This monograph written by two Chinese scientists of the younger
generation opens a window into the world of thoughts on Mechanical
Metallurgy in this fascinating area of our world, characterized by age
old cultural heritage as weil as by its dynamic evolution into the
future. Based on notions and names all so familiar to the western
scientist, and regarding the subject from the point of view of the
theoretical mechanical engineer (Yang) as weil as that of the materials
and manufacturing engineer (Lee), the authors present a synthesis of
both approaches and endeavour to guide the reader from basic theory to
engineering applications. Between structural defects in the micrometer
scale and the meter-measures of engineering components, the term of
mesoplasticity is meant to place the reader right in the center: This is
certainly achallenging enterprise, and the editor expresses his sincere
wishes as to enrichment and stimulation which will emanate from this
interesting book and its creative perspective. Prof. B. Ilschner March,
1993. Preface In the past two decades, enormous advances in materials
and manufacturing tech- nology have been achieved, which upgrade the
material design, processing and precision manufacturing as quantitative
and concise scientific disciplines. Rapid improvements on mechanics
understanding have been instrumental in the above- mentioned
development. A topic of great interest and importance in plasticity re-
search has been the design and processing of materials themselves on the
mesoscale to achieve the desired macroscopic properties.