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Attack your computer like the South American army ant. Tiny and harmless creatures by themselves, in large numbers they can coat, kill and dissolve an adult cow in a matter of hours.

Okay, maybe not exactly like that. However, wood shop and machine shop owners are experiencing the devastating effect that manufacturing dust can have inside their shop computers. And they are looking for answers.

It doesn’t take much to ruin your day, especially when metal dust meets sensitive electronics. Electricity chooses to travel the shortest route possible, and tiny bridges of metal dust make great shortcuts. Erase! WRRrrrr…

And wood dust makes a great insulating blanket. It’s fine if you get lost in a big wooden container and freeze to death, but for a hard working computer it can be bad news. Heat sinks and fans try to dissipate heat from inside the computer, but a layer of dust can reduce or prevent this heat transfer. Also, computer fans can malfunction when dust and dirt build up. Things heat up. Computers die. Data is lost. The business suffers.

Well, what is the answer then? How do you protect your computer from dust?

The actions you want and can take to protect your computer equipment from dust depend on a large number of individual circumstances. Regardless of your situation, I recommend that you take a three-pronged defensive position and optimize for each of the following areas:

o Computer room environment

o Protective barriers against computer dust

o Computer maintenance

Let’s look at each of these areas individually.

Computer room environment

Monitor the environmental conditions surrounding your computers. The ideal solution would be to keep your computers and monitors in a clean, climate-controlled computer room. In other words, get them out of the danger area. Of course, this is unrealistic or undesirable for many store owners, who want or need computers to operate in the immediate work area.

So what? Do what you can to control dust and air pollutants in the shop. Use and maintain dust collectors for woodworking machines and a ventilation system for the shop area. And, if you can’t get computers out of the shop, try moving them around the room, away from welding, grinding, or direct contact with sander dust.

Dust Barriers for Computers

These include computer dust covers, dust filters, computer dust bags, and computer cabinets. Each has its advantages and limitations, as described below. Determine which option is the best solution for you.

Standard computer covers They are made by various manufacturers. Usually plastic or vinyl, they’re cheap, but effective at keeping dust off your computers and monitors. However, they can only be used while your computer is turned off. And, you have to remember to put them on. Every day. In other words, they are next to useless in a busy workshop.

computer filters, on the other hand, can be used while the computer is running. Also very inexpensive, these small pieces of loose mesh material are placed over the fan intakes on the computer case to remove dust from the incoming air. Some have experimented with pantyhose, Brillo® Pads, and other household items with some success. The main drawback of computer filters is their small surface area. They clog quickly in dusty areas and need to be cleaned or changed frequently to allow unimpeded flow of cool air into the computer case. Another drawback is that they leave other openings in the computer case unprotected, allowing fine dust to infiltrate CD ROM drives, floppy drives, and other small openings.

Relatively new on the scene, computer dust bags they are a combination of computer cover and computer filter. Designed for the harsh, dusty, and smoky conditions inherent in woodshops and machine shops, these innovative covers completely enclose your processor or computer monitor at all times, allowing the entire surface of the bag to perform Like a huge dust filter to remove dust from the driveway. air. Monitor dust bags have a transparent anti-static front to allow a clear view of the screen and are highly effective at keeping dust, wood chips and other debris out of the vents. For around $20 or less, the recommended life of a computer dust bag is 3-12 months, depending on the level of dust in the shop. One possible drawback to using the computer dust bag is reduced access to CDs and floppy drives. However, it is possible to use these units if you punch a hole in the dust bag and cover it with a door flap, which is included with the bag. You may also need to cut an access slot to use your USB ports.

Finally, computer cabinets These are usually box-like cabinets made of metal or wood in which the computer’s processor and monitor are placed to protect them from the surrounding environment. A variety of fan and filter combinations draw fresh air into the cabinet. Computer enclosures have the added benefit of protecting your equipment from blunt force trauma such as a dropped 2×4, chemical splashes, and other things damaging to your computer. Filters must be changed periodically. The disadvantages include the high price, the greater amount of space required, and the maintenance of the filter.

computer maintenance

Finally, the third part of a good computer dust protection strategy is computer maintenance. Yes, that means cleaning. Does that scare you? It is easier than you think. You don’t have to buy all sorts of expensive tools and cleaning products, and there’s no much scrubbing or complicated disassembly required. The most important thing is to maintain a regular computer cleaning schedule. It can be as simple as opening the computer case once every three months to remove the dust. Educate yourself on the basics of computer cleaning and decide on the right course of action for you. For a copy of the Standard Operating Procedure, “Computer cleaning and dust protection in an industrial environment”, which you can modify to suit your own requirements, go to http://www.computerdust.com. It’s free when you sign up “Computer Dust Solutions” Newsletter.

Just as numerous insects and animals die when attacked by the army ant, a large number of computers are killed by dust every day. Do not let that happen to you. Follow the common sense ideas here and stop the dust that kills computers!

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