A look at processing and production of iron during the Iron Age, 1200 to 500 B.C., including early unintentional forms of steel.

Proper specification, measurement, and control of annealing furnace atmospheres are critical to reduce sooting, oxidation, sticking, and distortion. This article describes how to effectively design and utilize a nitrogen-hydrogen annealing atmosphere.

Researchers at the Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) are working with CHTE members to develop post-processing parameters to enhance the mechanical properties of additively manufactured (AM) steels. This article reports preliminary results based on characterization of AISI 8620 and 20MnCr5 powder, selective laser melted parts, and wrought parts.

The key obstacle to industrial scale magnesium rolling is the element’s inherently poor formability at room temperature. To address this challenge, the search is on for new magnesium alloys that feature improved formability along with novel rolling techniques. This article describes R&D activities at CanmetMaterials aimed at expanding manufacturing capabilities of magnesium-based sheet materials for future applications in transport vehicles.

Among the structural materials developed in the 20th century, titanium and its alloys have played a leading role in improving component performance. This article discusses development of new production techniques, specifications, economic aspects, and applications that have enabled the current applications of titanium alloys.

Among the structural materials developed in the 20th century, titanium and its alloys have played a leading role in improving component performance. This article provides background on the extraction and primary processing of titanium.

Lithium-ion batteries are an important enabling technology for electric vehicles. This article reports on a study in which an induction melting process was evaluated to produce LiFePO 4 (LFP) ingots as well as granules from low-cost precursors. The melt casting process can provide the benefits of utilizing various precursors, rapid reaction kinetics, homogeneous liquid composition, and scale-up readiness. More importantly, this process also offers the possibility of lower-cost battery materials at a similar or better performance level as compared to solid state methods. If successful, melt synthesis of battery cathode material could offer a novel application of the conventional casting process.

Significant advancements in metallurgy were highlighted at a special symposium presented at the Materials Science & Technology 2016 conference in Salt Lake City. This article summarizes the topics presented. All six speakers shared examples of the importance of understanding how the specific manufacturing process affects microstructure development in metals. The fundamental understanding of microstructure allows metallurgists to select manufacturing processes and schedules to tailor the microstructure, and therefore mechanical properties and performance, for a particular component.

The U.S. steel industry began its steady decline in the late 1950s, a devastation of epic proportions that continued throughout the 1980s and beyond. This artilce reviews industry consolidation during this period.

From poor labor relations and delayed modernization to an unbalanced product mix and inconvenient mill locations, the U.S. steel industry began its steady decline in the late 1950s.

The advent of "little steel" and the strike of 1937 had a lasting impact on the domestic steel industry and labor relations in particular.

Integration of the steel industry continued with the rise of Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

The beginning of the big integrated steel industry began with the formation of the United States steel corporation in 1901. This article describes the growth of the U.S. steel industry in the first half of the twentieth century.

From 1988 to 2008, the minimill industry added 25 million tons annual capacity—25% of the total U.S. steel market.

From 1900 to 1960, there was little change in the steelmaking industry. That period of stasis came to an end with the introduction of steel minimills in the late 1960s.

Understanding the forces behind decarburization is the first step toward minimizing its detrimental effects. This article reviews decarburization basics and results of experimental work on spring steels.

Alcoa’s aluminum monopoly continued throughout the 1920s and 1930s—a serious problem when World War II demands far exceeded production capacity. This articles reviews advances in aluminum technology during the war and the postwar period.

The cost of electric power is the biggest expense involved in aluminum production. Proximity to economical power sources determined the location of major aluminum reduction plants. This article describes the development of the aluminum industry in the early part of the twentieth century.

Aluminum, one of the most widely used structural metals in modern industry, is produced in quantities exceeded only by steel. Its light weight, corrosion resistance, high strength after heat treatment, and global availability of bauxite ores make aluminum attractive for everything from kitchen utensils to spacecraft. This article describes early work to develop low-cost aluminum for industrial applications.

Throughout metal making history, nothing has exceeded the technical importance, scientific complexity, and human curiosity involved in the hardening of steel. After the bustling 1890s, with its exciting and productive discoveries around steel metallography, a period of quiet consolidation occurred in the early 20th century. This article describes the breakthroughs in steel metallurgy that occurred after this period by such pioneers as William Chandler Roberts-Austen, Adolf Martens, Henry Marion Howe, and Edgar C. Bain.