Materials & Processing report

Books & Publications German and Italian research schools. Surface melting and alloying of cast iron is another favoured topic, being discussed in six papers from Germany, France and Czechoslovakia. The new material in these papers is mainly on wear data (Monson ICST, Coquerelle ETCA, 13ergmann Erlangen, Adamka Slovak Tech Univ, Gasser and Kreutz et al Aachen) and stress fields (Chabrol, Bergmann). S o m e very elegant structural analysis is present in most papers. There is a particularly interesting analysis of laser cutting in the paper by Nuss et al from Erlangen University in which they attempt to correlate beam structure with cutting performance. For novelty there is the paper by Mordike on powder production from high melting point metals by splattering from a pulsed YAG laser. There is a useful review paper by Rosen (Siemens) on the uses of lasers for welding and cutting in industry. Overall the book is a must for any laser research student. It represents the latest work in the field of surface treatment with a few papers on cutting and welding. It may be argued by s o m e that there are too many books and papers on laser treatments but reading these papers one realises that the problem is not one of repetition but the size of the science involved in laser processing and the growing number of commercially viable techniques for which the laser is or could be used. It must be r e m e m b e r e d that the laser gives a beam of optical power. Industry is used to using electrical power it must now face up to optical power. The uses of such an energy course will be very diverse. This book is a step on the road to discover the many new avenues of production technology which are o p e n e d up by the laser.

W M Steen

MATERIALS & PROCESSING REPORT Ren~e G Ford (Editor) MIT Press Journals, 55 Hayward St, Cambridge, Mass, USA, 0 2 1 4 2 Newsletter Monthly Rates from Publisher ISSN: 0 8 8 7 - 1 9 4 9

high proportion of news on high temperature super-conductivity (Tc) and indeed the Editor has b e c o m e a m e m b e r of a 'World' Congress on Super-conductivity (whose membership however as given in the October issue is confined to North America). One wonders whether the correct balance between this admittedly highly topical and fascinating subject and more m u n d a n e but essenUal aspects of engineering materials has been temporarily disturbed. The rapid rise of publicatioan dealing with Tc should perhaps help any adjustment. Overall the reports form a readable commentary on current worldwide trends in materials R & D.

Now going st.-ong in its second volume this monthly report is adopting a more international look than was apparent in its early days (although the Advisory Board still stays solidly US based). Recent issues have given p r o m i n e n c e to both British conferences a~.~ technical work. The accounts of the latter are concise but L Bovey carefully cover the developments with sufficient detail for assessment of the techniques. Diagrams are ADVANCED PROCESSING OF effectively used both to make the CERAMIC COMPOUNDS articles more understandable and to attract the rapid scanner. William L. Frankhouser Another interesting section is that Noyes Publications covered by 'Policy Report' where USA October 1987 government reports on science and 188pp $36.00 technology are summarised. For ISBN: 0 8 1 5 5 1130 2 example a US Congress report on recommendations for increasing US Advanced Processing of Ceramic commercial competitiveness in super- Compounds is a synopsis of reports conductivity is thoroughly covered. on specialist projects sponsored by Its inclusion of USSR work is not only the US Dept of Defence - the Defence welcome and useful in itself but - as a Advanced Research Agency - during light relef - makes m e wonder once a 2 year contractual period ending more at the inconsistent use of full May 1986 and is based on a substops. The abbreviation for that county stantial budget supporting the subis not given any but US and UK attract jects of Dynamic Copaction (shaping), a full quota. Self Propagating High Temperature A 'Noteworthy' heading covers Synthesis (powder preparation) and several areas such as business studies Plasma Chemical Technology (plasma and proposals from professional derived ceramic compounds). The consultancy organisations and book projects are not dissimilar from those reviews. 'patent reports' given mainly being pursued elsewhere i~, the world US & Japanese applications. The with the possible exception of the rate report ends with an extensive short of spend and therefore rate of project term Calendar for materials meetings progress. principally held in N America but with Interestingly the book reports ina generous sprinkling of events from vestigations into parallel Soviet reother geographical locations. search and should you wish to see the Recent issues contain a relatively list of personnel working on the

MATERIALS & DESIGN Vol. 9 No. 3 MAY/JUNE 1988

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