Junying Min (China), Jinjin Ha (USA), Antonio Sánchez Egea (Spain), Xunzhong Guo (China):

MS-1: Advances in Robotic Forming: Processes and Simulations

Robotic forming is a dieless manufacturing process that utilizes single or multiple robots (mainly industrial robots) to incrementally deform metal sheets into customized components. This mini-symposium aims to showcase innovative robotic forming processes and foster discussions on advanced material modeling and simulation methods. By bringing together leading experts in the field, the session will explore recent advancements and future directions in robotic forming.

 

Eun-Ho Lee (Korea), Martin Jun (USA):

MS-2: Autonomous Design and Manufacturing

The mini-symposium on “Autonomous Design and Manufacturing” will be held at the 15th ICTP (International Conference on the Technology of Plasticity) in 2026 and will focus on the autonomy of design and manufacturing. Autonomous Design and Manufacturing advance beyond traditional automation by building intelligent closed-loop systems in which machine, material, and process data guide real-time decisions directly tied to production. Continuous sensing—such as force, temperature, vibration, geometry, and material state—allows Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess manufacturing conditions and adapt both process parameters and design intent without predefined rules or constant human intervention. Such strategies reduce manual iteration errors and improve consistency by synchronizing design, processing, and quality evaluation within a unified manufacturing loop. Challenges include achieving robust multi-physics sensing, interpreting noisy data, and developing trustworthy AI for safety-critical decisions, as well as integrating these capabilities into existing manufacturing infrastructure with appropriate human oversight.

This special issue covers a range of theoretical and scientific research, as well as practical studies applied to real manufacturing processes, that address these challenges in autonomous design and manufacturing and advance the field to a new level.

Contributions are invited on, but not restricted to the following themes:

  • Intelligent manufacturing systems enabling closed-loop autonomy through the integration of physically grounded AI, in-situ sensing, and manufacturing data across design and manufacturing stages.
  • Macro-, micro-, and nano-scale processes,
  • Welding, joining, assembly processes, additive manufacturing process, and surface interactions
  • Metal forming, casting, molding
  • Data-supported continuum and subcontinuum modeling of manufacturing processes
  • Design Strategies to Enhance Autonomous Manufacturability

 

Pierre-Olivier Bouchard (France), Yannis P. Korkolis (Germany), Baodong Shi (China), Sebastian Münstermann (Germany), Hyung Jun Chang (France), Yanshan Lou (China) :

MS-3: Characterization of Plasticity, damage and fracture for metal forming

Accurate yet efficient characterization of plasticity, damage, and fracture is essential for advancing industrial forming technologies and for relating the forming parameters to component performance in service. It enables the rapid production of lighter, stronger, and more reliable components while reducing material waste, energy consumption, and cost. This mini‑symposium will explore recent advances in experimentation, theoretical modeling, and numerical simulation for the characterization of metal behaviors during forming and service. Discussions will cover advanced experimental methods and novel constitutive models for characterizing material behavior—including plasticity, damage, fatigue and fracture—under complex loading conditions. Effects of stress state, strain‑path changes, loading rate, temperature, and special energy fields will be considered, along with numerical applications in plastic forming analysis and design. Contributions on AI‑based constitutive models, multiscale modeling, digital twins, and related approaches for virtual process design and optimization—aimed at defect avoidance and failure prediction during either forming or subsequent service, or both—are also encouraged. By bridging fundamental insights with practical applications, this mini‑symposium seeks to promote a holistic understanding of material behavior limits and to pave the way for intelligent, robust, and sustainable metal‑forming solutions.

 

Dayong Li (China), Jianfeng Wang (USA), Yao Shen (China), Ji Hoon Kim (Korea), Guowei Zhou (China):

MS-4: In Commemoration of Professor Robert H. Wagoner: Advances in Plasticity Theories, Constitutive Modeling and Simulation of Lightweight Metals Forming

A fundamental cornerstone of lightweight metal forming technology resides in the advancement of state-of-the-art constitutive models and the systematic evaluation of formability across a spectrum of manufacturing processes. This endeavor is predicated on a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the intrinsic plasticity mechanisms that regulate material response under diverse forming conditions. Rigorous analytical investigations in lightweight metal forming are of paramount importance for ensuring that engineered products adhere to the stringent quality benchmarks and performance specifications required by advanced industrial applications.

The present symposium is solemnly dedicated to honoring the enduring legacy of Professor Rob H. Wagoner (1952-2025), whose pioneering and transformative contributions to the field of metal plasticity have exerted a profound and far-reaching influence over the past four decades. Commemorating his recent passing, this academic gathering will feature the seminal work of Robert Wagoner and his collaborators, complemented by peer-reviewed contributed presentations. These presentations will focus on cutting-edge innovations in metal forming methodologies and constitutive modeling frameworks, as well as evidence-based solutions to critical practical challenges in the discipline—all of which align with the rigorous research ethos and impact-driven priorities that defined Professor Wagoner’s distinguished scholarly career.

Considering the foundational work and core area shaped by Professor Wagoner, key practical challenges Professor Wagoner prioritized, as well extension of Professor Wagoner’s legacy of modeling innovation on metal forming, the topics includes (but not limited to ) the following areas:

  • Plasticity Theories and Micromechanics: Advancement of physics-based and multi-physics plasticity models, aiming to accurately predict the inelastic deformation behavior of single and polycrystalline materials under diverse loading conditions, including quasi-static, high-rate dynamic, and cyclic loading scenarios, while integrating microstructural mechanisms to bridge length scales from atomic to component levels.
  • Innovative Experiments and Simulations for Sheet Metal Deformation: Development of novel experimental techniques and advanced numerical simulation methods, focusing on characterizing the micro- and macroscale mechanical properties of sheet metals, as well as their evolution during deformation processes, enabling deeper insights into anisotropy, texture development, and damage initiation mechanisms.
  • Sheet Formability and Springback: Comprehensive investigations into the prediction, evaluation, and engineering mitigation strategies for springback and failure phenomena in sheet metal forming. This includes research on advanced high strength steels (AHSS), lightweight automotive alloys (e.g., aluminum, magnesium), and other next-generation materials, with a focus on optimizing process parameters to enhance formability and dimensional accuracy in industrial applications.
  • AI Enhanced Modeling and Simulation: Development and innovative applications of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in constitutive model development, metal alloy processing, and forming process analysis, which extends modeling innovation by leveraging data-driven approaches to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and generalization of predictive models, supporting rapid design optimization, real-time process monitoring, and inverse problem solving in metal forming.

 

Woo-jeong Oh, Joon Seok Kyeong, Jinwoo Lee (Korea):

MS-5: Advanced material and fracture modeling across length scales, and their applications to next generation mobility

Next-generation mobility increasingly uses lightweight, high-strength, and heterogeneous materials (AHSS, aluminum alloys, multi-material joints, and additively manufactured structures), whose anisotropy, strain-path sensitivity, localization, and damage/fracture behaviors challenge conventional models. This mini-symposium features advances in multiscale, micromechanics-informed constitutive and fracture modeling, including stress-state dependent ductile/brittle frameworks and coupled damage–plasticity. Emphasis is placed on experimental–computational integration (DIC, microstructure characterization, inverse identification) and efficient, robust FE implementations for forming, crashworthiness, and durability-critical components.

 

Wolfram Volk (Germany), Jun Chen, Qi Hu (China):

MS-6: Advanced Constitutive Modeling for Sheet Metal Forming Processes

This mini-symposium focuses on advanced constitutive modeling for sheet metal forming, covering a broad spectrum from macroscopic models to crystal plasticity, multi-scale frameworks, and data-driven methods. It aims to enhance the prediction of springback, forming limits, and complex material behavior under diverse loading paths. We welcome contributions on novel integration algorithms, experimental calibration, and practical applications in simulation and process control, with the overarching goal of bridging theoretical advances and industrial practice to improve forming accuracy, efficiency, and reliability.

 

Junhe Lian (Germany), Łukasz Madej (Poland), Takayuki Hama (Japan), Myoung-Gyu Lee (Korea):

MS-7: Multiscale Material Characterization and Modeling in Forming Processes

This mini-symposium focuses on understanding and predicting the coupled evolution of microstructure and mechanical response during metal forming processes. The scope spans length scales from grains and phases to components and process chains. We particularly welcome work that links process parameters to microstructure, and/or microstructure to properties such as anisotropy, formability, fracture, and mechanical behavior under non-proportional strain paths.

Contributions incorporating advanced characterization (e.g., in situ mechanical testing, SEM/EBSD, XRD, XCT, synchrotron/neutron methods, micro-DIC) and multiscale, microstructure-aware modeling approaches (e.g., crystal plasticity, dislocation-density based models, microstructure-informed constitutive descriptions, cellular automata, phase-field simulations) are strongly encouraged. Conventional hot, warm and cold forming processes, as well as additive and hybrid manufacturing routes, are all within the scope, provided that microstructure is central to the study. We also welcome AI-hybrid strategies for microstructure-aware process and microstructure modeling and/or design.

 

Lin Hua, Fei Yin (China):

MS-8: Digital plastic forming with multiple-energy fields

Digital plastic forming enhanced by multiple-energy fields is reshaping the design and control of high-performance metal forming processes. By integrating electrical, magnetic, ultrasonic and laser et. al. with conventional deformation technologies, these hybrid methods enable reduced forming loads, improved formability, and tailored microstructure evolution. Supported by advances in simulation, sensing, AI/ML, and digital twins, digital plastic forming offers new capabilities for predictive modeling, adaptive control, and intelligent manufacturing. This mini-symposium highlights recent developments in multi-physics plastic forming, data-driven process optimization, and industrial applications, providing a platform for advancing next-generation digital and multiple-energy-assisted metal forming technologies.

 

Tao Wang, Junying Min (China), Zhengyi Jiang (Australia), Heung Nam Han (Korea):

MS-9: Energy-Field-Enabled Atomic-Scale Technology of Plasticity

Energy-field-enabled atomic-scale technology of plasticity utilizes external energy fields, such as electric current, laser, ultrasound, and magnetic fields, to manipulate materials at the atomic scale. These approaches improve properties and formability of metallic materials through actively promoting atomic diffusion, dislocation motion, recrystallization etc., which advances the frontier of materials science and extreme manufacturing. This mini-symposium aims to collect recent progress in metal forming related atomic and close-to-atomic scale manufacturing, and to foster discussion among researchers working in related areas of composites, electronics, energy storage, biomedical application etc. Contributions addressing but not limited to experimental, modeling, and applied aspects are warmly invited.

 

MS-10 : Not Applicable (Merged to MS-3)

 

 

 

 

 

Hailiang Yu (China), Zhengyi Jiang (Australia), Ulrich Prahl (Germany), Jingwei Zhao (China):

MS-11: Advances in Rolling Processing

The mini-symposium on “Advances in Rolling Processing” will be held at the 15th ICTP (International Conference on the Technology of Plasticity) in 2026 and will focus on the latest innovations, theoretical breakthroughs, and industrial applications in the field of special rolling technologies. Rolling processing, as a foundational metal forming method, plays a pivotal role in producing high-quality, high-performance metal sheets, strips, and profiles for diverse industries including automotive, aerospace, construction, and electronics. This symposium aims to bring together researchers, engineers, and industry experts to exchange insights on advanced rolling techniques, addressing key challenges such as process optimization, material property enhancement, energy efficiency improvement, and defect control. By showcasing cutting-edge research and practical case studies, the session seeks to bridge the gap between academic exploration and industrial implementation, driving the continuous advancement of rolling processing towards greater precision, sustainability, and versatility.

This mini-symposium covers a broad spectrum of theoretical investigations, experimental studies, and technological applications that push the boundaries of rolling processing. It provides a platform for sharing novel approaches to address critical issues in special rolling technologies and promote collaborative solutions to industry-wide challenges.

Contributions are invited on, but not restricted to the following themes:

  • Hot rolling: Process optimization, microstructure evolution control, and quality improvement of high-strength and lightweight alloys
  • Cold rolling: Precision forming, surface quality control, and residual stress regulation
  • Cryorolling: Low-temperature deformation mechanisms, mechanical property enhancement, and application in advanced material processing
  • Asymmetric rolling: Principle innovation, texture control, and development of functional metal materials
  • Clad rolling: Interface bonding mechanisms, multi-material compatibility, and performance optimization of clad metal composites
  • Accumulative roll bonding (ARB): Layered structure formation, grain refinement, and fabrication of ultra-high-strength materials
  • Numerical simulation and modeling of rolling processes (e.g., finite element analysis, multi-physics coupling simulation)
  • Intelligent monitoring and control of rolling processes integrating AI, in-situ sensing, and digital twin technologies
  • Energy-saving and green rolling technologies for sustainable manufacturing
  • Industrial applications and case studies of advanced rolling processes in key sectors

 

[JSTP-KSTP Joint Symposium] Akira Yanagida, Kengo Yoshida (Japan), Yong-Nam Kwon, Ji Hoon Kim (Korea):

MS-12: JSTP-KSTP Joint Symposium: Mechanics and Modeling for Metal Forming

Overview: As a highlight of ICTP 2026, the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity (KSTP) and the Japan Society for Technology of Plasticity (JSTP) are proud to announce a collaborative Joint Symposium. This session focuses on the fundamental pillars of our field: Mechanics and Modeling. As metal forming processes become increasingly complex—driven by the demand for lightweight materials, high-precision components, and sustainable manufacturing—the need for robust theoretical frameworks and advanced numerical simulations has never been greater.

Scope of Topics: We invite researchers and engineers to submit abstracts that push the boundaries of how we understand and predict material behavior during processing. While all general areas of metal forming are welcome, this symposium specifically emphasizes:

  • Advanced Constitutive Modeling: Development and implementation of models for anisotropy, cyclic loading, and strain-rate sensitivity.
  • Multi-scale Modeling: Bridging the gap between microstructure evolution and macroscopic forming behavior.
  • Numerical Simulation Techniques: Innovations in Finite Element Method (FEM), meshless methods, and fast-calculation algorithms.
  • Fracture and Forming Limit: Mechanics of ductile fracture, wrinkling, and localized necking in sheet and bulk forming.
  • Data-Driven Mechanics: Integration of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with physics-based modeling.
  • Process Optimization: Application of mechanics to improve tool design, energy efficiency, and material utilization.

Objective: The goal of this joint symposium is to foster an intensive academic exchange between Korean and Japanese researchers, alongside global experts, to address current challenges in metal forming. We aim to provide a platform where deep mechanical insights meet practical industrial applications, defining the next generation of plasticity technology.

Submission Guidelines: Authors are invited to submit a concise abstract via the official ICTP2026 portal. Please ensure your submission aligns with the “Mechanics and Modeling” theme to be considered for this specialized joint session.

 

Zhutian Xu, Jilai Wang, Xiaoqing Shang (China):

MS-13: AI-enabled multiscale modeling of plasticity and forming processes

AI serves as a transformative tool for intelligent manufacturing, providing data-driven approaches to tackle the core challenges of multiscale modeling in plasticity and forming processes. This interdisciplinary field covers deformation mechanism analysis, material mechanical testing, constitutive modeling, process simulation, technological design and equipment development, all marked by intense multiscale coupling, strong nonlinearity and complex parameter interactions. While AI boasts immense potential to empower modeling and process development of plastic forming, the effective integration of AI with the physical fundamentals of multiscale plastic deformation and the development of engineering-feasible AI-enabled multiscale models still require in-depth, systematic exploration.

This mini-symposium thus targets to bring together global academics and engineers in plasticity mechanics, metal forming and artificial intelligence, centering on the core theme of AI-enabled multiscale modeling of plasticity and forming process development. We plan to invite original research and practical application contributions from senior international scholars to discuss key scientific and engineering problems in the fusion of AI and multiscale modeling for plastic forming, explore actionable AI solutions, and drive the deep integration of AI into the theoretical research and industrial practice of plastic forming.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

  •  AI-assisted multiscale analysis of plastic deformation mechanisms
  • AI-optimized mechanical testing and material characterization
  • AI-driven multiscale constitutive modeling of plastic deformation
  • AI-accelerated multiscale simulation
  • Intelligent optimization and inverse design of forming processes
  • Intelligent forming process control and optimization
  • AI-integrated cross-scale mapping and data fusion for plasticity multiscale modelling

 

Xinyun Wang, Heng Li, Xuefeng Tang, Jun Ma, Yujun Deng (China):

MS-14: Intelligent Monitoring, Prediction, and Control of Multi-Scale Defects in Metal Forming

Rationale for this Symposium:

The performance and reliability of critical load-bearing components formed by metal forming processes are strongly affected by the initiation and evolution of multi-scale defects, including microcracks, voids, and heterogeneous microstructures. Owing to the complex thermo-mechanical coupling, nonlinear deformation behavior, and multi-scale microstructure evolution involved in forming processes, conventional offline inspection and empirical process optimization methods often fail to effectively detect and regulate defect evolution in real time. Recent advances in intelligent sensing, data-driven modeling, and reinforcement learning-based control strategies have opened new opportunities for online defect monitoring, predictive modeling, and adaptive process regulation in metal forming. However, the effective integration of physics-based defect evolution mechanisms with intelligent monitoring and control technologies remains a significant challenge.

This mini-symposium aims to bring together researchers and engineers from academia and industry working in plasticity mechanics, metal forming, materials science, and artificial intelligence to discuss recent advances in intelligent monitoring, prediction, and control of multi-scale defects in metal forming processes. The symposium will provide a platform to exchange ideas on integrating intelligent sensing, machine learning, and process control with the underlying physical mechanisms of defect evolution, thereby enabling the development of defect-resilient forming technologies for high-performance components.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Advanced Sensing & Monitoring: In-situ sensing architectures and multi-modal data fusion for real-time defect tracking and state estimation.
  • Multi-Scale Defect Modeling: Multi-scale modeling of defect evolution, bridging Crystal Plasticity (CP) with high-fidelity Deep Learning frameworks.
  • Physics-AI Fusion: Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) and hybrid surrogate modeling for accelerated, high-fidelity forming analysis.
  • Autonomous & Adaptive Control: Reinforcement learning and closed-loop feedback strategies for “on-the-fly” process correction and mitigation.
  • Digital Twin Frameworks: Integrated cyber-physical systems and digital twins for autonomous, zero-defect process regulation.

Intelligent Process Optimization: AI-driven mitigation of residual stresses, texture heterogeneity, and ductile fracture in complex forming regimes.

 

Gang Liu (China), Takashi Kuboki (Japan), Yannis Korkolis (Germany), Wei Liu (China):

MS-15: Advances in Tube Forming Theories and Processes

Tube forming technologies play a critical role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and the transition to a sustainable society. To reduce CO₂ emissions, the lightweighting of vehicles, aircraft, and other modes of transportation is becoming increasingly important. Tubes offer structural advantages due to their high strength and rigidity relative to their weight, making them an ideal choice for manufacturing lightweight components. Furthermore, tube forming is essential for emerging energy solutions. In carbon capture and hydrogen transport, tubes must be capable of withstanding high pressures to ensure safe and reliable operation. Next-generation nuclear reactors, such as small modular reactors, require complex-shaped tubes that can endure both high pressure and high temperature. At the same time, there is a growing demand for precision miniature tubes used in medical devices. Therefore, tube forming technology is expected to remain a key research topic for the foreseeable future. This symposium aims to bring together researchers and experts to discuss innovative theories and processes for producing lighter, more complex, more precise, and higher-performance tubular components, contributing to a more sustainable and advanced society.

 

Dong-Gyu Ann, Do-Sik Shim (Korea):

MS-16: Additive Manufacturing–Enabled Metal Forming and Flexible Production Technologies

This mini-symposium aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform for discussing the integration of additive manufacturing technologies with metal forming and flexible production systems. The session will focus on both fundamental and applied research addressing materials, processes, tooling, and digital technologies related to AM-assisted forming and hybrid manufacturing. The symposium will bring together researchers from the fields of metal forming, additive manufacturing, materials science, tribology, and digital manufacturing to exchange ideas and explore future manufacturing paradigms.

The mini-symposium invites contributions on, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Additive manufacturing of forming tools and dies
  • Hybrid manufacturing combining additive and forming processes
  • Flexible and reconfigurable production systems
  • Additive manufacturing for rapid tooling and die repair
  • Material behavior and microstructure of AM metals
  • Surface integrity and tribology of AM tooling
  • Process modeling and simulation of AM-assisted forming
  • Digital manufacturing, digital twins, and AI-based process optimization

The proposed mini-symposium will address emerging research challenges at the intersection of additive manufacturing and metal forming, two rapidly evolving fields within manufacturing science. By highlighting the potential of AM-enabled tooling, hybrid process chains, and digital production technologies, this session will contribute to the development of flexible, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing systems.

The session is expected to attract contributions from both academia and industry and to stimulate collaboration across disciplines relevant to the future of metal forming technology, which is central to the ICTP community.