I don't know many specifics, but I do know that as a lifeguard/swimming pool maintence guy I was warned repeatedly about the adverse health effects associated with the inhalation of fine silicon particles. Wasn't given anything specific, just horror stories about asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory ailments. Eric Kalgren BFGoodrich Aerospace Data Systems Division >>> Joe Wojniak <[log in to unmask]> 10/28/99 01:15PM >>> Related to sand and aluminum oxide: I was watching a TV show doing a documentary on etching pictures into glass by sand blasting. The artist was using aluminum oxide instead of sand because there are apparently health risks associated with sand. Don't know if it's true or just Hollywood... -Joe Wojniak -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Vaughan, Ralph H Sent: Thursday, October 28, 1999 9:33 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] sand-man For anyone who would like a diversion from the assembly processes, I have a different question. My Army customer is simulating field testing of a weapon system to check the abrasion resistance of some treated metal surfaces (tungsten carbide) that rub together during flight. The 'sand' that they are using to contaminate these areas is aluminum oxide. Needless to say, excessive scoring is observed on the metal faces. My contention is that sand is primarily quartz, or silicon dioxide, which is softer than the Al2O3, and the system is being over-tested. Anyone have a notion of the acceptable sand type used in environmental tests? Thanks Ralph Vaughan Boeing-Fleming ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Gayatri Sardeshpande at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5365 ##############################################################