At 09:12 PM 2/2/2011, Forrest W Christian wrote: >How big of a problem is the 'leakage' of compressor oil for shop air in >electronic assembly? Is the normal oil filter/traps enough to prevent >manufacturing issues generally? Or is something more extreme needed? >Or on the other hand is this not a problem at all, and I'm just being >overcautious? We've been using a big, old Brunner 60 gallon air compressor for more=20 than 25 years. Its a two-stage unit that will deliver 150 PSI air at=20 12 or 13 CFM continuously. I have the compressor set to turn ON when the tank pressure drops=20 below 110 PSI and turn OFF when the tank pressure reaches 140 PSI. I currently use two of the output ports on the tank. Each has a=20 regulator / filter / water trap combination attached. The regulators=20 are set to provide 100 PSI air pressure. The water trap removes both=20 water and oil from the air. I've got two air circuits set up: one for tools and one for general=20 use. The tools circuit is dry air and I have in-line oilers for=20 those tools that need lubrication. The general air circuit is also dry air and is used for everything=20 else: drying off PC boards after they come out of the board washer,=20 blowing stuff off, running the sand-blaster, etc. I keep the two circuits separate mostly because of water: the general=20 circuit gets used far more than the tools circuit and sometimes the=20 guys forget to empty the water trap. In a nutshell: I think that water is more of a problem than=20 oil. Regardless, our compressed air seems to be pretty clean: you=20 can direct a jet of air at a dry surface and let it blow for several=20 minutes - and see absolutely no sign of contamination on the surface=20 at the end of that several minutes. So: I'd suggest that a standard oil-type compressor followed with an=20 appropriate regulator / filter / water trap may suit your purposes quite we= ll. dwayne --=20 Dwayne Reid Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax www.trinity-electronics.com Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .