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Journal of Mechanical Working Technology, 10 ( 1 9 8 4 ) 1 1 7 - - 1 2 5

117

Elsevier Science P u b l i s h e r s B.V., A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s

Book Renews

Handbook of Metal-Forming Processes, by Betzalel Avitzur, John Wiley, New York, 1983. ISBN 0-471-03474-6, xxxi + 1020 pages, illustrated, hard cover £85.00. Professor Avitzur has undertaken a m a m m o t h task in putting together a descriptive account of selected metal forming processes. He feels that the mathematical approach of his previous t w o books, Metal Forming: Processes and Analysis (Krieger, 1979 and McGraw-Hill, 1968) and Metal Forming: the Application of Limit Analysis (Marcel Dekker, 1980) did not entirely satisfy the needs of practising engineers or engineering students interested in the application of existing know-how. He envisages that engineers and students will make use of the mathematical expressions of his previous books without worrying overmuch a b o u t their derivations. It is in that sense only that the use of the world H a n d b o o k in the title can be understood by British readers. I think that the b o o k will be used at two levels. At one level the mathematical expressions will be ignored and the b o o k used for its clear descriptive accounts of metal forming processes, some of which are at a developmental stage. I am sure that most of the students studying at the second level will feel a need to understand Professor Avitzur's previous two books rather than just applying the mathematical expressions q u o t e d in the present volume. When one person attempts to cover such a broad subject it is not surprising that more emphasis is given to one subject rather than another. Professor Avitzur's analytical and experimental w o r k on radially symmetric processes is well known and perhaps half of the b o o k is devoted to descriptions and analyses of processes with which he has intimate knowledge. These include extrusion (conventional, impact and hydrostatic), continuous wiremaking, tube sinking and drawing, and ironing processes. Throughout he is particularly interested in pressure induced ductility and metalworking under pressure. He makes a realistic assessment of the latest developments in hydrostatic extrusion and stresses the difficulty of predicting the successful transformation of an interesting scientific development into a fully fledged production process. He also points o u t that several processes have emerged from research into hydrostatic extrusion, the most successful of which in terms of production must be continuous extrusion forming (conforming). Rolling is the other subject which is dealt with at length b u t in a more conventional manner than for the above topics. I feel that certain topics are treated in less depth. These include "High Energy Rate Forming", "Explosive Welding" and "Deep-Drawing". In discussing "Deep-Drawing" only a brief mention is made of normal anisotropy, and the R-value, which is certainly thought of as an important parameter in deep-drawing circles, is n o t mentioned at all. The chapter on "Spinning"

118 describes the various types of processes but does not appear to distinguish between the deformation in conventional manual spinning, which is mainly a bending process w i t h o u t change in thickness of the material, and shear forming where the material is thinned as the tool passes over it. The drawings, l a y o u t and printing of the book are excellent. The index, however, is n o t comprehensive; for example there is no mention of such key words as " A n i s o t r o p y " or " F a t i g u e " , and a Name or A u t h o r Index would have been very useful in tracking down the selected references that are given at the end of each chapter. In summary, the book gives very clear descriptive accounts, of selected metal forming processes and comments on possible future developments. It is not a H a n d b o o k in the sense that y o u can take it off the shelf and straightaway solve a practical problem on the shop floor. Rather it is for the advanced student or research engineer who wishes to broaden his or her knowledge of the mechanics of a particular process and the author therefore includes a set of problems at the end of each chapter. P.B. MELLOR

Energy Engineering, by J o h n W. Mitchell, Wiley, New York,

1983. ISBN 0-471-08772-6, xvii + 309 pages, illustrated, hard cover £34.75

This book is a development of a one-semester course at the Senior-graduate level in mechanical engineering at an American University (Wisconsin), and is designed to meet the requirements of students of mechanical engineering, economics, business studies, and other engineering-related disciplines. It can be briefly summarised as a good undergraduate text, which should prove useful to the engineer in industry, academe, government service or public administration who needs a simple overview of engineering and economic aspects of energy use which relates the main subjects in this field. The work justifies the publisher's claim (cover sheet) that: " 'Energy Engineering' demonstrates the methods of evaluating technical and economic aspects of energy use with a view toward more effective utilization of diminishing r e s o u r c e s . . . " . However, though it does provide the energy and economic analyses of energy-using devices as promised, these are 'detailed' only in the c o n t e x t of an undergraduate text: this work does not claim to be an advanced research treatise, or a review of current practice and methods of analysis aimed at experts in this field. Granted its limited aims, the volume can be said to achieve them. The main text is made up of individual chapters, which conclude with a short summary, a brief list of sources labelled 'Suggested Reading' ( s o m e of which are repeated from chapter to chapter), and a short list of problems for solution. The problems set are n o t solved in the form of a worked solution and the answers are n o t provided: however, worked examples are contained in the