ASM手册系列中关于热处理的内容正在扩展到几卷，ASM手册第4A卷《钢热处理基础与工艺》是关于热处理的多卷中的第一卷。第4A卷介绍了钢热处理的基础知识，并深入介绍了许多钢热处理工艺。涵盖范围包括:钢热处理的物理冶金钢硬度和淬透性的基本原理淬透性的实际方面作为选择钢淬透性计算和使用淬透性数据的关键标准淬火的基本原理和实际方面淬火工艺的扩展范围退火、回火、，等温淬火和马氏体淬火关于钢热处理的清洁、亚临界退火、奥氏体化和淬火分配的新文章通过施加能量、渗碳、碳氮共渗、渗氮和扩散涂层对表面硬化的基本和应用方面进行了重大扩展。

Coverage on heat treating in the ASM Handbook series is being expanded into several volumes, and ASM Handbook, Volume 4A,Steel Heat Treating Fundamentals and Processesis the first of multiple volumes on heat treating. Volume 4A interoduces the basics of steel heat treating and provides in-depth coverage of the many steel heat treating processes. Coverage includes:Physical metallurgy of steel heat treatmentFundamentals of steel hardness and hardenabilityPractical aspects of hardenability as a key criterion in the selection of steelHardenability calculations and the use of hardenability dataFundamentals and practical aspects of steel quenchingExpanded coverage on quenching processesUpdates and expansion on annealing, tempering, austempering and martemperingNew articles on cleaning, subcritical annealing, austenitizing, and quench partitioning of steel heat treatmentSignificant expansion on the fundamental and applied aspects of surface hardening by applied energy, carburizing, carbonitriding, nitriding, and diffusion coatings.