IEST Experts Named Conveners of New ISO 14644 Nanotechnology Effort

A new nanotechnology Working Group (WG), formed in September by ISO Technical Committee 209 (ISO/TC 209) Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments, will begin work in 2009 on developing standards for the nanoscale. This pioneering WG is convened by the United States under the auspices of IEST, with IEST experts Anne Marie Dixon, Cleanroom Management Associates, Inc., and David Ensor, Research Triangle Institute Center for Aerosol Technology, as Co-Conveners. Secretariat support for ISO/TC 209 WG 10 will be provided by the United Kingdom through the British Standards Institute (BSI).

The preliminary scope for WG 10: Nanotechnology would specify the minimum requirements for design, operations, monitoring, and testing of nanotechnology facilities as they differ from those described in ISO 14644-4 (Design, construction and start-up) and 14644-5 (Operations). The WG is authorized to write a series of standards, if needed. Groups of drafting experts will be assigned to specific documents or sections of documents. WG 10 will draw on IEST’s expertise in cleanrooms and controlled environments and in developing ISO standards (ISO/TC 209 has published 10 standards under IEST’s support as Secretariat during the past 15 years). IEST also contributes experience writing nanotechnology documents, with several IEST Recommended Practices currently in production.