Steel and Aluminum Alloys - MSE52000

April 23, 2026

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Steel and aluminum alloy processing will be studied to provide fundamental understanding of how the final properties are influenced by processing from the extraction of metal from ore, through shaping by casting, hot-working and cold-working, and heat treatment for control of microstructure. This understanding will enable the student to go beyond comparisons of standard handbook values and recognize the fundamental metallurgical phenomena leading to differences in performance among the main alloy classifications. By examining the relationships among processing, microstructure, and properties, the course will provide the "know-how" for specifying, designing, and manufacturing with steels and aluminum alloys. This approach will be broadly applicable to industrial metallurgical practice.

Credit Hours: 3

Instructor(s): Kevin Trumble, David Gildemeister

Phone: (765) 494-4114

Email: trumble@purdue.edu, dgildeme@purdue.edu

Learning Objective:

  1. Describe current practice of steel and aluminum production in terms of the thermochemical unit processes
  2. Understand the differences between the main classes of commercial metal shaping processes and their intrinsic effects on microstructure
  3. Relate alloy microstructure to properties as measured in standard mechanical testing
  4. Interpret standards and specifications for processing and properties of different steel and aluminum alloy classifications
  5. Identify processing defects and predict their effect on material performance
  6. Specify alloy and processing route to achieve desired properties sets for particular applications
  7. Explain properties variability in terms commercial practice constraints
  8. Analyze critically the state of research on a particular current topic in steel or aluminum metallurgy

Description:

Steel and aluminum alloy processing will be studied to provide fundamental understanding of how the final properties are influenced by processing from the extraction of metal from ore, through shaping by casting, hot-working and cold-working, and heat treatment for control of microstructure. This understanding will enable the student to go beyond comparisons of standard handbook values and recognize the fundamental metallurgical phenomena leading to differences in performance among the main alloy classifications. By examining the relationships among processing, microstructure, and properties, the course will provide the "know-how" for specifying, designing, and manufacturing with steels and aluminum alloys. This approach will be broadly applicable to industrial metallurgical practice.
 

Topics Covered:

  1. Introduction, Overview, Iron and aluminum production and properties
  2. Steel making, casting and working
  3. Mechanical properties review, pure iron and sheet steels
  4. Low-carbon steels (mostly sheet)
  5. Ferrite-Pearlite steels and Exam 1 (through low-carbon sheet steels)
  6. Pearlitic steels and Alloy steels
  7. Alloy steels and heat treatment
  8. OCTOBER BREAK, Alloy steels
  9. Stainless steels and tool steels
  10. Cast steels and cast irons and Exam 2 (through cast steels)
  11. Aluminum production overview and properties
  12. Aluminum alloy systems, Non-heat treatable (SS, CW, GSR) alloys
  13. Non-heat treatable Al Alloys, THANKSGIVING BREAK
  14. Non-heat treatable Al alloys, Heat-treatable Al alloys
  15. Heat treatable Al alloys (PPTION, SS, CW)
  16. Aluminum alloys advanced topics and summary
  17. Final exam (2-h), covers only Al alloys

Prerequisites:

Introductory undergraduate courses in materials science, chemistry and physics.

Applied / Theory:

70/30

Web Address:

https://mycourses.purdue.edu/

Web Content:

syllabus, lecture notes, homework assignments, solutions, and message board.

Homework:

6 will be turned in electronically on Brightspace. Solutions will be discussed in class.

Projects:

A communication assignment (due after the second exam) will involve preparing a 5-slide/5-minute recorded presentation (Voice-over-PowerPoint) giving an update on the latest status on a particular topic of your own interest in commercial steel and aluminum metallurgy.

Exams:

Two hour-exams covering the steel portion (~25 lectures) of the course will be given in-class, same day for off-campus students and the final exam period will cover the aluminum portion of the course (~15 lectures)

Textbooks:

WF Smith Structure and Properties of Engineering Alloys, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1993. Paperback (International Edition, 2014) ISBN: 9339205294; Hardcover ISBN: 0070591725 (out of print)

Computer Requirements:

May utilize ThermoCalc software available through Purdue's AppsAnywhere. Will need scan-to-pdf application to submit homework and exams. Scientific calculator.