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Dramatic changes in
steel manufacture have occurred in the 15 years since
the publication of the 1990 edition.
Low-carbon sheet steels
have experienced the most dynamic changes: thermal
processing of sheet steels on a massive continuous
scale has produced new grades with only subtle changes
in chemistry.
Low carbon sheet
steels, together with strengthening mechanisms,
developments in microalloyed forging steels, steels
with bainitic and a variety of ferritic
microstructures, quench and tempered steel
performance, high-carbon steels for rail and
ultra-high strength wire, and the causes of low
toughness and embrittlement are all discussed in new
chapters.
Brief coverage is
provided on the history of steel, including the time
frame for important developments.
A link to steelmaking
and solidification is made in the chapter on the
effects of primary processing on steel microstructure.
The text is meant to be
informative, readable, up-to-date, and self contained.
Principles, concepts,
and understanding of microstructural evolution and
performance, within the framework of processing and
properties, are illustrated, by plots of data,
micrographs and schematic diagrams.
A special effort has
been made to include references to the most pertinent
books, reviews, and technical papers on a given
subject. |
