formed with integrated flanges and the retainer elements are pre-configured with positioning features during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for field fabrication or complex assembly procedures, allowing workers to simply connect pre-configured components, thus reducing installation time without compromising structural stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If precise placement is required, then structural stability is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Positioning features such as protrusions and recesses are pre-formed on the wall panels and retainer elements during manufacturing. These features automatically guide correct placement when components are assembled, ensuring structural stability without requiring workers to perform complex measurements or alignment procedures, thereby reducing assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning features on the wall panels and retainer elements automatically align and locate components during assembly. The geometric constraints built into the design cause the components to self-align and self-position correctly, ensuring structural stability while eliminating the need for external alignment tools or complex assembly procedures
3Manufacturing precision
If fixed orientation is used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall panels are designed with asymmetric flange configurations that provide different connection interfaces on different sides. This asymmetry allows the same panel design to be installed in multiple orientations (horizontal, vertical, or at various angles) while the positioning features ensure precise placement in each orientation, thereby providing both manufacturing precision and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer elements and wall panels are designed with universal connection features that can accommodate multiple installation orientations and configurations. The same components can be used in different orientations and positions without requiring custom-made parts, maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized features while providing adaptability for various installation scenarios
4Strength
If multiple components are used, then structural stability is improved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flanges are integrated directly into the wall panels as monolithic structures rather than being separate components. The positioning features are also formed as integral parts of the wall panels and retainer elements. This merging of functions into fewer components maintains structural strength while reducing the number of separate parts that need to be handled and assembled, thereby improving assembly efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A cleanroom wall panel system is provided for defining the perimeter or interior divisions of a cleanroom. The system includes a plurality of elongate retainer elements, which are mounted to wall studs, and a plurality of wall panels with hook portions configured to engage the elongate retainer elements. The retainer elements and/or wall panels may be oriented at either of two different orientations, and further are designed to accommodate some variations in the positioning of the components relative to one another, which facilitates assembly of the wall panel assembly. Each wall panel's weight is supported, either directly or indirectly, by a floor surface located below the wall panel, so that the hook portions are used primarily to secure the wall panels against the retainer elements.