Book Review: Jahrbuch Oberflἂchen Technik Volume 74

Anselm Kuhn, manager at Finishing Publications Ltd. in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, has reviewed Leuze Verlag Surface Finishing Yearbook for 2018, which has just been published:

Jahrbuch Oberflἂchen Technik  Vol 74 (2018) pp. 268:  ISBN 978-3-87480-349-6 publ. Verlag Leuze, Germany   62.00 Euro (incl. VAT) 

Once again, it is a real pleasure to browse this annual yearbook, unique in Western countries, and a veritable treasure chest of heavyweight technical information. Although a few articles are in English, most are in German. However, the publishers offer reasonably priced English-language translations (short and full-length). In turn, we are offered a new approach to chamfering precision gearwheels; new ideas in pretreatment of hot-dip galvanising work; and laser modification of “difficult” polymer surfaces such as polypropylene. There are chapters on  formation of glassy surface coatings by PECVD and corrosion-resistant PVD coatings; and electroplating of aluminium in the context of PCBs and microelectronics. Coloring of stainless steels without use of hexavalent chromium and 3D-printed plastic items are a growth area and, in the latter case, protective coatings for these based on DLC or MoS₂ are detailed.

Test and evaluation methods for protective coatings for offshore wind turbines are set out at length, as is the diffusion welding of micromechanical and other components. This is followed by an exposition of MEMs-based micromirror arrays. A new look at drying procedures—too often the “poor  relation” in surface finishing—and, from a British author, a “catalog”  of examples of electroformed nickel products. This is interesting (but not in the way the author intended) because the process is increasingly challenged by 3D-printed metal technology. 

On the hardware side, two contributors (against the background of “Industry 4.0”) explore the use of RFID transponders for plant and process control as well as applications of radio frequencies in both passive (data recording) and active (process control) modes, not least for locations that are difficult to access. A further contribution explores plant digitalization with an emphasis on the cost-benefit aspects and Return on Investment (ROI).

The book concludes with three rarely discussed topics. The first of these  deals with theory and practical applications of redox reactions (simultaneous oxidation/reduction) and the role they play in corrosion, batteries, recovery of metals (typically copper) from wastewater and using scrap iron. There follows an in-depth review of silver, both as the metal and its compounds, also covering applications and analytical methods. The final contribution is a review of antimicrobial compounds, especially those derived from natural  sources such as tree bark. The chemistry of these is characterized.

Almost all the chapters include extensive references, leaving the reader in a position to completely inform themselves on the topic in question. The book is available from Verlag Leuze:  https://www.leuze-verlag.de/en/shop/ (to whom queries on translations should be directed)  and a full listing of chapter titles and authors with abstracts, is available free-of-charge at office@finpubs.com.