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Book Review:
Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers
12-13-02
Publisher: ASM International
If you're looking for a quick primer on the basics of aluminum alloy and temper designations, fabrication processes, and typical applications, this is the book for you. If you're looking for one of the best compilations around of micrographs of aluminum alloys and welded structures, then this is the book for you. Finally, if you're looking for a comprehensive listing of the terminology used in the aluminum industry, this, too, is the book for you. Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers serves many purposes and audiences, and is a valuable addition to every aluminum practitioner's bookshelf.
Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers was written by J. Gilbert Kaufman and published in December 2000 by ASM International. Gil brings his years of aluminum industry background as well as Aluminum Association experience to the organization and selection of content for this 258-page book. In the book, the author states that "the need for this book stems directly from the increasing use of aluminum and aluminum alloys in automobiles and a great variety of other products that we encounter in everyday living. The main mission of this book is to build upon the information available in sources such as the Aluminum Association Alloy and Temper Designation Records and Aluminum Standards and Data to shed more light and understanding on the characteristics, production technology, and applications of the most commonly used aluminum alloys and tempers." "Understanding" is certainly the focus of the book, even making its way into the title of three of the eight chapter titles.
I really see the book as three separate but useful parts. The first six chapters comprise the first component, where the concentration is on a description of the alloy and temper designation system, typical aluminum fabricating processes, and then finally applications for the common aluminum alloys and tempers. Chapters 1 and 2 provide introductory material that is expanded on in subsequent chapters. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the alloy and temper designation systems, respectively, in a clear, prose style that adds to the reader's understanding. While not intending to serve as a complete listing, these chapters highlight the main points well. An especially useful part of Chapter 3 are Tables 4 and 7, which summarize the transition from prior alloy designations to the current system for the wrought and cast alloys, respectively. Chapter 5 covers typical aluminum fabrication processes, including brief discussion of ingot and continuous casting, wrought processing, and casting methods. The summary of advantages and limitations for each casting method is useful. Chapter 6 provides a pictorial survey of applications of aluminum alloys, organized both by alloy class and application area. Specific product examples and the typical alloy and temper combinations used give a good perspective of how the properties are translated into product performance.
Chapter 7 stands as the second part of this book. Entitled modestly enough "Representative Micrographs", it contains what I believe to be one of the most comprehensive, publicly available collections of micrographs (224 in all) in one place. The content includes not only microstructures of wrought and cast alloys representing a range of composition and processing conditions, but also representative structures of welded alloys. The depth of information in this chapter is much greater than the rest of the book, and would be equally valuable for use in industry training courses or the university classroom.
The Appendix, entitled "Terminology", represents a third and very useful element of the book. Comprising over 37 pages and in alphabetical order, this section provides definitions for a wide range of terms germane to the industry. It includes information from the Aluminum Association's Aluminum Standards and Data as well as from publications of the American Foundry Society, and provides a study guide for those new to the industry as well as a ready reference for those more experienced.
Complementing the three main components of the book is a good list of references in Chapter 8 and well-documented subject and alloy indexes. Overall, while much of the information is Chapters 1-6 is available through other sources and in more depth, this book is a compact source for basic information. Coupled with the extensive compendium of micrographs and useful list of terms, I think this book becomes a "must have" for everyone in the aluminum industry.
Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers is available from the Aluminum Association
Bookstore at www.aluminum.org
as well as ASM International, www.asminternational.org.
Article provided courtesy of The Aluminum Association
www.aluminum.org
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