News

On Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 January 2026, Prof. Mattia Merlin participated as a speaker at the Additive Metallurgy Workshop, organized by the Italian Association of Metallurgy (AIM) at the Bovisa Campus of the Politecnico di Milano.

The event was dedicated to presenting the most recent developments in powder metallurgy and metal additive manufacturing, with the aim of providing an up-to-date overview of the main innovations along the entire value chain, highlighting both research advancements and industrial applications. The program covered a wide range of topics, from the production and characterization of metal powders to additive manufacturing processes, as well as post-processing, finishing technologies, and methods for improving mechanical properties. Significant attention was also devoted to numerical modeling of materials and processes, the development of innovative alloys, and solutions for advanced applications in the biomedical, aerospace, energy, and tooling sectors.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group actively contributed to the workshop through Prof. Merlin’s presentation entitled “Combined Effect of HIP and Shot Peening on Microstructure and Fatigue Behavior of L-PBF AISI 316L Stainless Steel", within the departmental project FIRD 2024. The aim of the project is to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties—particularly rotating bending fatigue strength—of AISI 316L stainless steel produced by L-PBF technology, evaluating the individual and combined effects of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) and shot peening, treatments designed to improve the material’s fatigue performance.

The Ferrara Metallurgy Group took part in UNIFE Orienta 2026, the university orientation event promoted by the University of Ferrara, which took place from January 20 to 22, 2026 at Ferrara Fiere Congressi. The group was actively involved throughout all three days of the event, contributing to orientation activities aimed at high school students interested in learning more about university education, research, and academic opportunities offered by the University.

At our stand, participants were invited to engage in an interactive activity focused on optical microscopy, challenging themselves with a microstructure identification quiz. By observing optical micrographs, students were able to explore the fundamentals of materials science and metallurgy, gaining insight into how microstructures influence the properties and behavior of metallic materials.

The high level of participation and enthusiasm shown by the students made the experience particularly rewarding, highlighting the importance of hands-on activities and direct interaction with research in supporting informed academic choices.Participation in UNIFE Orienta 2026 represented an important opportunity for the Ferrara Metallurgy Group to engage with potential future students and to share its passion for metallurgy, materials science, and microstructural characterization.

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.