Preface

Nearly 44 years ago, I started into practical heat treating by operating furnaces and induction equipment at Ross Gear in Lafayette, Indiana, while studying for my metallurgical degree at Purdue University. After graduation, I spent the next 17 years involved in heat treating and foundry operations of major manufacturing companies. In 1976, I became involved in commercial heat treating as Division Manager of the Melrose Park (IL) plant for Lindberg Heat Treating Company and continued in commercial heat treating until I sold Midland Metal Treating, Inc. (Franklin, WI) in 2004.

During my career, with the encouragement of my lovely wife, Gwendolyn, I have remained involved with ASM International and the Heat Treating Society. That work involved preparation and dissemination of practical heat treating knowledge by working on technical papers and Handbooks, teaching, serving on technical committees and boards, reviewing papers, organizing heat treating conferences, and helping to organize and then later serving as Editor of ASM’s Journal of Heat Treating.

It is an honor to update Practical Heat Treating. The first edition was compiled by Howard Boyer, who is now deceased. I had the pleasure of knowing Howard and working with him on several ASM Handbook sections. Practical Heat Treating covers the fundamentals and practical aspects of the broad field of heat treating. Since many of the fundamentals have not changed in the past 30 years, in this updated edition we concentrated on adding information about the new processes and process control techniques that have been developed or refined during the intervening period.