News

On Friday, 12 December 2025, students enrolled in the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and attending the course Processi Metallurgici e Innovazione di Prodotto (taught by Prof. Mattia Merlin) visited Fonderia S. Possidonio Srl in San Possidonio (Modena, Italy). Part of the Mazzucconi Group, the foundry is a leading producer of aluminum alloy castings for the automotive sector, manufactured using low-pressure die casting technology.

During the visit, the students had the opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the plant, directly observe the typical activities of an aluminum foundry, and further explore many of the topics covered during the course lectures. In particular, they were able to visit the production lines for engine blocks and structural chassis components supplied to well-known and prestigious European automotive brands.

Starting from the melting and alloy preparation stages, the tour made it possible to follow the entire production cycle, including skimming operations, mold filling, casting extraction, shakeout, machining, radiographic inspection, and heat treatment of the castings.

The students would like to thank the Plant Director, Eng. Roberto Spagnolo, for his kind hospitality. Special thanks also go to Eng. Federico Bin, former research fellow of the Ferrara Metallurgy Group, and to Eng. Michele Digiesi, for their professionalism and availability throughout the visit.

On Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the students of the Processi Metallurgici ed Innovazione di Prodotto course of the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and of the Controllo Qualità dei Materiali course of the Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Technologies for the Digital Industry had the opportunity to visit the ASFO plant in Villamarzana (RO), part of the FOMAS Group.

The visit aimed to show the students several massive plastic deformation operations, providing a comprehensive overview of the production chain of forged rings, ASFO’s characteristic product. Accompanied by Prof. Mattia Merlin, Eng. Chiara Soffritti and Eng. Davide Maghini, the students were able to closely observe the ingot-cutting department, the traditional forging operations used to produce hollow preforms, the rolling of several rings, and the heat treatment area. The students also had the opportunity to see first-hand the mechanical machining processes carried out after hot working, as well as the non-destructive testing techniques adopted by ASFO for the inspection of its products.

The day concluded with a discussion session during which students were able to speak with company staff, ask questions, and explore technical aspects related to the processes they had observed. Representing the company were Francesca Bonfanti (Head of the R&D Department of the FOMAS Group), Mattia Diamanti (Quality Aerospace Team Leader), Mauro Farina (HSE Specialist), Mattia Targa (Quality Assurance Team Leader), and Oscar Amato (R&D Engineer), who guided the group through the various stages of the visit.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group would like to express its sincere gratitude to the FOMAS Group, and particularly to ASFO, for the warm hospitality and the willingness shown in facilitating a direct meeting between students and the industrial world. A special thank-you goes to all staff members who actively contributed to the organisation of the visit, which was welcomed positively and with great enthusiasm by the students. 

On Thursday, 7 November 2025, the students of the course in Processi Metallurgici ed Innovazione di Prodotto of the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering had the opportunity to visit the NLMK Verona steel plant in Vallese (VR).

The purpose of the visit was to show the students some of the main steelmaking processes involved in the production of steel, from the selection of scrap and its melting to the refining of the liquid alloy in order to obtain the desired chemical composition. The students, accompanied by Prof. Mattia Merlin and PhD student Eng. Davide Maghini, were able to witness firsthand the charging and melting of scrap in the electric arc furnace and also attended the hot rolling of a steel semi-finished product to produce plates starting from slabs manufactured by continuous casting. The day concluded with a visit to the plant dedicated to heat treatments, which are essential to confer the desired microstructural features and mechanical properties to the material.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group would like to warmly thank the staff of NLMK Verona for their kind hospitality. Special thanks are due to Mitia Sasso, Matteo Moi, Corrado Giuliani and Elisa Anselmi, who made the visit possible and were very positively received by the students. The Ferrara Metallurgy Group continues to be committed to creating a strong connection with the industrial world, with the aim of bringing students closer to companies involved in the production and processing of metallic products for various engineering sectors and beyond. 

We are pleased to announce that two of our young researchers, Michele Gragnanini and Lorenzo Antonioli, who have already contributed with commitment and passion to our scientific activities, officially began their PhD programs on 1 November 2025. This milestone represents not only recognition of the work they have done so far, but also a significant step toward new challenges and research objectives that strengthen our mission of innovation in the field of metallurgy.

Michele Gragnanini will focus his research on the tribological behavior of metal alloys produced via additive manufacturing, with particular attention to the effects of surface treatments and functional coatings. The goal is to understand how to improve wear resistance and friction performance, enhancing the reliability of 3D-printed metal components and promoting their use in advanced industrial applications.

Lorenzo Antonioli will study secondary aluminum alloys, aiming to improve their recyclability and mechanical performance, developing more sustainable solutions for the foundry industry and supporting a transition toward more circular, low-impact processes.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group is proud to support them in this new phase of their academic and professional growth. Their presence represents a fundamental value for our research team and the entire university, contributing to strengthening research and innovation in the field of metallurgy.

On October 31 2025, the Dipartimento di Ingegneria Enzo Ferrari in Modena hosted the conference “Le automobili da competizione FIAT e Alfa Romeo”, organized by ASI – Automotoclub Storico Italiano in collaboration with the Dipartimento di Ingegneria of the Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia and the Dipartimento di Ingegneria of the Università di Ferrara. The event retraced the sporting achievements and speed records of FIAT and Alfa Romeo in the early twentieth century, before the rise of Maserati and Ferrari. The presentation of several historical cars offered an opportunity to reflect on how the technology of that time was interpreted to achieve extreme performance.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group took part in the initiative through the contribution of Professor Gianluca Garagnani, president of the Centro di studi sulla corrosione e metallurgia Aldo Daccò in Ferrara. For many years, the group has been actively involved in organizing study days and events dedicated to enhancing the cultural heritage linked to historical vehicles, with particular focus on the evolution of metallic materials and metallurgical characterization techniques applied to classic car development.

The event brought together experts, academics, and automotive engineering enthusiasts, emphasizing the role of university research in preserving the technical memory of Italian motorsport. This initiative once again confirms the shared commitment of ASI, Unimore, and Unife in promoting the scientific and historical culture of mechanics and materials.

On 21 October we had the pleasure of hosting Eng. Laura Kukuk, of Kukuk Engineers, internationally recognized for her expertise in technical authentication and vintage car evaluation. The meeting opened a constructive dialogue between scientific research and the preservation of automotive heritage, with the aim of exploring future collaboration opportunities.

The discussion focused on the role of metallurgy as a tool to investigate not only materials, but also the manufacturing processes and construction technologies of a given era. Metallurgical analysis can help identify inconsistencies between alloys, machining techniques, and heat treatments compared to the declared historical period, support truly conservative restoration practices, and strengthen authenticity assessments.

A key open challenge also emerged: to what extent can material analysis distinguish an original component from a modern reproduction manufactured using techniques and compositions that closely replicate historical ones? The meeting reaffirmed that the answer cannot rely on analytical evidence alone—reliable authentication requires the integration of materials science, industrial history, technical documentation, and the critical interpretation of manufacturing and wear traces.

To better outline future developments, some aspects would benefit from deeper insight. Which analytical techniques were considered most relevant? Were any specific case studies discussed? And above all, which form of collaboration is taking shape most clearly—joint research, authentication protocols, certification support, or shared projects?

The meeting highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and opened concrete перспективes for a structured dialogue between materials engineering and the safeguarding of automotive heritage. With further details, it will be possible to outline even more effectively the next steps of this promising collaboration.