This special issue of the Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance (JMEP) comprises papers based on presentations at the 26th ASM Heat Treating Society Conference held during October 31–November 2, 2011, in Cincinnati, OH. This meeting was co-located with Gear Expo 2011. The authors of selected papers were invited to submit expanded versions of their conference papers for full peer review and possible publication in JMEP.

The papers in this volume present new research on a wide variety of topics that are relevant to the heat-treating industry. The topics covered include induction heating modeling and performance, simulation of surface-treating processes, quenching fluid development and evaluation, quenching and distortion, austempering, heat-treating process development, and control system strategies.

I would like to thank all the authors and reviewers for their efforts in the review process. I would also like to thank the ASM staff: Ann Britton, and Diane Whitelaw; journal editor: Dr. Rajiv Asthana; and associate editors: Drs. Narendra Dahotre, Omar S. Es-Said, William E. Frazier, and P.R. Subramanian, for their excellent work.

I hope that this special issue of JMEP will stimulate fresh thinking and developments in heat-treating science and technology. It is important for the excellent technical efforts of heat-treating professionals to be recognized by publication in an outstanding journal.

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