November/December AMP_Digital

FEATURE A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 5 4 2 achieved by the direct connection of industry with academia via joint research and development projects. Heat treating requires many skills that can either be taught at school or learned in industry during practical in- ternships. It is mandatory to be able to identify different microstructural components occurring in treated parts by metallographic analyses, and assess the resultant proper- ties from their characteristic features. Such evaluation re- quires knowledge of phase transformations and the condi- tions needed for them to take place. Modern technological advances allow for information to be gathered in real-time to provide an indication of how the shop is processing the components, and will help when failure or damage occurs. Therefore, the modern heat treater must have knowledge of sensors, data processing, computer modeling, and many other topics assumed to be unrelated to what is considered proper heat treating. ASM International organized Heat Treat Mexico 2018 in September as a continuation to a series of conferences start- ed two years ago. The event attracted personnel in charge of production, engineering, and maintenance at companies related to heat treating and metal working. More than 200 people attended the four-day program, which included ed- ucational courses. Presentations were organized to answer three questions: What is the process? What does it mean to metallurgy? What is the application? The conference also in- cluded lively social events that enhanced networking among the attendees. We look forward to your participation in Heat Treat Mexico 2020! Rafael Colás, FASM, IFHTSE Fellow Professor, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León HEAT TREATING REQUIRES DIVERSE SKILL SET H eat treating has been at the core of ASM Internation- al ever since the Society originated from the Steel Treat- ers Club in Detroit in 1913. The Club was converted into the Steel Treating Research Society in 1918, American Steel Treaters Society in 1919, American Society for Metals in 1933, and finally into ASM Inter- national in 1986. Diversification of the scope and interest of the membershipmotivated the de- velopment of six affiliated technical societies. Among them, the ASMHeat Treating Society debuted in 1994. Heat treating constitutes a fundamental part of the manufacturing and processing of many industrial, house- hold, and other metallic appliances. Physical and mechan- ical properties and other important characteristics can be tailored by means of imparting heating and cooling cycles during the manufacturing processes or to the final product. Such treatments enable increasing the mechanical strength or ductility in structural parts, reducing heating andmagnet- ic losses in electrical appliances, and reducing the corrosion rate in aggressive environments, among other outcomes. Traditional heat treating relies on proven procedures and practices developed on the shop floor and kept in some cases as trade or job secrets. The everyday competition that takes place at an international level requires that the young people who integrate into heat treating practice arrive with knowledge, experience, and technical skills. The contradic- tion of enrolling young yet experienced people can only be GUEST DITORIAL