Ampex Recording Media Corporation

High-quality tape manufacturer expands clean room
with PortaFab wall system

30,000 square foot expansion of clean room manufacturing area

Flexibility to modify clean room walls quickly and easily.

The Situation
Ampex Recording Media Corporation is a leading worldwide manufacturer of professional audio, video, and data storage tape. Known for high-quality products, Ampex produces 70% of all professional recording tape for the television and movie industry.

Tape manufacturing, which requires an ultra-clean environment, is a quickly changing industry, causing frequent modifications in production. So when Ampex needed to expand its existing clean room manufacturing area in its Opelika, Alabama facility, the company had two major concerns: quality and flexibility.

The Evaluation
Ampex Associate Engineer, Steve Erlandson, set out to find a wall system that would meet his clean room needs. Since flexibility was a major concern, he immediately ruled out the conventional construction methods that Ampex had used in the past, and began searching for a modular wall system that could be modified or expanded quickly and easily.

After investigating a number of modular wall systems, he decided that PortaFab could best serve his needs for quality, as well as versatility. "PortaFab's nonprogressive construction offered more flexibility than other modular systems," according to Erlandson.

Arrangements were made for a team from Ampex to tour a Gold Star plant in Huntsville, where PortaFab clean room wall systems were currently in use. Everyone from Ampex was very impressed with the operation, and found that Gold Star was extremely happy with PortaFab's performance.

The Solution
The trip to Gold Star confirmed Erlandson's initial findings, making the decision to choose PortaFab clean room wall systems an easy one.

Installation of the walls, as well as the addition of a ceiling and floor, was quick and easy, according to Erlandson. The project remained on schedule throughout installation. And plant disruption was kept to a minimum.

PortaFab's modular clean room wall system has make the 30,000 square foot clean room expansion at Ampex a tremendous success, providing both the ultra-clean environment and the flexibility that were needed.

"Our products are always improving and changing, depending on market needs," says Erlandson. "Changing a product requires changing the manufacturing process. And that means changing the clean room." At Ampex, production changes often require relocating equipment, including conveyors that run through the walls of the clean room.

PortaFab's nonprogressive construction gave Ampex the flexibility it needed, without compromising quality. Individual PortaFab panels can be moved or changed quickly and easily, with minimal plant disruption, downtime and productivity loss. In addition, panels can be changed without the dust normally generated by conventional construction.

Ampex is also pleased with the attractive appearance and low maintenance of their PortaFab wall system. "It still looks brand new after over 2 years," says Erlandson, who adds that the only maintenance required is an occasional wiping down of the walls.

Based on the outstanding performance of the wall system used in their clean room expansion, Ampex has again chosen a PortaFab wall system for a brand new Class 100 clean room currently under construction.

Clean Room Wall Systems That Meet Your Needs
Where critical environmental conditions must be maintained, modular clean room wall systems from PortaFab offer you a cost-Effective alternative to conventional construction... without compromising quality, durability or clean room efficiency.

At PortaFab, we understand you needs. So we combined the latest, most effective clean room technology with a modular design that can be installed, modified, expanded and relocated quickly and easily to meet you changing needs.

Our clean room wall systems provide and ultra-clean environment, with effective control of air flow, pressure, temperature, humidity and filtration. And we also give you the flexibility of a variety of core materials, exterior panels and finishes to meet you requirements for acoustic and thermal insulation, chemical resistance and static control.