The most important development this month is new Key to Steel Web site design, with a lot of new features for you.

Most profound of them is SmartCross, the worldwide first large scale application of artificial intelligence for searching and finding equivalent materials. To provide you with the most powerful cross-referencing, intelligent algorithms will now help you to search nearest equivalents within the whole Database of over 41000 alloys, in mere seconds.

Other new features include:
- new, improved Web site technology
- enhanced online PowerDemo
- improved profiling for Visitors and Subscribers
- better search and view possibilities
- introducing Japanese as another new language
- and more...

The Database itself is updated as well. Japanese specifications for low-alloyed steels for structural use, wires and wire ropes, as well as for nickel and nickel alloys are included.

Cross-reference tables are upgraded with relations between ISO and other international grades.

New significant update is made on Indian steels, by adding specs for various stainless steel products, non-magnetic stainless steels and heat resisting steels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Fracture Features of Martensitic Steel Plate, and
- Determining Hardening Depth Using Ultrasonic Backscatter.

Indian steel specifications are for the first time added to the Database. Newest standards covered for this fastly growing market include properties of carbon steel billets, blooms, slabs, bars and forgings, as well as various alloy-, heat-treatable- and stainless steels.

Update on Russian steels covered high-alloy steels, heat-resisting and heat treated alloys, steel castings, structural and tool alloy steel bars, strips and coils, and more.

Over 500 new proprietary materials from European producers are added.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Austenitic Sandwich Materials, and
- Overview of Mechanical Working Processes: Part Two.

European Euronorm steels are updated with recent specifications. Most notable updates include hot rolled structural steels according to the new edition of EN 10025, stainless steels according to EN 10088, and steels for springs and for tubes. Moreover, creep properties for several steel groups are added.

Italian steels are upgraded with specifications for various tubes and pipes, bars for machining, steels with magnetic properties, spheroidal graphite cast iron, and cast steels for general engineering purposes.

Cross-reference tables are enlarged by adding equivalents between Korean materials and Japanese, European and American alloys.

New version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2006.2-- is launched to include the developments done on the Database in the previous three months.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Overview of Mechanical Working Processes: Part One, and
- Application of New Hot-Rolled High-Strength Sheet Steels.

Following our mission of being first and only really global resource for technical information on steel and ferrous metals, Key to Steel is now localized to Chinese.

Upgrade on ASME steel specifications is made, which include various electrodes and filler metals for welding and brazing, as well as specifications taken over from international standards for steels and plates for pressure purposes.

Heat treatment diagrams collection in the Database is enriched with the diagrams for SAE hardenability bands and steel, and ASTM hardenability bars.

Korean steels are updated with high fatigue and high strength steels, castings for various applications, and stainless and alloy steel forgings for pressure vessels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Forging, and
- Processing of Microalloyed Forging Steels.

New upgrade of Korean steels included predominantly stanless steels -- plates, sheets, strip, bars, tubes and pipes -- as well as alloy tool steels.

More than 500 new proprietary steel designations are again added to the Database.

ISO standards are updated with specifications for railway applications, heat-resisting and structural steels, tinplates and castings for general application.

Moreover, to include updates in tables of equivalents made in the last 6 months, new version of Steel CrossRef is launched -- 2005.12.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Cold Rolled Steels, and
- Power Supply for Welding Processes.

One completely new group of standards is included into the Database for the first time -- Korean. First 300 alloys include various grades of hot- and cold rolled plates, sheets and strip, carbon and stainless steel pipes, wires and rods.

Another new language is added to Key to Steel Web site and software -- Arabic.

More than 700 new proprietary steel designations of Italian, Japanese, Spanish and German producers are added to the Database.

Update is made on steel description according to Spanish (UNE) standards, with specifications for cold and hot worked steels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Iron and Its Interstitial Solid Solutions, and
- Induction Surface Hardening and Tempering.

Properties of European Euronorm alloys are updated with recent specifications for steels for fasteners, stainless steel bars and steel forgings for pressure purposes, weldable structural steels and coated steels.

Major update is made on US AWS carbon, low-alloy and stainless steel electrodes for different welding processes.

More than 500 new proprietary steel designations from European and Indian producers are added to the Database.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Structural Features of Fatigue, and
- Wear-Resistant Special Structural Steels.

The most important upgrade is introducing proprietary designations into the Database for the first time. First upgrade includes more than 2000 designations from major steel producers worldwide.

Following our mission of being first and only really global resource for technical information on steel and ferrous metals, Key to Steel is now localized to Spanish.

In addition, Swedish steels are upgraded with specifications and properties of tubes, strips, tool steel, coated steel and various forms of iron.

ASTM update this month included hot-wrought and cold-finished bars, bolts and rivets, plates and semi-finshed products for pressure vessels, and more.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Galvanic Corrosion, and
- Casting Defects in Steels.

Information for more than 200 SAE sheet and strip steels, castings, tool and die steel grades is updated according to new SAE J standards and reports.

ASME specifications and material properties for tubing, sheet steel, stainless steel bars and shapes, fasteners, and various castings are updated as well with information from the Edition 2004/2005.

Cross-reference tables are upgraded by adding equivalents between Japanese (JIS) materials and others: AISI, AFNOR, BS, DIN, EN, GOST, ISO, SAE, and UNS.

New version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2005.8-- is launched to include the developments done on the Database in the last three months.

And, last but not least, new version of FREE downloadable PowerDemo is launched, with increased search possibilities and data view.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Principles of Heat Treating of Steels, and
- Austenitic and Ferritic Stainless Steels in Practical Applications: Part Two.

Major upgrade on AWS specifications includes properties of carbon-, low alloy and stainless steel electrodes for different welding processes, with their heat treatment and application guidelines.

Euronorm (EN) steel descriptions are upgraded with the new specs for hot-dip zinc coated and chromium coated steel, and for flat products for pressure purposes. More than 20 other specifications are updated as well.

Cross-reference tables are further enlarged by adding equivalents between European EU (EN), and major national standards (AFNOR, BS, DIN, UNI, UNE).

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Surfacing for Wear Resistance: Part Two, and
- Austenitic and Ferritic Stainless Steels in Practical Applications: Part One.

Major upgrade is made on Chinese steels. Great variety of steel alloys and semi-finished products is covered, from cold drawn bars, cold- and hot-rolled sheets and plates to castings to pipes, and from structural and carbon steels to austenitic and stainless steels.

SAE descriptions for carbon and alloy steel are updated with properties for steel bars and drawn steels, including machinability, as well as with heat treatment details according to J412.

Cross-reference tables will be further enlarged by adding equivalents for Chinese steels among US UNS, ASTM and SAE grades, as well as among European (EN), international (ISO) and other steels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Macroscopic Aspects of Fracture, and
- The Formation of Martensite.

Series of updates on ASTM steels is continued with properties of specialty bars, steel wire, and stainless steel plate, sheet and strip for corrosion and heat-resisting service, free machining and other applications.

AMS steel descriptions are upgraded with properties of different precipitation hardening stainless steels, high- and low-alloy steels.

Cross-reference tables are upgraded by adding equivalents for US ASTM and SAE grades among European (EN), Japanese (JIS), and international (ISO) grades, through the Unified Numbering System.

New version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2005.5-- is launched to include developments done on the Database in the last three months.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Fracture of Steel: Part Two, and
- The Iron-Carbon Equilibrium Diagram.

One completely new aspect is added to the Database: heat treatment diagrams, for (1) hardenability and (2) tempering. This way Key to Steel will provide a unique resource for metallurgists, manufacturing engineers and heat treatment specialists.

We started with more than 540 materials from Europe (EN, DIN, BS, GOST, and more), Japan (JIS), USA (AISI), and international (ISO), and more than 700 diagrams.

Major upgrade is made on French steels, both by adding new specifications and updating existing ones: more than 1200 grades are updated or aded.

Furthermore, ASTM steels are upgraded by adding new specifications for bolting materials, pipes, parts for high temperature service, ferroalloys, and castings.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Fracture of Steel: Part One, and
- Effects of Alloying Elements on Iron-Carbon Alloys.

Key to Steel Database is enlarged with new, exclusive data sets on fatigue. Fatigue properties for SAE and BS steels are added, both for low and high cyclic fatigue.

New feature is added to Advanced Search mode: text search. From now on, you will be able search by keywords on applications, comments, and standard descriptions.

Coverage of ASTM steels is increased by adding various steel wires, including high strength drawn and cold rolled steel wire. New high strength low alloy (HSLA) specifications are added as well.

Heat treatment details are added for a large group of European Euronorm (EN) steels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Bainitic Steels: Part Two, and
- Analyzing Failures of Metal Components: Part Two.

Tables of equivalents for more than 2000 different European designations are upgraded and through Euronorm cross-referenced to all relevant international grades.

US ASTM steel definitions are further upgraded with specifications for various steel wires, carbon and HSLA hot-rolled and cold-rolled sheet, spring steel, and precipitation-hardening stainless and heat-resisting steel plate, sheet and strip.

New Japanese (JIS) specifications for steel wire, wire cloth and coated steel sheets are included into the Database, as well as steel pipes for high temperature and high pressure service.

New version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2005.2-- is released to include the developments made in the last 3 months.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Hardenability of Steels, and
- Analyzing Failures of Metal Components: Part One.

The most important development is made on cross-reference tables. Tables of equivalents for more than 4000 different US designations are upgraded and through UNS cross-referenced to all relevant international grades.

New version Steel CrossRef downloadable software --2005.1-- is released to include these developments.

In ASTM steels, description of spring wire, and alloy steel plate, sheet and strip for high strength at elevated temperatures are updated with specs issued in 2004.

Chinese specifications for carbon and low-alloy structural steel plate for various applications, plates for plastic mould and high-strength structural steel plates and strips are added.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Ultrasonic Testing of Safety Parts in Automobile Manufacturing, and
- Bainitic Steels: Part One.

Major upgrade on US Unified Numbering System (UNS) included inserting or updating more than 600 designations of welding electrodes, wire, cast iron, as well as mechanical properties for carbon steel and steel castings.

ASTM steel descriptions are further enriched with properties of wrought HSLA fittings, investment castings, and austenitic-, cobalt - and iron-based alloys for elevated temperature service and/or corrosive environments.

Moreover, recent Japanese specifications are added to the Database: for non-alloyed and alloyed plates, pipes, rods, wires, and for rails.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Magneto-Inductive Verification of Material Characteristics, and
- Fatigue of Metals: Part One.

New Japanese steel specifications (JIS) for cold reduced and decarburized steel sheets and strip are included into the Database, as well as standard descriptions of tubes for various applications.

US ASTM steel definitions are further upgraded with specifications pipes, fittings, and castings for pressure-containing, low-temperature service, and for structural purposes.

New version of CD Edition --2004.11-- is released to include all the developments made in the last 3 months. Like Key to Steel Web Edition, new CD Edition is quadrilingual now: besides English, it is in German, French and Italian.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Hardness Testing, and
- Brittle Fracture and Impact Testing: Part Two.

Key to Steel Web site is launched in German, French, and Italian. This give you an opportunity to read specification names and explanations in original languages, to compare them to English, and to communicate more efficiently and precisely with your colleagues and partners abroad. Or even better, now you can have Key to Steel in your own language.

New Japanese steel specifications for tubes used for various purposes are added, like steel boiler and heat exchanger tubes, tubes for low temperature service, for machine and structural purposes, and more.

Within the sequence of upgrades on US ASTM, various specifications are added, mainly for tubing, such as seamless and welded carbon steel tubular products, seamless and welded carbon steel water-well pipes and others, as well as specs for carbon and alloy steel nuts.

To reflect upgrade of cross-reference tables made on Key to Steel Database Web Edition in the last three months, new version of Steel CrossRef downloadable software --2004.10-- is released.

Also, new FREE Steel CrossRef Demo is released, now with chemical compositions and cross-reference tables for 2500+ steel alloys worldwide.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Advances in Thermal Spray Technology, and
- Surfacing for Wear Resistance: Part 1.

We are continuing to provide you worldwide unique content about Chinese steels. This month we added for you a new set of alloys: deformable permanent-magnet steels, valve steels, hot-rolled carbon tool steels, cold finished martensite stainless steel bars and free-cutting steels.

US steel grades are updated with information from recent ASTM specifications and heat treatment data for austenitic stainless steel fittings, seamless and welded steel pipes, and castings for high-temperature service and pressure containing parts.

Moreover, a completely new group of special-purpose Japanese materials and products is added, with their chemical composition, mechanical properties and heat treatment data. This group includes coated steel sheets and coils, HSLA sheets for automotive industry and bearing steel.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Brittle Fracture and Impact Testing, and
- Effect of Metallurgical Variables on Fatigue.

Series of new updates on Japanese steels started by inserting specifications for stainless steel for bars, plates, sheets and strips, tool steels, and spring steels: G 4304, G 4305, G 4313, G 4316, G 4401, G 4403, G 4801, G 4902 and more.

Database content on Chinese steels -- already exclusive and unique worldwide -- now became even more comprehensive by adding new specs for structural steels, stainless steels, and springs.

New version of CD Edition --2004.8-- is launched. It includes all the developments made in the last three monts.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Liquid Nitriding, and
- Design for High-Temperature Applications: Part 2.

Sequence of upgrades on ISO standards, performed in last several months, is now finished by adding specifications for tool and sintered steels, and heat treatment data for all steel grades.

Also, updates on UNS designations are completed by including T and N Number Series for tool steels and nickel super-alloys.

To reflect significant developments on tables of equivalent materials made on the Key to Steel Database Web Edition for last three months, new version of Steel CrossRef downloadable software --2004.7-- is released.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Gas Nitriding, and
- Design for High-Temperature Applications: Part 1.

This month, worldwide exclusive content is included to the Database. For the first time in English -- as well as any in other European language -- and on the World Wide Web, completely new Chinese specifications for electrodes, welding wire and rods are added to the Database and cross-referenced with steel alloys from other countries.

The Database is also enriched with completely new ISO designations for wrought steels for use at elevated temperatures in engines, stainless steels for springs, steel products, seamless and welded steel tubes for pressure purposes, defined by ISO specifications such as ISO 4956, ISO 2604, ISO 6931, ISO 9329, and ISO 9330.

Moreover, update of UNS steel designations is continued, now on S Number Series for stainless steels.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Procedures for Repair Welding and Surfacing, and
- Designing to Codes and Standards.

New ISO specifications for steel plates, strips, bars, tubes and forgings for pressure purposes, and covered electrodes for manual arc welding are added to the Database.

Upgrade of Unified Numbering System (UNS) designations is continued by updating J Number Series for cast steels and K Number Series for carbon and alloy steels.

To reflect Database upgrades and improvements made in the last quarter in Key to Steel Web Database, new version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2004.5-- is now released.

New articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Welding For Repair and Surfacing, and
- The Tempering of Martensite: Part Two.

German steels are further updated with new specifications for quenching and tempering steels, case hardening steels, steel wire for springs and heat-resisting steel castings.

New ISO standards for heat-treatable steels, alloy steels, free-cutting steels, tool steels, and corrosion resistant stainless steel fasteners are added to the Database.

Upgrade of steel definitions according to the US Unified Numbering System (UNS) is started, by adding and updating 300+ designations and corresponding chemical compositions from the G Number Series.

Enhancement and enlargement of cross-reference tables in the Database Web Edition that was carried out in the last several months now resulted in new, improved version of Steel CrossRef downloadable software -- 2004.4.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Carbonitriding, and
- The Tempering of Martensite: Part One.

Completely new sets of steel data specified by ISO standards are added to the Database. Specifications for construction and structural steels like ISO 9328, ISO 989, ISO 683, ISO 4954, and many others are now included, totaling 300+ grades.

Description of Chinese (GB) steels is upgraded with mechanical properties for 270+ grades. Also a group of 60+ completely new Chinese steel designations and 120+ new specifications for carbon and alloy steel tubes, plates and bars are added.

German steels are updated with new specifications for boiler plates, coating steels, and welded and seamless steel pipes of various qualities.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Gas Carburizing, and
- Heat Treating of Nodular Irons: Part Two.

New update of information on German steels includes new specifications for filler metals and electrodes for welding, such as DIN 8575-1, DIN 8529-1, DIN 8554-1, and others.

Sequence of upgrades on British steels started three months ago is now completed by adding specifications for construction and tool steels, with their mechanical properties and heat treatment information.

To reflect Database upgrades and improvements made in the last three months in Key to Steel Web Database, new version of CD Edition --2004.2-- is released.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Heat Treating of Nodular Irons: Part One, and
- The Embrittlement and Fracture of Steels: Part Three.

The part of the Database that covers German steels is enlarged with SEW specifications for more than 300 materials.

Upgrade of British steels is also continued with new BS specifications and mechanical properties for 300+ steel alloys.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- The Embrittlement and Fracture of Steels: Part Two, and
- Heat Treating of Malleable Irons.

The most important development in December is launching of the new version of Steel CrossRef, with the essential new functionality -- compositions of steel alloys. Steel CrossRef 2003.12, as a subset of full-featured Key to Steel Database, now includes compositions of 15000+ steel grades, which will, together with 18000+ cross-reference records, enable you to compare more efficiently and precisely steel alloys worldwide.

And the good news is that... In spite of such great increase of functionality and data included, for a limited time the PRICE of the software is UNCHANGED $99 only. To get much more for the same price,
click www.key-to-steel.com/OrderCC.asp for credit cards, or
www.key-to-steel.com/Order.htm for "classic" order, and select Steel CrossRef.

New Database updates are made as well. The description of US SAE steels is extended with new specifications for iron, nickel-based steels and superalloys, and their properties on elevated temperatures.

British steels are upgraded with new specifications and mechanical properties data for 200+ steel alloys.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Heat Treating of High-Alloy White Irons, and
- The Embrittlement and Fracture of Steels: Part One.

Database coverage of US SAE steels is extended with specifications for hardenability bands for carbon & alloy H steels, engine poppet valves. SAE AMS specifications are added as well, and then cross-referenced with Unified Numbering System (UNS).

German steels are updated with new DIN specifications, which are harmonized with Euronorm (EN) standards. Besides new steel designations and grades, new sets of heat treatment data is added as well.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Heat Treating of High Alloy Graphitic Irons, and
- Nitriding.

US SAE steels are updated with standards for sintered powder metal, tool and die steel, special purpose alloys, and for steel self-drilling tapping screws. Simultaneously, corresponding SAE steel grades are cross-referenced with European and Japanese alloys.

Again, new sets of heat treatment data are added, now for different steel groups specified by German (DIN), Italian (UNI) and US (ASTM) standards.

To reflect upgrades and improvements made for you in the last three months on the Web Database, new version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2003.10-- is released.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Heat Treating of Gray Irons: Part Two, and
- Carburizing.

The sequence of upgrades on alloys defined by SAE was continued by adding 80 new designations and upgrading 200 existing ones according to recent specifications.

New sets of heat treatment data specified by German standards such as DIN 1654-4, DIN 1654-5, DIN 17182, DIN 17204, and others, are also added to the Database.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Surface Hardening of Steels, and
- Heat Treating of Gray Irons: Part One.

Major upgrade on steels defined by US SAE standards is made, by updating their mechanical properties and specifications. Moreover, 300+ completely new designations are inserted into the Database, with their chemical compositions, mechanical properties and heat treatment details.

To provide you more information on cross-referencing grades specified by major standard systems, new set of cross-reference tables is added, relating alloys specified in US SAE, European Euronorm (EN) and Japanese (JIS) standards.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Controlled rolling of low alloy steels and
- Introduction to the Unified Numbering System of Ferrous Metals and Alloys.

The sequence of upgrades on alloys defined by ASTM is finished by adding new steel designations according to recent specifications, such as ASTM A 1008, ASTM A 1011, A 1018 etc.

European Euronorm (EN) steels are updated with new specifications EN 10222 and 10255, for forgings and valve steels.

Upgrade of cross-reference tables is continued as well, and the new version of Steel CrossRef downloadable software is released.

To reflect upgrades and improvements made in the last three months in the Key to Steel Web Database, new version of CD Edition --2003.7-- is released.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Low and High Temperature Thermomechanical Treatments
- The Strengthening of Iron and Steel, and
- From the History of Iron and Steel Making, a second BONUS article for you in this series, with photos from the 19^th century plant protected by UNESCO.

The Database is upgraded with new iron designations specified in US ASTM and Italian UNI standards. More than 500 new grades, with their chemical compositions, mechanical properties and cross-reference tables are added.

New set of welding filler materials specified by Australian standards is also inserted to the Database.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Hardenability Testing
- Austenitic Steels, and
- From the History of Iron and Steel Making: Part One.

Major upgrade of steels defined by Australian (AS) standards is made by updating mechanical properties and adding more than 500 completely new designations according to the new AS standard revisions.

Upgrade of cross-reference tables is continued by adding new tables, which cross-reference US ASTM, European (Euronorm), British and Japanese irons according to the recommendations made in recent standards.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Temper Embrittlement
- Properties of Maraging Steels.

More than 300 US ASTM tool and stainless steel designations are updated by adding new mechanical properties and heat treatment details.

Sequence of upgrades on European (EN) steels that have been performed during last three months is completed now by adding more than 400 new steel grades according to the last standard revisions.

Major upgrade of cross-reference tables is started by adding new tables, which relate US (AISI, SAE, ASME) and European steels according to the recommendations made in recent standards.

Synchronized with this upgrade, new version of Steel CrossRef software has been released, with new equivalent materials and features.

Also, to reflect developments and updates from Q1 2003, new version of Key to Steel CD Edition --2003.4-- have been released.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Silicon Steels and Their Applications
- High-Alloy Cast Steels.

Upgrade of steels defined by US ASTM standard started by updating steel designations and mechanical properties for more than 500 materials according to new standard revisions.

The similar update is made on European steels. Properties and details according to the completely new set of European specifications, covering welding filler materials (EU 133), shipbuilding steels (EU 156), alloyed cold work tool steels (EU 96), austenitic stainless steels (EN 10272), free cutting steels (EN 10087) etc., are added to the Database.

Moreover, new version of FREE PowerDemo download released, comprising new materials and features. To download it, FREE, simply click Free Download link.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Cast Carbon Steels
- Welding Ultra-High-Strength Steels.

More than 700 steel alloys defined according to ASME standards are added or updated, together with their chemical composition, mechanical properties and heat treatment.

Completely new set of cross-reference tables for irons is added, covering alloys specified in US ASTM, British BS and German DIN.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Welding of Stainless Steels
- Malleable cast iron.

More than 800 US ASME steel grades are added to the Database. Properties added include chemical composition, mechanical properties and heat treatment.

Completely new set of British (BS) specifications for iron also have been included.

New version of Key to Metals--Steel CD Edition is released. CD Edition version 2003.1 covers all the developments made in last several months.

Key to Steel Knowledge base is upgraded with two new articles:
- Charpy Impact Test for Metallic Materials
- Tensile Testing Of Metallic Materials.

Continuing the sequence of the Database updates with the information on cast iron grades worldwide, completely new set of cast irons defined according to French (NF) standards is added, and cross-referenced with the iron specifications from the other countries/standards.

More than 600 Italian (UNI) steel specifications are updated by adding new mechanical properties and heat treatment details.

New knowledge articles are addressing less-known high quality iron grades:
- High-Alloy White Irons
- Specifications for Ductile Iron.

European Euronorm (EN) alloys are again updated, with the set of new specifications for heat treatable and stainless steels.

New classification is developed for Italian (UNI) steels, and specifications and designations are updated.

Completely new set of Japanese (JIS) specifications for iron is added, and cross-referenced with equivalent iron designations from the other countries.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Hardenable Carbon Steels
- Hardenable Alloy Steels.

Focus of upgrading activities was on European Euronorm (EN) alloys. Besides updating the Database with new steel specifications, standards and classifications, more than 1000 new designations according to numerical system have been added for the first time.

Continuing upgrades of iron, new US ASTM specifications for iron are added, and cross-referenced with the iron alloys form the other countries.

Sequence of upgrades on British steels that have been performed during last three months is completed now, by adding new mechanical properties.

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Heat-Resisting Alloys
- Standard Terminology Related to Iron Castings.

New European (Euronorm, EN) specs for iron are added, and cross-referenced with German iron designations.

Update of British steels is continued, and new alloy specifications are cross-referenced with old British designations.

New Key to Metals -- Steel CD Edition 2002.9 is released.

To provide you more benefits and fast access to up-to-date information, we developed a new feature for our customers: direct downloading of CD Edition upgrades from the Web site www.key-to-steel.com

New articles in Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Quenched and Tempered Low-Alloy Steel
- Nodular Ductile Iron.

Completely new group of German (DIN and WN) standards for iron is introduced. Specifications added include gray cast iron, malleable cast iron, cast iron with graphite, austenitic cast iron, abrasion resisting alloyed cast iron.

Steels specified by BS are further upgraded.

Mechanical properties of German steels are updated (mainly elongation, ductility and impact resistance), as well as general properties for some alloys for special purposes.

And there are new features developed for you in Key to Metals -- Steel Web Edition software:
- conversion between metric (SI) and Anglo-Saxon measurement units, and
- searching by standard number and standard title (subgroup) in the Advanced Search module.

New articles prepared for you are:
- Gray Iron
- High-Strength Structural and HSLA Steels.

Upgrade of British (BS) steel specifications is continued.

German steels are upgraded as well, by adding mechanical properties data for precision steel tubes, low carbon steels for bolts, steel castings for general purposes and hot wrought products.

New articles prepared for you are:
- Processes Related to Welding
- Classification and Designation of Welding Filler Materials.

New version of Steel CrossRef downloadable software is released -- 2002.6.

Mechanical properties British (BS) steel are upgraded, by inserting new data sets.

German specifications (DIN and WN) are also upgraded, now not only with new classifications, but also by adding new mechanical properties data.

New articles prepared for you are:
- General Requirements for Rolled Steel for Structural Use
- Structural Steel for Ships.

To provide you better quality and permanent improvement of our products and services, we certified the quality of our company and development process according to the standard ISO 9001:2000.

Upgrades on the Database for this month include adding one completely new group of alloys -- welding filler materials specified by European (EN) standards.

Following the sequence of upgrades made in the last quarter, another update on German (DIN and WN) specifications is released.

Steel alloys specified by BS are updated as well.

New articles prepared for you are:
- The Welding Processes: Beam and Thermit Welding
- Soft Magnetic Alloys.

The third part of the update on German alloys is published. German specs are now further harmonized with up-to-date European standards.

Moreover, Japanese (JIS) steels are updated.

New version of Key to Metals--Steel CD Edition is released. Key to Metals--Steel CD Edition 2002.4 covers all the developments made in last several months.

New articles prepared for you are again addressing welding:
- Welding Procedures and the Fundamentals of Welding
- The Welding Processes: Resistance Welding

The second part of comprehensive update on German materials is released. Properties of more than 1100 alloys are updated.

New, large group of US AWS welding filler materials is introduced to the Database for the first time.

Also, update is made on Norwegian (NS) specifications.

New articles prepared for you are addressing welding:
- Welding Process
- Filler Metals for Welding: Part 1 (Subscribers only)
- Filler Metals for Welding: Part 2.

New credit card payment system is launched. Now you can order Key to Steel directly and easy, in a fast and secure way. Click www.key-to-steel.com/OrderCC.asp for more details.

The first part of comprehensive updating activity on German materials is published. Properties of more than 800 alloys --both according to alphanumeric and numeric designation system-- are upgraded and harmonized with recent standards.

French (AFNOR) steel specifications are also further upgraded with properties on elevated temperatures.

New articles added for you to the Knowledge Base are:
- Welding of Steels
- Austenitic Manganese Steels
- ASTM Standards for Steel Plates (for subscribers only).

A large number of French (AFNOR) steel specifications are updated. New materials, chemical compositions and mechanical properties are added as well, most of them in accordance with Euronorm standards.

New articles added for you to the Knowledge Base are:
- Cast Stainless Steels
- Fracture Toughness of High-Strength Steels.

Euronorm (EN) steel specifications are updated by adding new steel grades, standards and properties, including properties on elevated temperatures.

Austrian (ONORM) steel specs have also been updated.

Continuing a new series of knowledge articles about steel classifications and applications, new articles added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Classification of Stainless Steels
- Designation of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels.

From now on, you will be able to download FULLY FUNCTIONAL version of Key to Steel CD software -- FREE of charge.

New PowerDemo download has all functions of full-featured Key to Steel CD Edition, and it is operating on a SUBSET of complete Key to Steel database. Subset consists of more than 300 materials from EU, France, Germany (DIN, WN), Italy, Japan, UK, Russia, and USA (AISI, ASTM, UNS), with their chemical composition, properties and cross reference tables.

Moreover, Key to Steel Database itself is upgraded with application guidelines for more than 600 German steels.

New series of knowledge articles about steel classifications and applications is started. We think this will be particularly useful for you, since knowing steel classifications is essential for proper design, material selection, application, fabrication, assembling and maintenance.

New articles added to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Classification of Carbon and Low-Carbon Steels
- Classification of Cast Iron.

The most important development is new design of Key to Steel Web site and database, that we prepared for you few months. Besides new design, interface of the Web site is optimized to provide you faster and more efficient access to the Database. Database itself is also internally restructured, to enable further enlargements.

Properties on elevated temperatures for French (AFNOR) steels have been added to the Database.

New articles added to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- Steels for Cryogenic and Low-Temperature Service
- Corrosion of carbon steel.

Upgrade of French (AFNOR) steels is continued by adding mechanical properties for more than 200 steels.

Description of British (BS) steels is further enriched with the properties on elevated temperatures.

New articles added to Key to Steel Knowledge Base are:
- High-strength Steels for Aerospace Forgings
- Corrosion Resistance of Ferritic Stainless Steels.

Major upgrade of French (AFNOR-NF) steels is started by adding more than 400 new alloys.

Mechanical properties for more than 200 British (BS) steels are added.

Two new articles about heat treatment are added to the Knowledge Base:
- Heat Treatment of Hot-Work Steels
- Heat Treatment of High-Speed Steels

Major upgrade of British (BS) steels is continued by adding more than 300 completely new specifications.

Key to Steel Database is further extended with a new aspect -- heat treatment details for Russian steels are included to the Database.

Three new articles are added to Key to Steel Knowledge Base, discussing heat treatment of tool steels:
- Hardening and Tempering of Tool Steels
- Heat Treatment of Low-Alloy Cold-Work Tool Steels
- Heat Treatment of Low-Alloy Cold-Work and Hot-Work Steels.

Key to Steel Database is further enriched for you with a new aspect -- heat treatment details for more than 250 ASTM and UNS alloys.

Major upgrade of British (BS) steels is started by adding mechanical properties for 500+ alloys.

New articles are added for you to Key to Steel Knowledge Base:
- Effects on the Martensite, Pearlite and Bainite Formation,
- Influence of Alloying Elements on Steel Microstructure
- Heat-treatment of High Carbon Steel Wire - Patenting.

Key to Steel Database upgrade in May was focused on the US steels. About 600 UNS steel designations have been added to the Database. Also, a new aspect has been included -- heat treatment details for more than 300 ASTM steels.

Another upgrade is performed on cross-reference tables, and now they contain more than 12 000 steel alloys.

New version of Key to Steel CD Edition is released -- 2001.5, as well as new version of the Steel CrossRef software.

To provide you even more detailed steel cross-reference tables, major upgrade on them has been done in April. More than 2.000 new materials are included tables of equivalents, while several hundreds of tables have been updated.

Specifications update was again concentrated on US steels, with more than 500 new UNS steel designations.

New group of articles is introduced to the Knowledge Base --Fracture Mechanics-- starting with 3 new articles: Fracture, Fracture Mechanics and Mechanical Toughness.

250+ new specifications for US steels (150 ASTM and 100 AISI) have been added to Database.

Bulgarian (BDS) specifications are updated.

Upgrade on cross-reference tables was done as well, as an introduction for major upgrade.

Moreover, 3 new articles that cover new views on Stress-Strain relations are added to the Knowledge Base: Engineering Stress-strain Curve, Resilience and True Stress - True Strain Curve.

New feature is implemented in Key to Steel -- enhanced system for searching Knowledge Base of articles and white papers. New system gives you an opportunity to search articles by title, abstract, key words and by phrase (full text search).

In February, major upgrade has been completed on UNS steels. More than 200 materials has been added to the Database.

Chinese (GB), Polish (PN), Hungarian (MSZ) and British (B.S.) specifications are upgraded.

More than 250 equivalent tables with more than 2.000 materials have also been updated.

Major upgrade on ASTM steels. More than 800 materials are added and another 500 updated.

Moreover, there are 4 new articles on ASTM standards for you, describing specifications for steel plates, wires, forgings, castings and tubes.

Austrian (ONORM) and Norwegian (NS) specifications are upgraded.

Key to Steel is strengthening connections and goes toward close cooperation with AnySteel, leading steel trade platform on the Internet. Synergy of global trade platform and the world's most comprehensive steel database gives a clear benefits for you.

More than 300 new US UNS material specifications have been added to Database.

On European steels, major upgrade have been completed on French (AFNOR) materials: more than 1.000 are updated.

New articles are added to Key to Steel Knowledge base -- Relation between Carbon structure and mechanical properties and High-strength Iron.

New, unique product of Key to Steel family is launched.
Steel CrossRef gives you tables of equivalent materials for 11.000+
steel alloys, from more than 30 countries and standards.

Heat treatment data are added for another 400 German (WN) materials.

New articles are added to Key to Steel Knowledge base -- Table of European standards for testing ferrous materials and Cast Iron.

Cross-reference tables are updated for Euronorm steels.

To provide you more complete picture of steel materials, we included another completely new aspect into Key to Steel Database: heat treatment. We are starting with heat treatment data for more than 400 German materials.

New article is added to Key to Steel Knowledge base -- Table of European standards for metalic materials.

About 300 European steel specifications are updated.

More than 900 European (Euronorm -- EN) steel specifications are added or upgraded.

Cross-reference tables are upgraded with US steels. More than 2.000 AISI/SAE/UNS/ASTM/AMS materials are added to cross-reference tables. Now you are getting even more powerful search capabilities for equivalent materials worldwide.

Knowledge base is upgraded with three new articles about heat treatment, TTT curves and trengthening mechanisms in alloy steels.

More than 500 US AMS steel specifications have been added to Database. The world's most comprehensive steel database Key to Steel is now on your service with more than 18000 steel materials.

Fatigue properties for SAE steels have been included.

Knowledge base is upgraded with two new articles about heat treatment and annealing of steels and casts.

New data from more than 500 US ASTM steel specifications are added to Database.

Fatigue properties for more than 50 German steels have been included.

Key to Steel knowledge base is upgraded with two new articles about alloy and tool steels, and article about applications of alloy steels was updated.

More than 800 US AISI steel specifications are added or upgraded.

Properties on elevated temperatures for more than 200 German steels have been added.

Key to Steel knowledge base is launched. Knowledge base will include selected articles about the properties, application and fabrication of steel alloys.

Key to Steel Database was updated with US UNS steels -- more than 500 new materials are added.

Properties on elevated temperatures for more than 150 Italian steels have been added.

New Key to Steel CD-ROM Edition is released -- Version 2000.5.

Update on US SAE steels -- more than 500 new materials are added to Key to Steel Database.

Also, properties on elevated temperatures for more than 100 Russian steels have been added.

Another completely new aspect is included into Key to Steel Database: fatigue properties. We are starting with fatigue data for more than 50 German materials. Since those alloys are cross-referenced with the materials from the other countries, now you are getting precious data for estimating fatigue behavior.

Major update on cross-reference tables. More than 5.000 new materials from 18 countries are added to cross-reference tables. Other 3.000 steel materials are upgraded. Now you have even more opportunities to search and compare equivalent materials worldwide.

A new set of standards is introduced in Key to Steel Database: API specifications.

Completely new aspect is included in Key to Steel Database: properties on elevated temperatures. Properties of more than 400 DIN and Werkstoff materials have been added.

Key to Steel Database update in February was focused on Italian and Canadian steel alloys. Major update for these two countries was mainly concentrated on mechanical properties of the materials. And more than 400 new materials have been added.

Already the world's most comprehensive steel database, Key to Steel is now on your service with more than 16000 steel materials.

Major update on Japanese steels. Another Eastern European country is included in Key to Steel database -- Yugoslavia.

New Key to Steel CD-ROM Edition is released -- Version 2000.1.

Major update on German steels -- more than 1.000 new materials are added. Now there is more than 15000 steel alloys in Key to Steel database.

Steel materials from another Eastern European country are added to Key to Steel database -- Romania.

New design of Key to Steel Web site is launched.

The most important new features are new powerful Key to Steel Demo, FREE CrossRef Software download and a special gift for Key to Steel Subscribers.

Key to Steel CD-ROM Edition is released. Now you can have best of both worlds: synergy of on-line (World Wide Web) and off-line database (CD-ROM) and save time and money.

Cross reference tables for Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Norway and Switzerland were significantly updated.

One completely new country is introduced -- Bulgaria, as 22^nd country in Key to Steel database.

Major Key to Steel database update. Info about more than 1000 major steel producers and suppliers are included in Key to Steel database, together with software for suppliers searching and retrieving.

Hungarian steels are included in Key to Steel database.
US steels are updated.

Austria is added as 20^th country to the Key to Steel database.

US and German steels are updated, as well as cross-reference tables of materials.

Number of steel materials in the database passed 12000 mark.

Another 2 countries are added to database: Belgium and Norway.

Key to Steel becomes commercially available!

Key to Steel Beta 2 started.

Database consists of more than 10000 materials, and 3 more countries are added: Australia, Canada and Finland.

Database consists of more than 9 000 steel materials
from 14 countries, including EU's Euronorm: China, Czech Republic, European Union, France, Germany (DIN/WN), Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA (AISI/ASME/ASTM/SAE).