The aim of this mini-symposium is to discuss the optimisation, capabilities and development within Additive Manufacturing. The pre-process, in-situ process, and post process aspects of additive manufacturing are important to characterise and understand well how these impact on the final produced part properties. Experimental, fundamental modelling and data analytic developments in relation to additive manufacturing are considered within this mini-symposium. Characterisation of aspects of additive manufacturing production quality will be discussed within this mini-symposium.

High-level applications of composite materials at affordable development and manufacturing costs create significant demand for scientific knowledge and computational tools for composite manufacturing. The mechanical behavior of composite parts in service is dominated by fiber orientation and density, which in turn, are determined by the forming process. Hence, predicting in-service performance requires full understanding and, preferably, prediction of the complex material behavior during manufacturing. Since 2001, an annual “Composite forming processes” mini symposium gathers researchers from Europe, and also from USA, Asia and Australia, who present their works and exchange ideas in the field of composites forming. The ESAFORM conference became a privileged place for this subject. Experimental and numerical “benchmarks” are set up and discussed within the composites forming mini symposia. The topics of the sessions concern: Material characterization; Constitutive laws; Contact and friction; Forming simulations; Multiscale analyses; Textile forming, Thermoforming; Resin injection; Compression Molding; Fiber suspensions; Natural fibers; Additive manufacturing of composites; Benchmark efforts.

Contributions that cover all aspects of the technologies of extrusion and wire/bar drawing of metals are welcome to this mini-symposium. Papers could cover (but not limited to) aspects like: experimental and theoretical work on the mechanics and the metallurgical aspects of the technologies, all type of metals and alloys, process variants, FE-analysis based paper with experimental validation to calculate and foresee forming parameters as well as process defects or the resulting microstructure and the mechanical properties of the products. Analysis of defect onset, process windows, and process optimization, as well as technological or product testing, are topics related to this mini-symposium.

Topics covered by this mini-symposium include but are not limited to: Development of new and optimization of existing forming and rolling processes; Mathematical description and parameterisation of flow, damage and fracture behaviour of new workpiece and tool materials; Mathematical description and parameterisation of friction, heat transfer and wear in forging and rolling; Development of numerical methods, formulations and algorithms for simulation of forging and rolling processes; Validation of simulation models on industrial examples; Computer-aided process control. Furthermore, the results of the Collaborative Research Center 1153 on Tailored Forming are presented.

The aim of this mini-symposium is to discuss the formability of metallic materials. Namely, their ability to undergo plastic deformation and result in products with minimum damage and defects. Limiting mechanisms are not restricted to plastic flow localization, fracture and spring back, which are only a few examples under consideration. Contributions based on experimental, theoretical and numerical approaches and leading to a better understanding of the relationship between material properties, mechanical and thermal loading, and other environmental constraints on the formability of metallic materials are encouraged.

In metal forming, relative motion of the tool and workpiece during production makes friction, lubrication and wear phenomena (tribology) of the utmost importance. On that account, for optimum process design, improving formability and enhancing tool life, a better understanding of tribology and an accurate prediction of friction/wear in forming processes are necessary. In this mini-symposium, different aspects of tribology in cold/hot sheet metal forming, forging and rolling will be discussed. The topics that will be covered in this mini-symposium in particular are: modelling of friction, lubrication and wear; tribological characterization methods; surface engineering and control of friction/wear in cold/hot forming processes.

This mini-symposium focuses on contributions that detail new developments and enhance the understanding of incremental and sheet material forming processes. The topics of interest include (but are not limited to) novel process designs, in-process measurement techniques, innovative tooling, methods for the analysis and modelling of friction phenomena and methods for the optimization, robust design and control of incremental and sheet forming processes. It is expected to address the following topics related to incremental forming and sheet material forming:
• Development of novel incremental forming strategies
• Hybrid processes combining sheet forming with additive or subtractive manufacturing
• Advanced forming techniques for lightweight alloys, composites, and high-strength steels
• Flexible forming systems for customized or low-volume production
• Adaptive, modular, and reconfigurable tooling for flexible forming
• Design and materials for forming tools to improve life and surface finish
• Multi-axis machine kinematics and robotic forming platforms
• Cooling, lubrication, and surface engineering for tooling performance
• Finite element models for incremental and sheet forming processes
• Multi-physics simulations including thermo-mechanical and tribological effects
• Use of AI/ML in predictive modeling and defect detection
• Digital twins and virtual commissioning of forming lines
• Multi-objective optimization for formability, accuracy, and cost
• Statistical and machine learning approaches for robust process design
• Real-time feedback control and adaptive process adjustment

The main topics of the mini-symposium are: mechanical fastening operations (clinching, riveting and so on); friction welding; friction stir welding and friction stir spot welding; hybrid joining processes; innovative joining processes (also using adhesives) including forming or pre-forming of the materials to be joined; computational methods for joining simulation of processes; applications of inverse analysis to material characterization in joining conditions; part integrity (prediction of residual stresses, distortions ecc); innovative measurement methods and devices to detect relevant variables in joining by forming (temperatures, pressures, vibrations, wear ….)

Results for the simplest material tests and the most complex materials forming processes often depend on complex and unknown physical models and on inherent variability of design variables. The sensitivity of results to material and process variables can be used to determine unknown variables from known results (inverse analysis and parameter estimation) as well as to determine variable settings to achieve optimal results. Numerical methods for process optimization and for solving inverse problems are being intensely and continuously developed, as the reliability and the computational efficiency of simulation software is reaching unprecedented frontiers, particularly when AI technology is applied. Innovation in this field of research, applied to all materials forming engineering disciplines, is of utmost importance for ESAFORM conference.

In this mini-symposium academic as well as engineering contributions are welcome. Items from both numerical and experimental standpoints that fall within the scope of this mini-symposium are listed as follows. Contributions on the following subjects are welcomed:

METHODS FOR METAMODELING, DIGITAL TWINS, CONTROL AND OPTIMIZATION OF FORMING PROCESSES:
• shape and topological optimization;
• optimization of manufacturing processes and machines;
• process control and digital twins;
• new metamodeling techniques;
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning and other data-driven approaches.

INVERSE ANALYSIS, CALIBRATION AND MODEL DISCOVERY:
• identification of constitutive, friction, heat transfer or damage parameters;
• identification of boundary conditions or unknown process conditions;
• design of experimental procedures, specimens and measurement techniques for inverse analysis;
• numerical methods and algorithms for inverse analysis;
• Model discovery, including data-driven models, selection and identification.
Stochastic approaches:
• reliability assessment;
• robust design;
• optimisation under uncertainty.

The mini-symposium on Machining, Cutting, Blanking, and Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) Processes will address a broad spectrum of topics central to advanced manufacturing and material processing. It will focus on both experimental and numerical investigations aimed at enhancing the understanding of machining and SPD mechanisms. Particular emphasis will be placed on accurate material characterization and the formulation of robust constitutive models to predict material behavior under extreme deformation conditions such it occurs in machining, cutting and blanking. The symposium will also explore stress distribution in SPD techniques such as burnishing and stir processing, assessing their impact on mechanical performance. Critical aspects such as tool wear, frictional phenomena, and fracture mechanisms will also be examined. Additionally, the symposium will cover surface integrity, with attention to residual stress prediction, surface roughness, hardness, and microstructural transformations. Lastly, innovative cooling and lubrication techniques—including near-dry machining, Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL), and cryogenic methods—will be highlighted for their role in improving machinability, workability, and product performance.

Issued from an academic, a research institution or an industry, any contribution focused on material behaviour modelling from phenomenological macroscopic laws to plasticity, DDD, MD approaches is welcome.

CONSTITUTIVE MODELLING FOR ANY MATERIAL: metals like Al, steel, Ti, Mg… but also glass, wood, food, textile, composite… generic or dedicated models covering complex loading paths, high strain rates, high temperatures, cyclic loading, etc.

APPROACHES BRIDGING THE SCALES: from atomistic to macroscopic scale, mechanism explanations of formability, hardening, rate sensitivity, anisotropy, toughness, phase transformation, etc.

FRACTURE PREDICTION: by continuum damage mechanics, fracture criteria, crack propagation etc. EXPERIMENTS AND MODELS: experimental procedure of identification of model parameters, or physical mechanisms experimental method applied for model validation (both model and experiments should be described).

This MS covers all aspects related to advanced and non-conventional modeling and simulation of forming processes, including the application of machine learning and AI techniques.
By that, we consider developments in the field of numerical simulation that can eventually and potentially be applied to the simulation of any forming process. Among these, the following non-exclusive list of topics is considered:
– Advances in Finite Element Technology and their applications
– Meshless and mesh-free methods
– AI-based computing
– Advanced shell methodologies, solid/shell formulations
– Numerical techniques for challenging processes (3D priting, FSW, LFW, …)
– Speeding up simulations (parallel computing, model order reduction, AI, …)
– Data-driven simulation and control of forming processes
- Hybrid modeling approaches, combining data-driven and numerical approaches
This year, we encourage particularly submissions in the following challenging fields:
1 – Computer-aided technology design
2 – Simulation-based real-time control
3 – AI-based material and process models
4 – Supercomputing (GPUs, …) and deployed systems
5 – Virtual and augmented reality solutions
6 – Alleviating mesh constraints (anisotropic meshes, advanced remeshing, meshless, …)
7 – Data-driven simulations and hybrid approaches.

The main topics of this mini-symposium are electrochemical and electro-physical machining processes, including electrical discharge machining (EDM), precision / electrochemical machining (ECM / PECM), electromagnetic forming (EMF), electrohydraulic forming (EHF), materials processing by plasma, electron beam or laser beam. Our MS ranges from surface engineering to joining, forming, subtractive and additive manufacturing, single point forming for polymers or composites, or creep age forming. Historically, starting from some innovative processes included in this MS, new symposia were created. To maintain this characteristic of individuating new processes of scientific interest, the papers regarding innovative processes or forming processes of non-conventional materials (innovative materials or hybrid structures) will be considered in this MS too.

The aim of this symposium is to bring together specialists from academia and industry dealing with modelling and experimental analysis of polymer processing and induced properties. This MS extends from thermo-chemo-mechanical characterization of polymers to coupled transfers in processes, in particular heat transfer in moulded parts, tools and interfaces. The main topics of the mini symposium are: Thermomechanical modelling and optimization of polymers processes. New challenges for characterization and modelling of thermo-chemo-physical properties in homogeneous and heterogeneous media; Heat transfer phenomena in moulds/tools associated with polymers processes; Specific thermal metrology applied to polymers processing.

Reducing anthropogenic environmental impact is an urgent issue to deal with. Technological innovation is needed in all the economic sectors in order to replace current practices with environmentally friendly alternatives. Scientists have to make a research effort to decouple the economic growth from the resource consumption. Reducing the environmental impact of Manufacturing and more in general putting in place the strategies of the Circular Economy (CE) paradigm are some of the most important targets to deal with. Manufacturing scientists are called to innovate the manufacturing processes as well as to find new processes suitable for End-of-Life components reuse. The symposium will be a platform for stimulating the scientific debate about environmental sustainability of forming processes. The mini-symposium welcomes papers dealing with both the environmental impact analysis of forming processes as well as their role as CE enablers. Energy and resource efficiency of forming processes, LCA analyses of formed component/products, forming processes as Recycling/Remanufacturing/ Reuses strategies, Industrial Symbiosis practices involving forming processes, are some of the topics that will be discussed within the mini-symposium.

This MS targets the following aspects.

• Novel casting techniques, including, for instance, semisolid and thixocasting, vacuum-assisted, counter-gravity and single crystal casting methods. In addition, low-energy melting techniques and the use of recycled materials in novel or established casting methods are of interest.
• Numerical (computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and solidification simulation) as well experimental approaches to enhance casting quality, focusing typically on solidification dynamics, microstructure
control, reduction of shrinkage porosity, melt cleanliness. Of interest are alloy modification, optimized mold and gating design, cooling rates etc. • Process control, leveraging real-time monitoring and digital twins and integrating advanced sensors, coupled with data analytics and machine learning.
• Sustainability assessment of casting technologies, environmental impact assessment, waste minimisation, circular economy initiatives, resource efficiency strategies, lean in foundries etc.