IFHTSE Global 21: heat treatment and surface engineering in the first decades of the twenty-first century: Part 1 – Introduction to ongoing IFHTSE activity

Abstract

Engineering systems and components are the result of a complex chain of actions, starting with a design to match the functional demands: materials science and technology are intimately involved; there are often multiple stages in the manufacturing process, as well as essential quality assurance methods for the component and system. Each step in the process has significance; optimum outcomes and cost effectiveness depend heavily on their being orchestrated and managed as an integrated sequence. Depending on the circumstances, the relative importance of each step may be viewed differently, but the heat treatment and surface engineering manufacturing processes are always likely to be critical. These processes themselves represent a complex balance of materials, technology, energy and environmental factors to achieve an optimum combination of functionality, industrial feasibility and economic and social viability.