Secondary Metallurgy

Any process changing the chemical properties of the basic metal INTO AN ALLOY (iron into steel) or altering it's physical characteristics CASTING, FORGING SHAPING to permit use, A PHYSISCAL FUNCTION OR an otherwise non acceptable deterioration of that metal in use would, in my opinion, be classified as "secondary". HEAT TREATING, TEMPERING, ANNEALING. CASE HARDENING.

Some of these secondaries involve chemical change of a portion of the cross section of the utilized part (cyanide case harden a shaft which portions some of the original chemistry while altering a portion of the penetrated surface chemistry without materially change the beginning shape).

The blacksmith shapes the pre made horse shoe to the horse's foot size but, typically, performs neither Primary or Secondary Metallurgy.

Work hardening of a part by mechanical process may be an unintended results of machining. That is substantially why those HOT chips off a lathed steel part become brittle.

MR. GUY

Mr.Guy, we agree that the functions that you list are not primary metallurgy, but secondary metallurgy in industry parlance is limited to post melt ladle refining.

I struggled with, well, as the title of the book used to say, "the making, shaping and treating" of steel as a way to frame my possible answers to the original post. But the shaping and treating are not secondary processes.

In common usage today, when someone says "secondary met" they are talking about a process in a ladle.

We have no issue with your point that the subsequent processes that create a change should be recognized; in common usage in the industry today, secondary met means ladle furnace processes.

Milo