How Manufacturing Dust Damages Electronics and How to Protect Them with Dust Covers and Filters
Manufacturing dust is often made up of tiny particles that come from materials handled on worksites—such as metal, plastic, and
What if your computer failed from dust infiltration? To prevent this, personal computers have long been paired with computer covers. Originally, they were made from any kind of cheap plastic or fabric that could be found. The computers were only protected by dust and debris when they weren’t in use, and they didn’t need to be that advanced. Today’s equivalent is better out of necessity, because electronic devices have gone up in quality and price so much over the years. Now, materials are chosen with advanced properties like antistatic waterproof vinyls or fabrics almost completely breathable for 24/7 protection. Devices that they are designed to cover include desktops, display monitors, printers and keyboards. Breathable fabric is best when covers remain installed while the equipment is operating while antistatic vinyl covers are ideal for protection from dust and moisture while equipment is shut down.
The beginning of the computer era presented new complexities in machine maintenance. Machines like this took up a whole room and had multitudes of small and sensitive parts, the majority of which had no business coming into contact with dust. Dust was the biggest culprit in slowing down operations or frying systems entirely. This was caused by dust interfering with sensitive electronics or blanketing it to cause overheating. A solution was needed to preserve the state of these early, key pieces of technology.
Thus, the computer cover was born in its primitive state. The first dust covers were likely made from simple and accessible materials, like plastic or vinyl covers. These could easily be produced and kept dust out and off the machine.
Synthetic fabric materials have emerged that can help when protection just has to be more resilient. Some synthetics are water-resistant, while others are highly breathable to allow optimum airflow while keeping out dust.
Dust covers protect other peripherals as well, like keyboards, monitors, and printers, helping to both maintain their performance and to extend their useful life; the useful life of a lot of computer equipment can be prolonged just by shielding it from dust. Keyboards are particularly exposed to dust and debris, so shielding them will prevent the keys from sticking or worse. Monitors accumulate dust on screens, in vents and internal parts, preventing cooling and visual clarity. Printers have many moving parts and need protection as well. Dust covers simply address these needs.
A computer maintenance schedule should be used to ensure equipment is regularly cleaned and protected from dust and other hazards in the environment.
When selecting a computer cover accessory, material, size, and compatibility in regards to usage are important factors to consider. Materials best for moisture resistance include vinyl like EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). EVA is a good choice also due to it’s supple, flexible characteristics over a broad temperature range and antistatic nature. Tyvek is an interesting material as it allows water vapor to exit the enclosed space while being water resistant. Breathable covers made from non-woven polyester allow for sufficient airflow to cool electronics while filtering out the dust, but are not moisture resistant. Any computer cover can be made to size, but accurate measuring of width, height and depth is required. Breathable covers typically need some slack to maximize airflow. When choosing which material to use the main consideration must be compatibility with the intended use.
Computer covers have evolved from the earliest days of personal computing, when your average PC was a fat and boxy off-white behemoth, and a dust cover was simply a clear plastic sheet. Now, computers are sleek, modern, and everywhere. Dust covers, too, have evolved to meet modern needs of use and utility.
When you consider that dust can kill your computer equipment, or significantly impair their operation, dust covers are a worthwhile investment. Today’s material options make using them more convenient than ever.
Manufacturing dust is often made up of tiny particles that come from materials handled on worksites—such as metal, plastic, and
Dear Computer User: As a user of electronic equipment you may have arrived here with the hope of resolving a
