ABSTRACT
In developing new materials for targeted applications, the influence of processing methods on the properties and performance of the materials must be taken into account, in addition to the influence of the material composition. By altering the microstructure of the resulting material, a change in the processing method used to prepare it can drastically alter its properties. The importance of processing is reflected, as one example, in the designations of different heat treatments as part of the designations of different alloys along with information on the elemental compositions.
