Innovative Forming Processes and Advanced Material Behavior

Robertt Valente, Reza Kebriaei, Matteo Strano, Maxim Zapara

In the last decades, higher demands for flexible and economic forming processes were only met by means of innovative manufacturing processes and systems. These manufacturing processes are commonly based on new aspects or approaches to conventional manufacturing, or even on totally new “out-of-the-box” solutions. Related to any technological breakthrough, there is also an intimate need for their fundamental knowledge, for new design guidelines and, as a consequence, for new numerical formulations and strategies. These can involve both conventional formulations (e.g. based on large strain deformations, anisotropic material models, damage and fracture models, heat treatments, contact modeling and geometrical optimizations) and more advanced and complex approaches (multi-physics, micro- macro modeling, porous materials, integrated optimization strategies, etc.).

Within this environment, the present mini-symposium proposal focuses on innovative forming processes and advanced material behavior. It aims to exchange scientific information (numerical and experimental) concerning non-conventional and alternative forming processes, with emphasis on new research and achievements towards the description, analysis, optimization and material characterization for new classes of forming technologies for engineering materials (metals, powder or porous materials, polymeric, composites).

Therefore, we welcome all those developments in the field of numerical modeling and experimental setup that can potentially be applied to the simulation of innovative and non-conventional forming processes. Authors are encouraged to submit their contributions related to the latest achievements in innovative hot or cold forming processes: micro-forming, electro-magnetic forming, “sheet-bulk” forming, welding by forming, ring rolling, hydroforming, roll forming, incremental forming, etc., and their variants. The approach can be experimental or based on numerical modeling and algorithm development.