Patent ID: 8298054

Claim:
A customizable, modular, clean-room type manufacturing system as an alternative to separate environmentally controlled clean rooms, the manufacturing system comprising: a first module comprising a first module interior segregating a first environment of the first module interior from an ambient environment outside of the first module, and a first on-board environmental control system for controlling the first environment within the first module interior, wherein the first on-board environmental control system maintains the first environment at a positive pressure relative to the ambient environment, the first on-board environmental control system comprising a first air handling system for providing a first module supply air to the first environment and a second air handling system for handling a exhaust air from the first environment; a first component disposed within the first module interior and configured to perform a first specific task chosen from a biological and a pharmaceutical manufacturing process, and a combination thereof, with the proviso that the first specific task is not that of controlling the first environment within the first module interior; a second module comprising a second module interior and segregating a second environment within the second module interior from the ambient environment outside of the second module, and a second on-board environmental control system for controlling the second environment within the second module interior, wherein the second on-board environmental control system maintains the second environment at a positive pressure relative to the ambient environment, the second on-board environmental control system comprising a third air handling system for providing a second module supply air to the second environment and a fourth air handling system for handling exhaust air from the second environment; a second component disposed within the second module interior and configured to perform a second specific task chosen from a biological and a pharmaceutical manufacturing process, and a combination thereof, with the proviso that the second specific task is not that of controlling a second environment within the second module interior, and wherein the second specific task is the same or different from the first specific task, and wherein at least one of the first component and the second component comprises a product contact surface that is disposable or single use; and a central controller configured to control and monitor in real time at least one of the first and second specific tasks in at least one of the first module and the second module and to perform information collection for the operation of the system including monitoring temperatures, humidity, differential pressures, and particle counts of the modules, the customizable, clean-room type manufacturing system thereby capable of being an alternative to separate environmentally controlled clean rooms.