The main goal of this contribution is to evaluate the mechanical properties, strengthening contributions and microstructure development of austenitic stainless steel AISI 316 LN with high nitrogen content in the states characterized as the initial state and the states after rolling with different thickness deformations. The initial state was represented by solution annealing (777 K/60 min). The deformation state was characterized by rolling thickness reductions carried out at ambient temperature (T_A = 295 K) with deformations in the range ε ∈ (0; 50> [%]. Studies of microstructures, mechanical properties and strengthening contributions before and after rolling were carried out. The initial state after solution annealing was as follows: offset yield strength R_p0.2 = 325 MPa, elongation A5 = 49% and diameter of grain size d = 214 μm. The state after ambient rolling with thickness deformation ε = 50% was as follows: R_p0.2 = 994 MPa, A5 = 4% and d = 64 μm. The maximum contribution to strengthening after rolling processing with 50% thickness deformation was dislocations (∆ R _{P0.2_DS} = 560 MPa) followed by twins (∆ R _{P0.2_DT} =140 MPa).

This review describes the process of metal additive manufacturing and focuses on the possibility of correlated input parameters that are important for this process. The correlation of individual parameters in the metal additive manufacturing process is considered using simulation tools that allow the prediction of various defects, thus making the real production process more efficient, especially in terms of time and costs. Special attention is paid to multiple applications using these simulation tools as an initial analysis to determine the material’s behavior when defining various input factors, including the results obtained. Based on this, further procedures were implemented, including real production parts. This review also points out the range of possible variations that simulation tools have, which helps to effectively predict material defects and determine the volume of consumed material, supports construction risk, and other information necessary to obtain a quality part in the production process. From the overview of the application of simulation tools in this process, it was found that the correlation between theoretical knowledge and the definition of individual process parameters and other variables are related and are of fundamental importance for achieving the final part with the required properties. In terms of some specific findings, it can be noted that simulation tools identify adverse phenomena occurring in the production processes and allow manufacturers to test the validity of the proposed conceptual and model solutions without making actual changes in the production system, and they have the measurable impact on the design and production of quality parts.

The wear behaviour of copper material processed by ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) and orbital forging (OF) is presented in this study. Dry sliding wear tests were carried out for the wear behaviour of the investigated system. Oxygen-free high thermal conductivity (OFHC) copper was used for testing. The new combination of metal forming processes was used because of ease of fabrication. Additionally, wear rate, friction coefficient and wears mechanisms were observed. The friction resistance is caused by the destruction of the adhesion between surface asperities in metal friction. Moreover, increased asperity interactions connected with wear particle entrapment gradually increase the friction coefficient. These results show the metal forming process's positive influence in reducing interfacial adhesion and asperity deformation. Finally, the combinations of newly used advanced processing demonstrated excellent wear characteristics of copper.

In the present investigation, stress–strain curves and strain hardening rates on samples rolled at ambient temperature with thickness reductions of 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% were studied. On the processed samples, static tensile tests at ambient temperature were performed. Transformation of the engineering stress–strain curves to true stress–strain curves and their numerical processing by first derivation (θ = dσ/dε) was carried out. Dependencies θ = f(ε_T) characterizing the strain hardening rates were derived. From the curves and the true stress–strain and strain hardening rates, the three stages describing different rates of strain hardening were identified. A rapid increase in true stress and a rapid decrease in the strain hardening rate in Stage I were observed. Quasi-linear dependencies with an increase in true stress but with a slow, gradual decline in the strain hardening rate in Stage II were obtained. Slowly increasing true strains, accompanied by a decrease in strain hardening rates and their transition to softening, led to the formation of plastic instability and necking in Stage III. The endpoints of the strain hardening rate depending on the cold rolling deformations lie in the following intervals: θ_{Stage I} ∈ MPa, θ_{Stage II} ∈ MPa, θ_{Stage III} ∈ <−144;−11,979> MPa. While in Stage I and Stage II, the plastic deformation mechanism is predominantly dislocation slip, in Stage III, the plastic deformation mechanism is twinning accompanied by dislocation slip.

The primary objective of this contribution is to numerically and graphically evaluate engineering stress–strain curves, transform them into true stress–strain curves, and de-scribe the key points of material processed by cold rolling with strains of ε_Roll = 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%. The initial and final conditions for uniform plastic deformations have been described. The initial point of uniform deformation lies above the onset yield strength value (σ_T,S > R_P0,2). The necking point, as the final point of uniform deformation, was determined as the intersection point of the curves of the true stress–strain and strain hardening rate. The strain hardening coefficient and the recovery rate, as a function of cold rolling deformations, were derived. Convex polyhedra were derived which describe the dependencies of the development of maximal strain hardening rate values (θ_Max) and initial strain hardening rates (θ₀) as a function of cold rolling deformations and the diameter of grain. The decisive point at which the curves showed a local maximum was a cold rolling deformation ε_Roll = 30%. The saturation stress required to initiate dynamic recovery of the microstructure is significantly higher than the stress necessary for necking (σ_T,Sat > σ_T,Neck). The saturation strain required to initiate dynamic recovery of the microstructure is significantly higher than the strain needed for necking formation (ε_T,Sat > ε_T,Neck).

The Kosice Summit of Innovation and Technology (KSIT 2024) was held in Železiarne Podbrezová a.s. facilities from November 2-5, 2024, at the Hotel Stupka. The conference was organised to mark the 30th anniversary of founding the scientific journal Acta Metallurgica Slovaca. KSIT 2024 also covers some interesting topics. More lectures are presented on issues related to additive manufacturing (AM). Given the expanding and invaluable role of simulation tools, which can currently be applied to various production processes, an interesting lecture was given at the KSIT conference regarding using the simulation tool Simufact Additive. Current knowledge was also presented in the field of joining materials focused on hybrid methods of joining materials, especially sheets used in producing car bodies. Currently, the concepts of materials used for car bodies differ significantly, with the goal being to reduce the body's weight, thereby reducing fuel consumption and, on the other hand, increasing the passive safety of the crew. Individual car manufacturers' body construction concepts use different materials, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals.