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09/27/2006 -
Materials Processing during Casting (2006)
by Hasse Fredriksson and Ulla Akerlind
ISBN 0-470-01514-4. Wiley Interscience, Hoboken, New Jersey. 2006. Softcover. 442 pages. $85.
The intricacies of casting are thoroughly discussed in this book. The authors have presented the information in such a way as to allow undergraduates and Ph.D. candidates to gain valuable information on this subject. The book comprises 11 chapters that cover three fundamental areas: casting methods and equipment, theory, and application of theory into practice. Some of the major topics include: casting hydrodynamics, heat transport during casting, structure formation, microsegregation, heat treatment, plastic deformation, formation of pores and inclusions, solidification and cooling shrinkage, and macrosegregation.
Both authors are currently at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, where several faculty members are working in this area. Curricula exist for undergraduates and Ph.D. students, and the faculty has been publishing in this area since 1974. The background of the authors and the reputation of their institute certainly qualify them to be authors of this book.
Each chapter contains about a dozen thought-provoking problems for students to ponder. The publisher has a guide for their solutions posted on the Wiley web site. This guide provides insight into how to solve the problems. The answers to all the end-of-chapter problems are provided at the end of the book. The book includes numerous small figures that complement the text. The equations are presented in a clear, comprehensible manner. The numerous numerical examples throughout each chapter are readily understood.
This reviewer was searching for connections between casting and welding. However, the authors were not very explicit in establishing that relationship. One can make many inferences, though.
The chapter on heat transfer begins by describing conduction, convection, and radiation, then moves on to modes of solidification that address velocity and shape of solidification front, solidification of pure metals, and solidification of alloys. Models are described for cases where the metal and mold are in poor contact. The heat of fusion and thermal capacity are incorporated into the model. This chapter (and all others) ends with a summary of the important concepts that helps the reader maintain proper focus within the chapter.
This book would be an excellent text for a metallurgy or materials engineering program for undergraduates or graduate students. Scientists and engineers working in this field would benefit by having access to this book. The authors are commended for their excellent book. One focus of the book was on continuous casting, which has many more variables to consider than ingot casting. However, many engineers are concerned with developing gates for production casting of components. The authors could include this area in future editions.
For more on Materials Processing during Casting, visit the Wiley Interscience web site. |
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