The book reports on new scientific and technological developments involving: 1.the substitution of phenomenological knowledge by fundamental insight on the structure-property relations (e.g. nitriding and nitrocarburazing); 2.the modelling and control of various processes as, in particular, the classical quenching and tempering and the thermochemical processes; 3.the emergence of dedicated surface treatments, as those based on ion beams and the numerous ways for physical vapour deposition; and 4.the rise to maturity of vacuum and plasma technology including the application of (atmosphere) sensors of various kinds.

Microstructural Identification and Control of Very Low Carbon Modern High Strength Low Alloy Steels Thermal Cycling in the Austenite Temperature Region for Grain Size Control in Steels The Heat Treatment of P/M Tool Steels Surface Chemical Properties of Heat-Treated Industrial Steel Heat Resistant Alloy Performance in the Heat Treatment Industry Commercial Heat Treatment to 2000 AD Towards the Optimization of Heat-Treatment in Aluminium Alloys Hardness, Melting Reactions and Heat Treatment of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Alloys Reinforced with Aluminiumoxide Particles Advances in the Heat Treatment of 7000 Type Aluminium Alloys by Retrogression and Reaging Effect of High Temperature Treatment on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Foundry Alloys Heat Treatment and Phase Inter-Relationships of the Spray Cast Cu-15 wt%Ni-8 wt%Sn Alloy Influence of Heat Treatment on the Microstructural and Chemical Evolution of Au80Sn20 Alloys for Welding Applications Gas Flow Regulation in a Carburizing Heat Treatment of Steels Plasma Overcarburizing of Chromium Steels for Hot Working and Wear Applications Influence of the Base Material Hardenability on Effective Case Depth and Core Hardness Bending Fatigue and Microstructure of Gas-Carburized Alloy Steels Influence of Surface Microstructure on Bending Fatigue Strength of Carburized Steels Case Hardening in the Next Century Model Description of Iron-Carbonitride Compound-Layer Formation during Gaseous and Salt-Bath Nitrocarburizing Control of the Compound-Layer Structure in Gaseous Nitrocarburising Kinetics of Compound-Layer Growth during Nitrocarburizing Nitriding of Sintered Steels and Nitrocarburizing of Steels in Fluidized Bed Furnace The Structure and Properties of Ion Nitrided 410 Stainless A Fracture Mechanics Approach to Toughness Characterization of Nitrided Layers Influence of Thermochemical Treatment on Corrosion Resistance of Steels Modified Process Parameters in Nitrocarburizing Improve Component Properties and Give Greater Economy Plasma Nitriding and Plasma Carburizing of Pure Titanium and Ti6Al4V Alloy The Influence of Tempering and Surface Conditions on the Fatigue Behaviour of Surface Induction Hardened Parts Induction Heat Treatment of Case Hardening Steels Selective Surface Treatment of Gears by Induction Profile Hardening Induction Hardening of Cast Iron Cylinder Head Valve Seats TFX An Induction Heating Process for the Ultra Rapid Heat Treatment of Metal Strip Production and Concentration of Magnetic Flux for Eddy Current Heating Applications Reduction of the Tensile Stress State in Laser Treated Materials Laser Surface Nitriding of Titanium and a Titanium Alloy Fatigue Properties and Residual Stresses in Laser Hardened Steels Coupled Growth in Eutectic Systems CO2 Laser Subcritical Annealing of 2Cr-1Mo Steel Laser Welded Joint Creating Tailor-Made Surfaces with High Power CO2-Lasers Electron Beam Surface Modification State of the Art (Review) Electron Beam Mixing in Copper-Aluminium Surface Layers Surface Modification of Materials Produced by Dynamic Ion Mixing Surface Characterization and Tribological Improvements of Ti or (Ti+C) Implanted AISi M2 Steel Ion Implantation for Biomaterials Controlled Shot Peening Today Chemically Vapour Deposited Alumina Coatings on High Speed Steel Cutting Tools Characteristics of Chromium Carbide Layers Produced on Martensitic Stainless Steel Using Different Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) Techniques Multicomponent Hard Coatings for WC-Co Sintered Carbides Plasma Characteristics Related to Thin-Film Microstructures in Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering Processes Possibilities of Suppression of Droplets in Arc Evaporation Process Further Developments of the Multiple-Mode Ionised Vapour Source System Deposition of Ti(C,N) Coatings by Arc Evaporation The Development of (Ti,Al)N and (Ti,Nb)N Ceramic Coatings Produced by Steered Arc Ion-Plating Tribological Performance of Plasma Treated and Coated Surfaces Performance of TiN-, Ti(C,N)- and (Ti,Al)N-Coated Cutting Tools Deposition of Stabilised Zirconia onto Metallic Substrates Using a DC Thermionic Triode Ion Plating Technique A Comparison of Techniques for Producing Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings Combined Plasma Nitriding/PVD Processes Diffusion Treatment of Surface Coatings by Hot Isostatic Pressing Depositions of Welded Coatings to Improve Hot Wear and Thermal Fatigue Resistance of Hot Die Steel A Study of the Adherence and Cracking by Deformation in a Multilayer Metallic Coating of Plain Carbon Steels A Study of a Laser Irradiated Molybdenum Plasma Sprayed Coating on Steel Plasma-Spray Coatings on Carbon-Epoxy Substrates Microstructure and Resistance to Cracking of Modified Protective Diffusion Coatings on Nickel-Base Superalloys The Use of Analysis in Surface Treatments Reliable Hardness Testing with a Fast Ultrasonic Method (UCI) Martens Hardening of Steel - Prediction of Temperature Distribution and Surface Hardness Computerized Process Planning in Heat Treating Practice Using Personal Computers Calculation of Distortion during Quenching of a Low Carbon Steel Computer Aided Simulation of the Temperature and the Distortion of Components during Heating Up in Heat-Treatment Furnaces Mathematical Modelling of the Heat Treatments (Quenching and Tempering) of a Cr-Mo-B-V, High Strength Low Alloy Steel Integrated Computer Control of Induction Hardening Computer-Aided Optimization of Heat-Treatment Processes for the Automobile Industry A New Generation of Process Computers for the Heat-Treatment Processes Oxygen Sensors - A Review of Their Impact on the Heat Treating Industry Electronic Flow Meter and Valve Integration with Computer Controlled Process Equipment Progress in Vacuum- and Plasma-Technology Universal Vacuum Hardening Plant Application and Results Gas Quenching with Helium in Vacuum Furnaces Multiflow Pressure Quenching in Vacuum Furnaces Trends and Developments in Vacuum Furnace Technology