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Electroslag processes: Principles and practice
Int. J. Pres. Ves. & Piping 15 (1984) 75-78
Book Reviews
Electroslag Processes: Principles and Practice, by G. Hoyle. Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1983. 215 pp. including 19 tables, 102 figures and 267 references. ISBN 0-85334-164-8. £25.00. It would not, perhaps, be at first expected that a metallurgical text on electroslag remelting processes would be reviewed in a journal devoted to pressure vessels and piping. However, the growing emphasis on the need to use high-quality products for the pressure boundary of high integrity plant has caused the electroslag products to be considered for such applications. The pressure vessel engineer, thus, wants to know what the potential benefits of ESR are and how it compares with the newer ladle steelmaking processes, vacuum arc digressing, calcium injection and argon-oxygen decarburisation processes. Other aspects of relevance are the variables of form and of application, the chemical improvements that can be achieved and how these are controlled (ESR does not change nitrogen, phosphorus and hydrogen levels), the physical aspects of the solidification process and the resulting surface quality of ingot and its internal segregation. All of these aspects are discussed effectively in an easily readable style, along with many others such as structure and properties, equipment instrumentation and control, choice of moulds, operator practice, and a number of possible variants including Electroslag Hot Topping, the production of hollow and shaped castings, weld forming, and 'direct' melting. In a final chapter on economic aspects the author emphasises that in general because of the better metallurgical 75 Int. J. Pres. Ties. & Piping (15) (1984)--© Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd,
England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain
76
Book reviews
aspects of ESR ingots they can be smaller for a given product size than conventional ingots, and that ESR tends to be more favoured at larger sizes and with those shapes needing more processing. The layout of the book is excellent, each chapter being self-contained to allow those with selective interest to choose individual topics either from the excellent contents list or index. However, its relatively small size and attractive style will lead many readers to read it all, especially as the book strikes a good balance between its coverage and the provision of an effective general guide. The book is well produced, although the use of different styles for a few of the graphical figures (e.g. 10.8), poor definition in a few of the photographs (4.11 and 4.13) and the summarisation of all the references at the end instead of more conveniently by chapters (especially as these are designed to be self-contained) are the only departures from the highest of standards. Indeed I can only echo the views expressed by Professor Mitchell in the last paragraph of the foreword that: 'Mr Hoyle has shared with his readership the experience and opinions of over two decades of ESR development to give us a text which I am sure will find a place on the metallurgist's (including those involved in pressure vessels and piping) bookshelf in both university and industry alike'. R. W. Nichols
Explosive Welding, Forming and Compaction, edited by T. Z. Blazynski. Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1983. 402 pp. including 16 tables, 156 figures and 743 references. ISBN 0-85334-166-4. £36.00. There are several ways of publishing technical developments, ranging from the patent specification and the individual paper in a scientific journal to the conference paper and its collected volume, to the specialised book by the single authoritative author and the encyclopedia approach of monographs by individual experts on detailed topics. Whilst all have their advantages, the last approach, of which this is a first-rate example, provides the possibility of presenting in depth personal experience and expertise and of adapting the individual approach to the needs of the specific topics, whilst also facilitating a shorter timescale and uniformity of date of writing throughout the book, not always possible with the single author, an important point in these days of rapidly changing
Book Reviews
Electroslag Processes: Principles and Practice, by G. Hoyle. Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1983. 215 pp. including 19 tables, 102 figures and 267 references. ISBN 0-85334-164-8. £25.00. It would not, perhaps, be at first expected that a metallurgical text on electroslag remelting processes would be reviewed in a journal devoted to pressure vessels and piping. However, the growing emphasis on the need to use high-quality products for the pressure boundary of high integrity plant has caused the electroslag products to be considered for such applications. The pressure vessel engineer, thus, wants to know what the potential benefits of ESR are and how it compares with the newer ladle steelmaking processes, vacuum arc digressing, calcium injection and argon-oxygen decarburisation processes. Other aspects of relevance are the variables of form and of application, the chemical improvements that can be achieved and how these are controlled (ESR does not change nitrogen, phosphorus and hydrogen levels), the physical aspects of the solidification process and the resulting surface quality of ingot and its internal segregation. All of these aspects are discussed effectively in an easily readable style, along with many others such as structure and properties, equipment instrumentation and control, choice of moulds, operator practice, and a number of possible variants including Electroslag Hot Topping, the production of hollow and shaped castings, weld forming, and 'direct' melting. In a final chapter on economic aspects the author emphasises that in general because of the better metallurgical 75 Int. J. Pres. Ties. & Piping (15) (1984)--© Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd,
England, 1984. Printed in Great Britain
76
Book reviews
aspects of ESR ingots they can be smaller for a given product size than conventional ingots, and that ESR tends to be more favoured at larger sizes and with those shapes needing more processing. The layout of the book is excellent, each chapter being self-contained to allow those with selective interest to choose individual topics either from the excellent contents list or index. However, its relatively small size and attractive style will lead many readers to read it all, especially as the book strikes a good balance between its coverage and the provision of an effective general guide. The book is well produced, although the use of different styles for a few of the graphical figures (e.g. 10.8), poor definition in a few of the photographs (4.11 and 4.13) and the summarisation of all the references at the end instead of more conveniently by chapters (especially as these are designed to be self-contained) are the only departures from the highest of standards. Indeed I can only echo the views expressed by Professor Mitchell in the last paragraph of the foreword that: 'Mr Hoyle has shared with his readership the experience and opinions of over two decades of ESR development to give us a text which I am sure will find a place on the metallurgist's (including those involved in pressure vessels and piping) bookshelf in both university and industry alike'. R. W. Nichols
Explosive Welding, Forming and Compaction, edited by T. Z. Blazynski. Applied Science Publishers Ltd, London, 1983. 402 pp. including 16 tables, 156 figures and 743 references. ISBN 0-85334-166-4. £36.00. There are several ways of publishing technical developments, ranging from the patent specification and the individual paper in a scientific journal to the conference paper and its collected volume, to the specialised book by the single authoritative author and the encyclopedia approach of monographs by individual experts on detailed topics. Whilst all have their advantages, the last approach, of which this is a first-rate example, provides the possibility of presenting in depth personal experience and expertise and of adapting the individual approach to the needs of the specific topics, whilst also facilitating a shorter timescale and uniformity of date of writing throughout the book, not always possible with the single author, an important point in these days of rapidly changing