Kanomax 3718-A / 3719-A Remote Airborne Particle Counter

Overview

The Kanomax 3718-A and 3719-A are industrial-grade remote airborne particle counters engineered for continuous, unattended environmental monitoring in critical controlled environments—including cleanrooms, isolators, aseptic processing suites, and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. These instruments operate on the principle of light scattering photometry: particles drawn through a precisely controlled laminar airflow intersect a collimated laser beam; scattered light intensity is detected and classified into discrete size bins based on calibrated Mie scattering response. Each model supports dual-channel simultaneous counting at two user-selectable sizes—0.3 µm and 0.5 µm (3718-A) or 0.5 µm and 5.0 µm (3719-A)—enabling compliance-driven monitoring aligned with ISO 14644-1:2015 classification requirements and USP / environmental control protocols.

Key Features

• Stable 28.3 L/min (1 CFM) sampling flow maintained via integrated pressure sensor and external air source regulation—ensuring traceable volumetric accuracy per ISO 21501-4 Annex C.
• High-reliability laser diode with ≥100,000-hour MTBF; factory-calibrated to meet counting efficiency specifications across all channels (e.g., 50% ±20% at 0.3 µm, 100% ±10% at ≥0.5 µm).
• 316 stainless steel housing and sealed enclosure rated for repeated exposure to vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) and 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) sterilization cycles—validated per ISO 14644-3 Annex D for material compatibility.
• Embedded data redundancy architecture: 2,000 local sample records retained with non-volatile memory backup; upon power recovery, unsaved data is automatically prioritized for transmission to the central monitoring system.
• Flexible power options including IEEE 802.3af PoE (Class 3), wide-range DC input (9–28 V), and universal AC adapter—supporting hot-swap maintenance without system downtime.
• Real-time status reporting via dual output modalities: digital (RS485/Modbus RTU or TCP/IP) and analog (4–20 mA per channel), enabling seamless integration into SCADA, BMS, and MES platforms.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The 3718-A and 3719-A are designed exclusively for ambient or process air sampling in non-hazardous, non-corrosive environments. They do not support liquid-phase or high-humidity (>85% RH) sampling without external conditioning. Both models comply with international calibration and performance standards essential for regulated industries: ISO 21501-4 (calibration and counting efficiency), JIS B 9921 (Japanese national standard for particle counters), and ISO 14644-1:2015 (cleanroom classification). The device architecture supports audit-ready operation under GMP/GLP frameworks—data timestamps, configuration logs, and alarm events are immutably recorded with firmware-level integrity checks. While not natively 21 CFR Part 11 compliant, the Modbus TCP/IP interface enables secure, timestamped data transfer to validated enterprise systems that implement electronic signature and audit trail controls.

Software & Data Management

Kanomax provides optional PC-based configuration software (Kanomax Air Monitor Suite) supporting firmware updates, threshold configuration, alarm logic setup (e.g., % deviation, absolute count limits), and batch export of CSV-formatted datasets. All internal logging adheres to UTC time synchronization and includes sample duration, flow verification status, temperature/humidity (if external sensors are connected), and channel-specific counts. The embedded Modbus register map exposes real-time particle concentrations (per m³ and ft³), instrument health flags (flow error, laser fault, memory full), and programmable alarm states—facilitating custom dashboard development using industry-standard tools such as Ignition SCADA or Grafana. Data retention policies are enforced at the host system level; the counter itself serves as a deterministic edge node with deterministic latency (<50 ms response to Modbus polls).

Applications

• Continuous ISO Class 5–8 cleanroom monitoring per ISO 14644-2 surveillance requirements.
• In-line environmental qualification of RABS and isolator glove ports during aseptic filling operations.
• Post-VHP decontamination cycle verification in biopharmaceutical isolators.
• Filter integrity trending via upstream/downstream particle differentials in HVAC ductwork.
• QC release testing of compressed gases (oil-free air) per ISO 8573-1 Class 2:2:2.
• Environmental baseline establishment during facility commissioning and qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ).

FAQ

What is the maximum allowable particle concentration for accurate measurement?
The upper detection limit is 500,000 counts/ft³ (17.6 × 10⁶ counts/m³) per ISO 21501-4—beyond which coincidence loss correction becomes non-linear and manufacturer calibration no longer applies.
Can the unit operate without an external vacuum source?
No. These are remote (isokinetic) samplers requiring externally supplied negative pressure (typically −5 to −15 kPa) to maintain laminar flow and avoid particle deposition in the sampling tube.
Is NIST-traceable calibration documentation available?
Yes—each unit ships with a factory calibration certificate traceable to NIST SRM 1930a (polystyrene latex spheres), valid for 12 months from date of shipment.
How is alarm output triggered and transmitted?
User-defined thresholds (absolute count or % deviation) activate relay outputs and Modbus status registers; 4–20 mA analog output scales linearly with selected channel concentration—configurable per IEC 61000-4-5 surge immunity class 3.
Does the device support time-synchronized multi-unit networks?
Yes—via Modbus TCP/IP with configurable IP addressing and SNTP client support (requires external NTP server); up to 512 units can be daisy-chained over RS485 using addressable polling.