Metallurgy for Machinists: 7 Must-Have Books
There are many ways metallurgical structure affects the machinability of any given metal. Metallurgy is the study of the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements. Metal and machining go hand in hand. Learning more about metallurgy will help machinists better understand the relationship among their machining applications, part design, and the material itself.
The Practical Machinist community discussed their preferred books on the subject matter. You can catch up with that conversation here.
Whether you are wanting to explore using new materials or are hoping to learn a bit more about a metal you are already familiar with, here are some tools and resources to guide that process.
Recommended Books
Steel Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist
Recommended by a Practical Machinist member, this book is specifically tailored for non-metallurgists and discusses the metallurgy and heat treatment of steel. This text begins with the basics and builds to more complex concepts involving heat treatment of most types of steel, including cast iron. It’s a great option for someone looking for a primer on the subject matter.
Metallurgy for the Non-Metallurgist, Second Edition
Targeted for those who work with metal but are not metallurgists (cough cough, machinists), this text is broader in subject matter, discussing how and why different metals are better for certain machining applications. With many illustrations and covering a wide range of topics, this book is great for beginners or those looking for a refresher on metallurgy!
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Structural Metals and Alloys
A more advanced read on the subject, you’ll learn about the mechanical properties of metallic materials that are subjected to various thermo-mechanical deformation or heat treatments. There is an additional focus on the design of advanced steels and alloys.
Machining of Titanium Alloys
Research around the machining of titanium alloys has developed over the years and those advancements are the focus of this text. The machinability of titanium alloys is poor due to their low conductivity and high reactivity with cutting tool materials and this book offers solutions to enhance the machinability of this material.
Machining of Light Alloys: Aluminum, Titanium, and Magnesium
In this text, you will find comprehensive, state-of-the-art references on the machining of light alloys, research on conventional and non-conventional machining of these materials, information about sustainable machining, and the machining of hybrid materials.
Metallurgy Fundamentals: Ferrous and Nonferrous Sixth Edition
Over 450 tables, diagrams and photographs make this an easy-to-understand text for those at the introductory level. Get to know the basic properties, characteristics, and production of the major metal families so you can better understand the materials you work with.
Machining of Stainless Steels and Super Alloys: Traditional and Nontraditional Techniques
This book includes a comprehensive description of recent developments in traditional and non-traditional machining techniques of stainless steel and super alloys. It also includes information regarding optimum working conditions for each material and highlights hybrid processes that have successfully been applied to stainless steel and super alloys.
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1 Comment
Great..Wish I had studied metallurgy early in my machining career.