20 terms, A to Z
Autoclave Glossary
20 terms you will meet in autoclave quotations, brochures and spec sheets — defined in plain English.
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A–Z of terms
- Air removal
- Getting air out of the chamber and load so steam can touch every surface — by vacuum pulses or steam displacement. Full guide
- Autoclave
- A steriliser that uses saturated steam under pressure to kill all microorganisms, including spores. Full guide
- Biological indicator
- A test containing resistant bacterial spores (Geobacillus stearothermophilus) that shows whether a cycle actually killed them. Full guide
- Bowie-Dick test
- A daily test pack for vacuum sterilisers that shows whether air removal and steam penetration are working. Full guide
- Chemical indicator
- A strip or ink that changes colour when exposed to sterilising conditions; types 1–6 under ISO 11140-1 differ in how much they prove. Full guide
- Class B
- EN 13060 class for small sterilisers proven on wrapped, porous and hollow loads, using fractionated pre-vacuum. Full guide
- Class N
- EN 13060 class proven only for unwrapped solid instruments, using passive air removal. Full guide
- Class S
- EN 13060 class for the specific load types the manufacturer has validated. Full guide
- Drying phase
- The end of the cycle that removes moisture from the load; wet packs are not treated as sterile. Full guide
- EN 13060
- European standard for small steam sterilisers with chambers up to 60 litres. Full guide
- Fractionated vacuum
- Several alternating vacuum and steam pulses that pull air out of hollow and porous items. Full guide
- Helix test
- A hollow-load test device (process challenge device) that checks steam reaches the end of a long narrow tube. Full guide
- Hold time
- The time the load is kept at sterilising temperature — at least 3 minutes at 134 °C or 15 minutes at 121 °C. Full guide
- ISO 17665
- International standard for developing, validating and routinely controlling moist-heat sterilisation. Full guide
- Prion cycle
- An extended 134 °C cycle, typically 18 minutes, used where infection-control policy requires it. Full guide
- Saturated steam
- Steam at the exact temperature and pressure where it carries maximum heat; wet or superheated steam sterilises poorly. Full guide
- Spaulding classification
- Sorts items into critical, semi-critical and non-critical to decide whether they need sterilising or disinfecting. Full guide
- Sterilisation pouch
- A paper-film pack that lets steam in and keeps the instrument sterile in storage until opened. Full guide
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Installation, operational and performance qualification proving a specific steriliser sterilises specific loads. Full guide
- Washer-disinfector
- A machine that cleans and thermally disinfects instruments before packing — cleaning always comes before sterilising. Full guide
Start with these guides
Class B Autoclave vs Class N and Class SThe EN 13060 classes decide which loads your autoclave can legitimately sterilise. Here is what each class covers and how to tell them apart.Dental Autoclave for Malaysian Dental ClinicsWhy dental clinics need a Class B autoclave, how to size it by chairs and patients, and the daily routine that keeps handpieces safe.Autoclave Price in Malaysia: What Drives the CostWe do not publish a price list, because the right number depends on your configuration. Here is everything that moves the price, so you can compare quotes fairly.
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