Materials Processing — A Perspective of The Field

Abstract

The materials activities of the past few decades have helped to crystallize two concepts that are important in considering the future. One of them is the total materials cycle; the other is the field of materials science and engineering. A third, yet to be fully crystallized is materials processing. The latter can be viewed as the transition steps linking the five stages of the materials cycle, as well as, that part of materials science and engineering that links basic research to the solution of practical problems.