Alloy Digest was first published in 1952 to provide detailed information on commercially available metals and alloys. It publishes digests on commercially available engineering materials (ferrous and nonferrous metals and alloys and since March 1989 has added data sheets covering ceramics, plastics, and composites). The digests provide information such as composition or chemical characterization, physical and mechanical properties, heat treatment, machinability, workability (or castability for castings and processability for the nonmetallic materials), joinability, corrosion resistance, cleaning and pickling, specification equivalents, general characteristics, forms available, applications and manufacturer or distributor. A number of these items are not applicable to some materials and in those instances, Alloy Digest provides the most useful information possible. Alloy Digest covers a wide range of metals and alloys (from platinum to cast irons) and nonmetallic engineering materials. Note: Some of the older alloys are no longer available commercially because of lack of demand. Others may have undergone a change in name and/or number or the manufacturer may be different as a result of a merger or acquisition. Alloy Digest revisions are periodically issued to update such information.

The names of materials most frequently used in Alloy Digest are manufacturers' tradenames. Also used are the alloy numbers of trade associations and technical societies such as AISI, SAE, ASTM, Aluminum Association, Copper Development Association, Titanium Alloy Development Association and numbers of the Unified Numbering System (UNS) sponsored by ASTM and SAE. Less frequently used are names associated with composition or end use. This multiplicity of names often results in several digests on the same alloy. This affords a cross referencing potential that has made Alloy Digest highly popular with many subscribers who have a tradename or other designation and want to find information on the material.

Alloy Digest is designed for use by anyone who produces, sells, buys, or uses metals, alloys, plastics, composites and ceramics in a wide range of activities such as sales, technical service, purchasing, designing, engineering, teaching, development, research, and information retrieval.