Preface

During the review of the ASM Handbook, Volume 4, Heat Treating published in 1991, it was apparent that just one volume could not accommodate updates and improvements in coverage. Better coverage on ferrous heat treatment necessitated an increase in scope, and coverage of nonferrous heat treatment could not be short-changed. Furthermore, the heat of nonferrous alloys treatment has many variations and special topics such as shape-memory effects, complex carbides and intermetallic characteristics, and dual-phase transformations. Like steels, quenching of nonferrous alloys also is a nontrivial process of significant industrial importance.

This Volume details the heat treatment metallurgy, principles, practices, and properties of the many different types of nonferrous metals and alloys. The principal focus is on aluminum, copper, nickel, and titanium alloys. The idea is to provide a solid foundation on the physical metallurgy of these and other nonferrous systems, while also providing more detailed coverage on the heat treatment practices, problems, and characteristics of specific alloys. Undoubtedly, some areas may have been overlooked in this large effort, but the coverage on nonferrous heat treatment is significantly expanded from that in the previous edition of Volume 4, Heat Treating (1991).

My thanks are extended to the volunteer contributors listed on the following pages. Many thanks to the editorial team in this overall effort including:

• Sabit Ali, NBM Metals, Inc.

• Rodney R. Boyer, RBTi Consulting

• Vicki Burt, ASM International

• Ian Dempster, Wyman Gordon Forgings

• Olaf Kessler, Universität Rostock

• Steve Lampman, ASM International

• D. Scott MacKenzie, Houghton International, Inc.

• Amy Nolan, ASM International

• Sue Sellers, ASM International

• Ronald Wallis

It is also my distinct pleasure to thank the Heat Treating Society Board in their invitation to chair the multi-year effort in updating the ASM Handbook content on heat treatment. It is a rewarding privilege to have contributed in this effort.