OVERVIEW

The course in Advanced Metallurgy provides an overview of metallic alloy manufacturing technologies, with particular emphasis on high-performance materials and innovative processing methods.

It covers a range of production and processing techniques, including powder metallurgy, welding, heat treatment, plastic forming, and additive manufacturing. The course also addresses corrosion and strategies to improve the mechanical and physical properties of metallic materials through microstructural modification.

Knowledge of Advanced Metallurgy equips students to critically evaluate manufacturing technologies and select the most appropriate materials for complex applications in a variety of fields, including mechanical engineering, aerospace, energy, and biomedical engineering.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to consolidate the basic metallurgical knowledge and introduce the physical and applied metallurgy, with emphasis on strengthening processes in steels, aluminium alloys a and their industrial implications. The methods of alloying, plastic deformation, precipitation and secondary hardening will be examined, with reference to the effects on the main mechanical and physical properties. The course will also introduce powder metallurgy, welding and additive manufacturing techniques as well as wet and dry corrosion issues. The integration of this knowledge will enable students to develop a critical approach to the selection and optimization of metallic materials for advanced applications in areas such as manufacturing, structural engineering, and high-performance component design.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course will deepen students’ understanding of metallic materials with particular emphasis on the interplay between microstructure and mechanical, physical, and functional properties.

Advanced manufacturing and processing methods, as well as the most relevant high-performance alloys for current industrial practice, are presented. Building on the foundations laid in “Metallurgy 1” (steels and cast irons), the course extends the knowledge to alloys developed for applications requiring superior mechanical strength or excellent corrosion and wear resistance.

By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of key advanced alloys that include:

•            Manufacturing and finishing routes

•            mechanical and thermomechanical processing,

•            thermal and chemical treatments,

•            Corrosion mechanisms and protection strategies,

•            key high technology applications.

These competences enable students to:

•            select metallic materials and delivery conditions at the design stage to meet specific property requirements;

•            diagnose the structural and technological behavior of the materials covered in the course;

•            evaluate the influence of service conditions on performance and durability;

•            Propose processing or treatment solutions to optimize mechanical properties and extend component life;

•            further explore the advanced topics introduced in the course.

PREREQUISITES

Each topic will be introduced progressively and in context. However, to better address the contents, students are expected to have a solid foundational knowledge acquired in Metallurgy 1. In particular, the following prerequisites are essential:

•            phase diagrams and transformation mechanisms,

•            heat treatments of carbon steels

•            metallographic analysis and material structure

•            basic crystallography

•            mechanical testing methods.

The course includes an introduction to ferrous and non-ferrous metal alloys, which are of interest for advanced applications. The first part of the program focuses on alloy designation, heat, and mechanical treatments. Then the processes of sintering, welding, additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing, and alloy-strengthening methods are covered, with references and application examples. The degradation of metallic materials under operating conditions, corrosion, and oxidation at high temperatures are also covered

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of 6 CFU of traditional lectures (48 hours) covering the theory and application examples.

Students are encouraged to keep the lines of communication open with teachers to support interactive, active teaching for both parties.

We plan to use teacher-prepared slides, technical sheets, and case studies from research or consultancy activities to consistently achieve the learning outcomes outlined for teaching, while also supporting students in reaching them.

Compensatory and dispensatory measures Disability/Invalidity/Specific Learning Disorder

Dispensatory measures and compensatory tools are intended to enable students to achieve the same learning objectives as their fellow students, not to facilitate the examination.

The use of compensatory tools and the application of dispensatory measures must be authorized in advance by the teacher in agreement with the Referee.

To take advantage of the adaptations during the examination, fill in the Adaptation request form; the request will be automatically sent by the system to the teacher in charge of the teaching, to the Contact Person of your School/Area/Department, and in copy to the Sector; you will also receive a copy of the request sent by e-mail.

The adjustments available to students are as follows:

• Additional time (+30% DSA)
• Additional time (+50% disability/invalidity)
• Additional time during oral exams to organize the answer
• Calculator (programmable and graphing calculators are not allowed)
• Conceptual Maps
• Tables and/or Forms
• Take the exam in written form
• Take the exam in oral form
• Tutor reader (for written tests only)
• Tutor-writer (for written tests only)

Please submit your request for adaptations at least 7 working days before the scheduled exam date.

All information for students with disabilities and DSA is available on the webpage: Services for students with disabilities or DSA | UniGe | University of Genoa

Reference for inclusion: Sergio Di Domizio - sergio.didomizio@unige.it

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course includes an introduction to ferrous and non-ferrous metal alloys, which are of interest for advanced applications. The first part of the program focuses on alloy designations, heat, and mechanical treatments. Then the processes of sintering, welding, additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing, and alloy-strengthening methods are covered, with references and application examples. The degradation of metallic materials under operating conditions, including corrosion and oxidation at high temperatures, is also covered.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used for the lectures and other material will be available on Aulaweb. For more information, on preparing for the exam, the following texts are suggested:

•            I. Polmear,‎ D. StJohn,‎ J.-F. Nie,‎ M. Qian, Light Alloys: Metallurgy of the Light Metals, Butterworth-Heinemann; 5 edition

•            Bhaskar Dutta, Sudarsanam Babu, Bradley H. Jared, Science, Technology and Applications of Metals in Additive Manufacturing, 1st Edition - August 15, 2019, Elsevier

•            R. E. Smallman, A.H.W. Ngan, Modern Physical Metallurgy, 8th Edition - September 4, 2013, Butterworth-Heinemann

•            J. C. Warner, R. Dean Odell, and Daniel A. Brandt, Metallurgy Fundamentals, 7th Edition, 2025

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

According to the timetable reported here 

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is oral.

The examination is an oral interview consisting of three questions, each contributing equally to the evaluation (10/30 each).

The first question is focused on the processing or modification of material properties. In the second and third questions, the student is asked to illustrate and discuss specific aspects of selected alloys introduced during the course. Il voto finale corrisponde alla somma dei punti acquisiti con le risposte.

Students who have a valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances related to lectures, coursework, and exams should speak with both the teacher and Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam aims to verify the student's acquisition of adequate knowledge of the teaching topics, in particular, advanced processing technologies and the properties of the main alloys. The student should be able to apply such concepts to address application aspects and use appropriate terminology. 

If the learning outcomes are not achieved, the student is invited to study further using the provided teaching material or with additional explanation before repeating the exam.