Preface : This is the book I never wanted to write, but always wanted to own. As a metallurgical engineer and long time user of steel standards, author of the four CASTI Metals Data Books, and member of ASTM A01 and B02 standard committees, I knew all too well the many pitfalls and challenges of writing such a handbook. There were many steel standards from around the world that were new to me, which created far too many surprises and delays in completing this book.
Comparing steel standards is not an exact science, so the biggest challenge of preparing such a book was deciding on "the rules of comparison." Of the similar books on the market today, none explain in detail why one steel is comparable to another. They simply appear together in a list of steels. I kept a daily diary to help construct a workable set of comparison rules that I could share with other users to assist them in understanding how and why one steel is comparable to another.
To say least, these rules changed from chapter to chapter while the book was being written. It wasn't until the last chapter and appendix were completed that I was able to finalize the rules of comparison. In the end, a complete review of the book was performed resulting in the reorganization of some chapters and the fine-tuning of others. there were too many occasions when I thought the book was finished, only to have to change, add, or delete a rule which made yet another review of the book necessary.
After more than two years of researching steel standards and gathering data from around the world for the 2nd and 3rd editions of this handbook, then developing a comparison order to more than 100,000 pieces of data, this handbook is an ongoing and expanding project. The addition of a fully searchable e-book on CD-Room makes this product even more valuable, since trying to find one piece of data in more than 100,000 is not an easy task. The e-book makes searching for a comparable steel a quick and easy process. In some cases, the user may find out that the steel is non comparable.
I hope you enjoy using this handbook as much as I will. Tie a chain to it and anchor it to your desk, because once other see it, they'll want to use your copy. I'm interested in your comments and suggestions to improve this handbook, so I encourage you to send your feedback directly to ASTM.
Comparing steel standards is not an exact science, so the biggest challenge of preparing such a book was deciding on "the rules of comparison." Of the similar books on the market today, none explain in detail why one steel is comparable to another. They simply appear together in a list of steels. I kept a daily diary to help construct a workable set of comparison rules that I could share with other users to assist them in understanding how and why one steel is comparable to another.
To say least, these rules changed from chapter to chapter while the book was being written. It wasn't until the last chapter and appendix were completed that I was able to finalize the rules of comparison. In the end, a complete review of the book was performed resulting in the reorganization of some chapters and the fine-tuning of others. there were too many occasions when I thought the book was finished, only to have to change, add, or delete a rule which made yet another review of the book necessary.
After more than two years of researching steel standards and gathering data from around the world for the 2nd and 3rd editions of this handbook, then developing a comparison order to more than 100,000 pieces of data, this handbook is an ongoing and expanding project. The addition of a fully searchable e-book on CD-Room makes this product even more valuable, since trying to find one piece of data in more than 100,000 is not an easy task. The e-book makes searching for a comparable steel a quick and easy process. In some cases, the user may find out that the steel is non comparable.
I hope you enjoy using this handbook as much as I will. Tie a chain to it and anchor it to your desk, because once other see it, they'll want to use your copy. I'm interested in your comments and suggestions to improve this handbook, so I encourage you to send your feedback directly to ASTM.
John E. Bringas, P. Eng
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