This article describes the formation of residual stresses and distortion, providing information on the techniques for measuring residual stresses. It presents a detailed discussion on the magnitude and distribution analysis of the residual stresses and distortion in weldments. The article briefly explains the effects of residual stresses and distortion on the brittle fracture and fatigue fracture of welded structures. It also provides information on the thermal treatments of weldments.

This article describes the formation of residual stresses and distortion and the techniques for measuring residual stresses. It provides a discussion on the magnitude and distribution analysis of residual stresses and distortion in weldments. The article considers the effects of residual stresses and distortion on the brittle fracture and fatigue fracture of welded structures. The thermal treatments of weldments are also discussed.

This article presents a detailed discussion on typical thermal treatment practices for hardening of various aluminum casting alloys. These practices are solution treatment, quenching or cooling, preaging, and artificial aging at an elevated temperature. The aluminum casting alloys considered here are: Al-Cu and Al-Cu-Mg (2xx) alloys, Al-Zn-Mg (7xx) alloys, Al-Si-Mg alloys, Al-Si-Cu, and Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys.

This article discusses the effects of brazing temperature and thermal treatment on structure and mechanical behavior of different classes of titanium base metals such as commercially pure (CP) titanium, alpha or near-alpha alloys, alpha-beta alloys, and beta alloys. The classification, properties, and potential heat treatment of titanium base alloys are presented in tables. The article provides information on brazed joints of titanium with carbon steels, as well as ceramics and graphite. It discusses the risks involved in titanium brazing, including erosion of base metal, brittle intermetallics, and low ductility. The article reviews induction and torch brazing, infrared brazing, diffusion brazing, and brazing by heating with ion bombardment. It concludes by describing the design criteria and limitations of brazing.

Austenitic stainless steels exhibit a single-phase, face-centered cubic structure that is maintained over a wide range of temperatures. This article reviews the compositions of standard and nonstandard austenitic stainless steels. It summarizes the important aspects of solidification behavior and microstructural evolution that dictate weld-metal ferrite content and morphology. The article describes weld defect formation, namely, solidification cracking, heat-affected zone liquation cracking, weld-metal liquation cracking, copper contamination cracking, ductility dip cracking, and weld porosity. It discusses four general types of corrosive attack: intergranular attack, stress-corrosion cracking, pitting and crevice corrosion, and microbiologically influenced corrosion. The article concludes with information on weld thermal treatments such as preheat and interpass heat treatments and postweld heat treatment.

This article begins with an overview of steel wire configurations and sizes followed by a discussion on various wiremaking practices. The wiredrawing operation is discussed, including cleaning, die design, use of lubricants and welds, finishes, coating, and thermal treatments. Metallic coatings can be applied to wire by various methods, including hot dip processes, electrolytic process, and metal cladding by rolling metallic strip over the wire. These wires are normally grouped into broad usage categories. These categories, as well as some items in each category, are described in the article under their quality descriptions or commodity names. These include low-carbon steel wire for general usage, wire for structural applications, wire for packaging and container applications, wire for prestressed concrete, wire for electrical or conductor applications, rope wire, mechanical spring wire for general use, wire for fasteners, mechanical spring wire for special applications, upholstery spring construction wire, and alloy wire.

Sintering is a thermal treatment process in which a powder or a porous material, already formed into the required shape, is converted into a useful article with the requisite microstructure. Sintering can be classified as solid-state, viscous, liquid-phase, and pressure-assisted (or pressure) sintering. This article provides information on the mechanisms and theoretical analysis of sintering and focuses on the types, mechanisms, process and microstructural variables, computer simulation, stages, and fundamentals of densification and grain growth of solid-state sintering and liquid-phase sintering. It describes the models for viscous sintering and the methods used in pressure-assisted sintering, namely, uniaxial hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, sinter forging, and spark plasma sintering.

This article discusses the history of shape memory alloys (SMAs) along with their properties, capabilities, and crystallography, including phase transformations that occur during thermal treatment. It describes the thermomechanical behaviors of SMAs and explains how to characterize them using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) techniques as well as other methods. The article examines the most common shape memory alloys, namely, nickel-titanium and copper-base SMAs, and provides information on their respective properties.

Aluminum mill products are those that have been subjected to plastic deformation by hot- and cold-working mill processes such as rolling, extruding, and drawing, either singly or in combination. Microstructural changes associated with the working and with any accompanying thermal treatments are used to control certain properties and characteristics of the worked, or wrought, product or alloy. This article discusses the designation system, classification, product forms, corrosion and fabrication characteristics, and applications of wrought aluminum alloys. Commercial wrought aluminum products are divided into flat-rolled products (sheet, plate, and foil); rod, bar, and wire; tubular products; shapes; and forgings. The article discusses factors affecting the strengthening mechanisms, fracture toughness, and physical properties of aluminum alloys, in addition to the effects of alloying on the physical and mechanical properties. Important alloying elements and impurities are listed alphabetically as a concise review of major effects.

This article provides an overview of fatigue and fracture resistance of aluminum alloys. It discusses the characteristics of aluminum alloy classes and the fracture mechanics of aluminum alloys. The article tabulates relative stress-corrosion cracking ratings for high-strength wrought aluminum products. It analyzes the selection of various alloys for stress-corrosion cracking resistance, including aluminum-lithium alloys, copper-free 7XXX alloys, and casting alloys. The article presents a list of typical tensile properties and fatigue limit of aluminum alloys. It also describes the effects of composition, microstructure, thermal treatments, and processing in fatigue crack growth of aluminum alloys.

This article summarizes the key mechanical characteristics of various types of stainless steel, including ferritic, austenitic, martensitic, precipitation hardening, and duplex steels. Particular emphasis is on fracture properties and corrosion fatigue. The article tabulates typical room-temperature mechanical properties and fatigue endurance limits of stainless steels. Stainless steels are susceptible to embrittlement during thermal treatment or elevated-temperature service. The article discusses embrittlement in terms of sensitization, 475 deg C embrittlement, and sigma-phase embrittlement. It also describes the effect of environment on fatigue crack growth rate.

This article describes the systems for designating the aluminum and aluminum alloys that incorporate the product forms (wrought, casting or foundry ingots) and its respective temper for strain-hardened alloys, heat-treatable alloys and annealed alloys. All these systems are covered by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard H35.1. Furthermore, the article provides a short note on the designation of unregistered tempers.

The physical and mechanical properties of aluminum alloy can be improved by strengthening mechanisms such as strain hardening used for non-heat treatable aluminum alloy and precipitation hardening used for heat treatable aluminum alloy. This article focuses on the effect of strengthening mechanisms on the physical and mechanical properties of non-heat treatable and heat treatable aluminum alloys. It describes the use of the aluminum alloy phase diagram in determining the melting temperature, solidification path, equilibrium phases, and explains the effect of alloying element in phase formation.