Keynotes
- Prof. Moataz Attallah
Professor of Advanced Materials Processing | School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham, UK
Moataz Attallah is an expert in advanced materials and manufacturing, particularly in additive manufacturing (3D printing), metallurgy, and aerospace materials. His research focuses on developing novel metal alloys, improving manufacturing processes, and enhancing the performance of materials for industries like aerospace, nuclear, and biomedical engineering. He specialises in laser-based and electron beam additive manufacturing, studying microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and residual stress formation in metals. He leads research projects on high-temperature alloys, lightweight structures, and sustainable manufacturing, contributing to the advancement of modern engineering materials and fabrication techniques.
I Find Your Lack of Toughness Disturbing: Control of Microstructures for Performance
The mechanical performance of additively manufactured alloys is intrinsically linked to their microstructure. This talk explores the role of microstructural control during additive manufacturing of high-performance materials. AM offers unprecedented flexibility in controlling the microstructure at different length scales, which impacts the overall material performance. Additionally, by employing in-process microstructural control and post-processing thermal treatments using hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and tailored heat treatments, this combination can enhance the mechanical performance for various applications. We present strategies to optimise the material’s microstructure for improved resistance to fatigue. This research paves the way for the development of more durable and reliable AM’ed materials, essential for next-generation high-performance engineering applications.
- Dr. Jeff Bunn
Neutron Scattering Scientist, R&D Staff | Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA
Jeff is the lead instrument scientist for the HIDRA residual stress diffractometer at HFIR, Oak Ridge Laboratory. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee in 2014. His research focuses on applied materials science, particularly material responses to complex loadings using neutron and X-ray diffraction. His work includes studying welding effects developing data analysis tools for diffraction data, and advancing neutron imaging for strain, texture, and phase analysis in engineering materials.
Harnessing Neutron Scattering for Next-Generation Materials Engineering
The U.S. national laboratory system has been a cornerstone of scientific innovation, providing large-scale research infrastructure beyond the capabilities of academia and industry. Among these institutions, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has led advancements in neutron science for over five decades, housing two of the world’s most advanced neutron research facilities: the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). This presentation will explore how neutron scattering techniques—including neutron diffraction, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and neutron imaging—enable unprecedented characterization of engineering materials. Unlike conventional methods such as X-ray diffraction, neutron-based techniques allow for deep, non-destructive analysis of internal stress distributions, phase transformations, and nanoscale structures, making them invaluable for aerospace, nuclear energy, automotive, and heavy industry applications. Key examples will highlight how neutron scattering enhances our understanding of structural materials, including weld integrity, additively manufactured components, and fatigue-sensitive alloys. Additionally, attendees will learn how to access ORNL’s world-class neutron facilities through proposal-driven user programs, opening opportunities for groundbreaking research in materials science. By integrating neutron-based methods, researchers can drive innovation in structural integrity, failure prevention, and next-generation materials development.
- Dr. Ir. Mehrshad Mehrpouya
Assistant Professor | University of Twente, Netherlands
Merhshad Mehrpouya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Design, Production, and Management at the University of Twente. He leads the Smart Materials and Structures (SMART) research domain, focusing on additive manufacturing technologies to advance the design and fabrication of multifunctional materials and structures.
He earned his Ph.D. from Sapienza Unviversity of Rome in 2017 through a prestigious fellowship program. His research specialises in advanced manufacturing of shape memory materials, developing experimental and simulation spproaches for laser welding and additive manufacturing. He has contributed to several European and national projects, including REDI, reSHAPE, AM-SMART, PRIMA, and ARGUS.
Mehrshad co-authored the books Additive Manufacturing of Biopolymers and Additive Manufacturing of Shape Memory Materials, both published by Elsevier.
Additive Manufacturing of Shape Memory Materials
Over the past two decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has rapidly evolved, enabling unique design freedom and customization. A particularly exciting frontier in this space is the integration of smart materials with AM technologies—paving the way for four-dimensional (4D) printing. Unlike traditional 3D-printed parts, 4D-printed components can change shape or properties over time in response to external stimuli, adding the dynamic element of time as a functional dimension. Among smart materials, shape memory materials (SMMs) have emerged as key enablers of 4D printing. These materials, e.g., shape memory alloys (SMAs) and shape memory polymers (SMPs), can undergo significant deformation and return to their original shape, making them ideal for applications requiring adaptability and responsiveness. However, the additive manufacturing of SMMs introduces unique challenges. In materials like NiTi SMAs, even slight changes in composition or processing conditions can drastically alter transformation temperatures and functional performance. This sensitivity is especially critical in metal AM processes, where melting and solidification can significantly impact microstructure and thermomechanical behavior, often requiring complex postprocessing. Attendees will learn about the functional behavior of SMMs through case studies drawn from recent research, with a focus on both SMAs and SMPs. The talk will highlight how processing parameters influence material performance and discuss the broader implications of these findings. This knowledge can open new avenues for the design and fabrication of intelligent, adaptive products across diverse industrial domains—from biomedical devices to aerospace systems.
- Dr. Teresa Pérez-Prado
Senior Scientist | IMDEA Materials Institute, Spain
Teresa Pérez-Prado has led the Sustainable Metallurgy group at IMDEA Materials Institute since 2008. She was Division Leader between 2014 and 2017, and Deputy Director from 2017 to 2021. From 2018 to 2022 she coordinated the programme on Structural Materials at the Spanish National Science Foundation.
Teresa gained her PhD in Physics at the Complutense University in Madrid in 1998 and completed her MBA at AINSEAD, France in 2008. After a two-year postdoctoral stay at the University of California, San Diegao, USA, she joined the National Centre for Metals Research in Madrid, Spain, in 2001, where she worked as a tenure-track fellow until she was granted a Tenured Scientist position in 2004.
Teresa has co-authored 150 papers (h 52, ≈10,000 citations - Google Scholar), one book (Elsevier, 2004) and holds four patents.
Teresa has been a member of the Scientific Council of the Monaten Center of Excellence (Poland), the IRT Jules Verne (France), the Henry Royce Institute (UK), and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Additive Manufacturing of Energy Efficient Electric Motors
Assuming an average loss level of 5%, the amount of lost energy in the 8 billion electric motors in the EU alone is approximately 30% of the total energy consumption in Spain. Additive manufacturing (AM) of Fe-based metallic glasses could offer an alternative for producing e-motor components that help reduce these losses due to their excellent soft magnetic properties and near-net-shape manufacturing potential. However, significant challenges remain in processing these materials via AM, including controlling crystallisation to retain their amorphous nature, minimising porosity and residual stresses, ensuring good feedstock processability, and optimising magnetic properties through post-processing. Addressing these hurdles requires a multidisciplinary
approach combining materials design, process optimisation, and advanced characterisation.This lecture will review recent research on process parameter optimisation for the additive manufacturing of Fe-based metallic glasses and it will showcase strategies to precisely control thermal conditions during printing, minimising defects and preserving the amorphous structure in complex geometry components. It will be shown how a combined approach including computational modelling and experimental validation efforts might yield tailored processing conditions that can enhance the manufacturability and performance of Fe-based metallic glass parts. A discussion on how these advancements bring AM a step closer to enabling high-efficiency electric motors with reduced energy losses will follow.
