Students are expected to have undertaken basic research into the safety and machine-ability of any materials they intend to work on in the shop (e.g. using a MSDS and the Machinery’s Handbook). Materials that are known carcinogens, toxic, hardened, glass or glass filled, abrasive, corrosive, pyrophoric, produce fine particulate or aerosol when machined (i.e. produce dust or smoke), or require special tooling to be machined would not be acceptable. The Student Shop does not have the proper tooling or safety equipment to handle such materials and students working in the shop do not have sufficient training to properly deal with them.
The following are some examples of materials that would not be acceptable in the shop:
Magnesium and its alloys (flammable)
Beryllium and its alloys (carcinogenic, dust, toxic)
G10 (toxic, glass filled)
Fiberglass (glass filled)
Phenolic (toxic)
Titanium (special tooling)
Ceramics (abrasive, special tooling)
Graphite (dust)
Hardened Steels (hardened)
Higher Alloys (Super Alloys) such as hastelloy or niobium (special tooling)