Why a profile based Clean room Panel is more Bang for Buck and when? When is a tongue and groove panel system more sensible? Read on to know why.
There are many clean room manufacturers all over the world and various names to their designs. Empirically or structurally they are only of two types.
- The Tongue and Groove [TNG] ( Some manufacturers also refer to it as Machine Made Panels)
- Profile based Panels ( Some manufacturers refer to it as Hand Made Panels)
The manufacturing companies would never let you know the secrets of how they are positioned and pushed. HVAX has been a part of the Cleanroom industry for more than a decade and has closely followed the trends to decide the panel designs that we manufacture today.
Below is how they both look different from each other:
Manufacturing Costs and Output
It is visually evident that the Tongue and groove construction (TNG) is relatively faster and also the easier one to manufacture, requires lesser raw materials, components and hence also costs lesser to make and is more affordable than the better-engineered profile panels. Most of the time it is normal to be confused and compare the high-end profile based paneling system with the tongue and groove system and complain about the costs (per square meters or per Sq feet ) being higher for the one with profiles. It most often an unjust comparison and has a lot of factors that are ignored at the lure of the price.
Visual Differences
Post-installation it gets difficult for anyone to identify at first glance, however experts would know in a jiffy and based on the system could also make a few predictions of the future problems you may or may not face. Primarily, tongue and groove panels have exposed insulation whereas profile panels have completely enclosed structures. This structure makes it possible to have completely flush panels, ceilings, and even doors, View Windows and other accessories to be aligned with the system. One of the reasons we prefer the profile based systems is that it offers all the non-standard panels (the ones that fit towards the corner of the room) as well as all cut-outs to be laser cut at the factory, instead of being cut at site incurring wastage and not to mention the disposal hassles.
Experienced with Both Paneling Systems
HVAX has been one of the early adopters of the profile-based paneling system. Having designed, manufactured, and installed both variants of systems we would still strongly recommend anyone to go ahead with profile-based panel systems. From Panel widths, wastages, Reusability perspective, the effect on conduits, the effect on covings, cut-outs, paint thicknesses, scratch ability and return air ducts. There are many reasons for our recommendations.
Manufacturing Processes and Thicknesses
The manufacturing process for both TNG panels and Profile panels differ a lot from each other, TNG panel factories deliver more output because of lesser human intervention. While the profile based panels are also automated in case of the insulation being polyurethane, Rockwool insulation panels are manually placed and hence called as handmade panels in some countries.
While both of them could have the same skin thickness (0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8) in mm, based on our experience we would recommend sheet thickness of 0.6 and upward only. The panel thicknesses would vary from 35 mm (used only for cladding walls), 50 mm (minimum recommended panel thickness for exposed risers [return air ducts]) 75 mm, 100 mm and 150 mm. HVAX Manufactures all the panels thicknesses.
Walk-able Ceiling Advantage
As far as ceilings are concerned , both walk-able and non walk-able ceilings are essentially same panel ( as far as profile based paneling system are concerned) , however the number of suspension rods per square meter are what distribute the load and make a non- walk-able ceiling walk-able. Walk-able ceilings provide you with an array of benefits and also are more suitable from an auditory compliance perspective.
To answer the questions asked at the start of the blog. Why a profile based Clean room Panel is more Bang for Buck and when? When is a tongue and groove panel system more sensible?
A simple answer would be for ease of operations and maintenance since profile based panels are much better suited as they are removable and replaceable. You can remove and replace one particular panel that needs to be replaced or removed to make way for a machine to be taken out of a room. Sometimes, due to machinery changes, rooms need to be altered and that’s where profile panels give you the maximum advantage. Profile based systems are more airtight, they maintain the pressure balancing of the HVAC. A TNG system is more suitable for the cladding walls since mostly they do not need to be removed. For smaller facilities and laboratories, TNG panels are easier to procure, faster to manufacture, but the same principles applied to a larger plant and you shall be looking at a lot of wastage with TNG panels.
We shall be doing more blogs about panel skins, repainted or Powder coated resistance to different chemicals, benefits of different insulation materials, differences between progressive and non-progressive systems and Fire rating in the days to come. If you want us to write on a specific topic that you are eager about knowing, reach out to us and we will do justice to your questions.
Contact our sales team at sales@hvax.in with a subject line Panel Comparision to receive a free PDF on the in-depth differences between the two paneling systems.