TL;DR
In an early-1980s incident, a structural engineer used a welding-shop compressed-air line to 'clean' AutoCAD workstations, blowing components off motherboards and ruining five machines. Several engineering files were lost and the worker was later dismissed for an unrelated deletion of AutoCAD.
What happened
A reader identifying himself as "Wilson" recounted an incident from the early 1980s at an engineering consultancy with an attached welding shop. At a time when AutoCAD was supplanting drawing boards, a newly arrived structural engineer decided to clean several office PCs on a steel plate workbench located next to active high-amperage welding. He used the welding-shop compressed-air hose, which Wilson says ran at about 90 PSI and contained roughly 80% air, 15% water and 5% oil. The blast dislodged memory chips and other loose components from motherboards; the engineer continued and attempted to clean all five computers. He also tried wiping up loose parts and grinding dust with a fabrication table and a rag soaked in acetone. None of the five machines survived the procedure, many in-progress engineering files were lost, and the senior engineer was furious. The worker was let go a few months later for deleting AutoCAD to free disk space for a game; Wilson later heard the man was employed at a large US aircraft company.
Why it matters
- Improper cleaning methods can cause immediate physical damage to electronic components and result in permanent data loss.
- Compressed-air sources in industrial environments may contain moisture and oil that are harmful to electronics.
- Workplace layout and proximity of manufacturing activities to sensitive equipment can create avoidable hazards.
- Routine backups and clear maintenance policies are vital to protect active project data from accidental loss.
Key facts
- Incident reported by a reader who identified himself as "Wilson."
- Event took place in the early 1980s while AutoCAD was replacing drawing boards.
- The site was an engineering consultancy with an attached welding shop.
- A new structural engineer cleaned PCs using the welding-shop compressed-air hose on a steel work platform adjacent to active welding.
- Wilson reports the shop air ran at about 90 PSI and was roughly 80% air, 15% water and 5% oil.
- The compressed air blew memory chips and other loose parts off motherboards.
- All five computers that were cleaned were destroyed and had to be replaced.
- Many work-in-progress engineering files were lost as a result.
- The engineer was dismissed a couple of months later for deleting AutoCAD to make space for a game.
- According to Wilson, the engineer later worked for a large US-based aircraft company.
What to watch next
- Whether the company implemented new cleaning, maintenance, or backup procedures after the incident — not confirmed in the source.
- If the consultancy changed workshop layout or policies to separate fabrication and sensitive electronics work — not confirmed in the source.
- The reader's last report that the engineer went on to work for a large US-based aircraft company (status beyond that is not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- AutoCAD: A commercial computer-aided design (CAD) application used to create precise 2D and 3D drawings.
- Compressed air: Air stored under pressure for industrial use; in shop environments it can carry water, oil, and particulates unless filtered.
- Motherboard: The main printed circuit board in a computer that houses the CPU, memory slots, and connectors for other components.
- PSI: Pounds per square inch, a unit measuring pressure.
- Acetone: A solvent commonly used for cleaning that can remove oils and adhesives but can also damage some materials.
Reader FAQ
Did the PCs survive the cleaning?
No. According to the report, none of the five computers survived and had to be replaced.
What specifically damaged the machines?
The welding-shop compressed air reportedly blew memory chips and other loose parts off motherboards; the air also contained water and oil, per the reader's account.
Were the lost engineering files recovered?
The source states many work-in-progress files were lost; recovery is not confirmed in the source.
Was the engineer fired for this incident?
He was let go a couple of months later for deleting AutoCAD to make room for a game; the firing was not attributed in the source directly to the cleaning incident.
ON-PREM Engineer used welding shop air hose to 'clean' PCs – hilarity did not ensue How not to maintain computers Simon Sharwood Fri 16 Jan 2026 // 07:30 UTC ON CALL Welcome again to…
Sources
- Engineer used welding shop air hose to 'clean' PCs – hilarity did not ensue
- Engineer caused data loss by cleaning PCs with welding …
- MValdez Blog » The dust-free computer
- COMPILATION OF PRESSURE-RELATED INCIDENT …
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