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 shortchanged. Furthermore, just the subject of steel treatment fundamentals and processes contained enough useful reference information for one volume, given the large collection of original references published by ASM International (and formerly the American Society for Metals) on steel heat treatment. Equipment, furnace technologies, process control and problems, and induction were other major topics that warranted separate volumes, even before addressing the particular processing and properties of the many types of heat treated iron and steels.

From this enormous effort, ASM Handbook, Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels concludes the ASM Handbook print volumes on ferrous heat treatment—but which will still be followed by Volume 4E, Heat Treating of Nonferrous Alloys, in development for publication in 2016. This volume details the heat treatment and properties of the many different types of steels and cast irons and describes the processing and properties that influence the selection of steels for heat treatment. Updates are part of this new Volume, but content also is significantly expanded in several ways. For example, new articles are devoted to the industrially significant topics of gear and bearing steel heat treatment. New articles address the heat treatment of boron steels, copper steels, and forged steels, and coverage is expanded on the workhorse carbon and low-alloy steels. In addition, the heat treatment of tool steels and stainless steels is covered much more extensively. This represents a major update, although we still recognize some compromises in scope and effort as inevitable.

In acknowledging this effort, we thank all the editors, authors, reviewers, and the supporting staff of ASM International. We are especially indebted to the following editors who were instrumental in this overall effort:

• Valery Rudnev, Inductoheat Inc.

• Ronald R. Akers, Ajax Tocco Magnethermic Inc.

• Egbert Baake, Leibniz Universität of Hannover

• Vicki Burt, ASM International

• Madhu Chatterjee, Bodycote

• Rafael Colás, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

• Edward (Derry) Doyle, RMIT University

• B. Lynn Ferguson, FASM, Deformation Control Technology, Inc.

• Gregory A. Fett, Dana Corporation

• Kiyoshi Funatani, IMST Institute (Consultant)

• Robert J. Gaster, Deere & Company

• Peter Hodgson, Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University

• Franz Hoffmann, IWT Bremen

• Jürgen Hoffmeister, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

• Ron Hoppe, Nexteer Automotive Corp.

• Steve Lampman, ASM International

• Thomas Lübben, Stiftung Institut für Werkstofftechnik (Foundation Institute of Materials Science)

• D. Scott MacKenzie, Houghton International

• David Matlock, Colorado School of Mines

• Rafael A. Mesquita, Villares Metals SA

• Bernard Nacke, Leibniz Universität of Hannover

• Philip Nash, Illinois Institute of Technology

• Amy Nolan, ASM International

• George Pfaffmann, Ajax Tocco Incorporated

• Michael J. Schneider, The Timken Company

• Reinhold E. Schneider, University of Applied Sciences, Upper Austria–Wels

• Volker Schulze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

• Richard Sisson, FASM, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Chester J. Van Tyne, Colorado School of Mines

• Charles V. White, Kettering University (retired)

• Stan Zinn, Ferrotherm Incorporated