GloveBox
This is a low cost solution for having a clean room environment for handling dies and other components which require a clean room environment.
While there are commercial solutions available for sale, they typically cost several thousand dollars, while our BOM, even for the big variant, is typically bellow thousand dollars.
The design was originally based on the premise that the whole goal is just to have some quasi-airtight enclosure of some kind, where a circular airflow can be achieved which is purified by pumping the air through multiple stages of HEPA filters, while accessing the objects to be handled by using gloves fixed to the enclosure.
For obvious reasons, a glove box only makes sense when the material to be handled is visible, so acrylic glass was chosen as material for the enclosure.
During the development process it turned out, that just using glue isn't sufficient for holding the sheets of acrylic glass together in a box shape, because the weight of the material, puts too much stress onto the glue, which compromises the isolation and lets external dust enter, additionally, after a while the glue gives up under the mechanical stress, and the box falls apart.
For this reason additional aluminum extrusions are being used, for giving the whole box more stability.
This only increases the cost minimally because the main cost of the BOM ironically is in the acrylic glass.
For the airflow cheap 120mm PC fans like the ones found on AliExpress (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003980506458.html) can be used.
| Name | Description | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Screwdriver
(sonic or normal) |
Used to screw in the screws
(and potentially fighting against Daleks and Cybermen, in case it's actually a sonic one) |
... really? |
| A soldering station | Well... it's used to solder stuff | I've got this one, it's awesome! -> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32969863227.html |
General airflow fan assembly
Below of a 4x4 array of 120mm, 12V fans, as used in the glove box air circulation system can be seen.
When wiring the fans together into a common 12V power rail, you should keep in mind, that each fans draws around 2 Watts, which means that your wire, you're using to provide power to the fans can drive at least 160mA (milli amps), per fan.
WARNING Do not use too cheap wire, which might go up in flames, use a wire diameter which actually can drive the current
Large box
The large box
| Component | Amount | Price per Piece | Price Total | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves | 4 | 9,89€ | 39,56€ | https://www.manutan.pt/pt/map/luvas-em-neopreno-com-manga-comprida-ultraneo-450-a169336 |
| Roll of single sided silicone tape | "enough"... 2-4, depending on the lenght | 2-8€ per roll | 8-32€ | https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003961444166.html |
| 12 volt fans | 64 (2*32, top and bottom) | 0,64€ | 40,96€ | https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003980506458.html |
| Acrylic glass 50cm x 50cm | 2 | 15,99€ | 31,98€ | https://www.leroymerlin.pt/Produtos/Madeiras-acrilicos/Vidro-acrilico/Acrilico-vidro-sintetico/WPR_REF_81902623 |
| Acrylic glass 100cm x 100cm | 1 | 54,99€ | 54,99€ | https://www.leroymerlin.pt/Produtos/Madeiras-acrilicos/Vidro-acrilico/Acrilico-vidro-sintetico/WPR_REF_81902578 |
Small box
| Component | Amount | Price per Piece | Price Total | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves | 2 | 9,89€ | 19,78€ | https://www.manutan.pt/pt/map/luvas-em-neopreno-com-manga-comprida-ultraneo-450-a169336 |
| Roll of single sided silicone tape | "enough"... 2-4, depending on the lenght | 2-8€ per roll | 8-32€ | https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003961444166.html |
| 12 volt fans | 32 (2*16, top and bottom) | 0,64€ | 20.48€ | https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003980506458.html |
| Acrylic glass 50cm x 50cm | 4 | 15,99€ | 63,96€ | https://www.leroymerlin.pt/Produtos/Madeiras-acrilicos/Vidro-acrilico/Acrilico-vidro-sintetico/WPR_REF_81902623 |
| Perforated floor | https://www.leroymerlin.pt/Produtos/Ferragens/Perfis-chapas-e-grelhas/Chapas/WPR_REF_11118485 |