UNO SGUARDO SUL XVII CONVEGNO AITeM

Record numbers once again for the seventeenth edition of the AITEM Conference (9-12 September 2025), organized by and held at the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics & Management of the Polytechnic University of Bari. A total of 237 participants from over 40 institutions — universities, research centres, and companies —, 91 papers presented, and 16 sponsors.

The opening session was commenced, on behalf of the Polytechnic University of Bari, by Luigi Maria Galantucci, Honorary President of the Conference Organizing Committee, Fabio Fatiguso, Vice-Rector and President of the Quality Office, and Ilaria Filomena Giannoccaro, Director of the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics & Management. Representing the Municipality of Bari were Marco Bronzini, Dean of the City Council, and Elda Perlino, Councillor for Climate and Green Transition. Representing the Apulia Region, Silvia Visciano, Head of the Research and International Relations Section of the Department of Economic Development (a mention also goes to Gianna Elisa Berlingerio, Director of the Department of Economic Development, who took the floor at the welcome cocktail the previous evening). The inaugural panel was completed by Luca Settineri, AITEM President, and Michele Dassisti, Coordinator of the Organizing Committee.

Opening ceremony, Aula Magna “Attilio Alto”

The morning continued with three high-profile keynote speeches: Roberto Bellotti (Director of the Interuniversity Department of Physics at the University of Bari – Aldo Moro) explored the contribution of artificial intelligence to the future of research; Giuseppe Acierno (President and CEO of the Aerospace Technological District) outlined scenarios, challenges, and prospects in aerospace with a focus on the Apulian case; and finally, Paolo Calefati (CEO of Prima Additive) illustrated the most recent advancements in laser technology, automation, and artificial intelligence applied to metal additive manufacturing.

La prima giornata di Convegno è stata poi dedicata alla Young Researchers Session, che ha visto presentare dieci lavori da altrettanti brillanti ricercatori emergenti. Una commissione ad hoc, costituita da Mohamad El Mehtedi (Università di Cagliari), Giovanni Lucchetta (Università di Padova) e Domenico Umbrello (Università della Calabria), ha decretato vincitrice del Premio Giovane Ricercatore Edoardo Capello la ricercatrice Sara Bocchi dell’Università di Bergamo per il lavoro intitolato “A comparative analysis of AA6061 and AlSi10Mg processed via Friction Stir Extrusion”.

Young researcher Sara Bocchi with Mohamad El Mehtedi and Luca Settineri

The second day marked the start of the Traditional Scientific Sessions, which, as usual, covered the main themes at the forefront of current research: “Quality engineering and production metrology,” “additive manufacturing and reverse engineering,” “Materials processing technology,” “Manufacturing processes design, optimization and engineering,” “Assembly, disassembly and circular economy,” and “Process and system simulation, optimization and digital manufacturing.”
The Work in progress and laboratories session was dedicated to ongoing research activities featuring results that are not yet consolidated but are of interest to the community. During the White Paper Session, the works produced by three AITEM Sections — theme-based groups aimed at identifying the most innovative technological trends in Italian manufacturing — were presented: “adaptive and sustainable manufacturing processes for profiles and tubes: challenges and innovations” by the ADAPT Section; “machining of critical aerospace components: challenges and case studies” by the MA4 Section; and “Challenges and opportunities for composite manufacturing from a sustainable perspective” by the SIMPCo Section.

A highly appreciated novelty of this year’s edition was the Companies’ Talk Session, a forum for dialogue between providers of enabling technologies and manufacturing industries—many of which are actively present in the Apulian territory. The session aligns with the Association’s mission to foster and strengthen collaboration between research institutions and industry. It served as an open panel to generate future visions around the topics currently shaping the manufacturing sector, including smartness and sustainability. Participating companies included Omron, Prima Additive, Roboze, Ecotre Valente, Morphica, G-Nous, Martur Fompak, Intesa – ESG Lab, MOOV3, SKF Industrie, FPT Industrie, and Key4. The session was moderated by journalist Franco Canna, who produced an insightful article titled “Not only AI: trends in Manufacturing in the twin transition era”, published in Innovation Post.

A successful edition that reflects the growth of the Italian Manufacturing Association and its role as a key reference in processing technologies and systems.

During the Conference, the annual AITEM Members’ Assembly was also held, during which the new President for the 2025–2027 term, Antonino Squillace from the University of Naples Federico II, and the new members of the Executive Board were elected. During the Assembly, the outgoing Executive Board, led by Luca Settineri from the Polytechnic University of Turin, presented to the Members the activities carried out during the previous term, while the newly elected President illustrated its vision for the Association.

The Members’ Assembly elects the new President

Le pubblicazioni dei lavori sono disponibili ai seguenti link:

Selected Topics in Manufacturing – Emerging Trends from the Perspective of AITeM’s Young Researchers (Sessioni Giovani Ricercatori e White Paper)

Italian Manufacturing Association Conference – XVII AITeM (Sessioni Scientifiche Tradizionali e Work in progress e laboratori)

Acknowledgements:

Comitato Organizzatore: Luigi Maria Galantucci (Presidente Onorario), Michele Dassisti (Coordinatore) e i componenti del Dipartimento di Meccanica, Matematica e Management del Politecnico di Bari: Andrea Angelastro, Alessandro Pellegrini, Sabina Luisa Campanelli, Giuseppe Casalino, Nicola Contuzzi, Angela Cusanno, Luigi Ciro Alberto de Filippis, Vito Errico, Maria Grazia Guerra, Pasquale Guglielmi, Fulvio Lavecchia, Marco Mazzarisi, Maria Emanuela Palmieri, Gianfranco Palumbo, Gianluca Percoco, Antonio Piccininni, Donato Sorgente, Roberto Spina, Gianni Stano, Luigi Tricarico; Fabrizio Memola Capece Minutolo (Referente eventi del Consiglio Direttivo AITEM) e Antonino Squillace (Coordinatore Convegno 2023) dell’Università di Napoli Federico II.

Editorial Committee: Livan Fratini (Chair) – University of Palermo; Aldo Attanasio – University of Brescia; Flaviana Calignano – Polytechnic University of Turin; Pierpaolo Carlone – University of Salerno; Paolo Parenti – Polytechnic University of Milan; Wilma Polini – University of Cassino and Southern Lazio; Ciro Sinagra – Laminazione Sottile; Marco Sorgato – University of Padua; Olivier Terzo – LINKS Foundation.

AITEM Board of Directors 2023–2025: Luca Settineri (President) – Polytechnic University of Turin; Giuseppe Casalino – Polytechnic University of Bari; Rosa Di Lorenzo – University of Palermo; Nicla Frigerio – Polytechnic University of Milan; Francesco Gagliardi – University of Calabria; Andrea Ghiotti – University of Padua; Claudio Giardini – University of Bergamo; Enrico Pisino – CIM 4.0 S.C. A R.L.; Michela Simoncini – Polytechnic University of Marche; Ciro Sinagra – Laminazione Sottile S.p.A.; Marco Sortino – University of Udine; Antonino Squillace – University of Naples Federico II; Federica Trovalusci – University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Sponsor: Polytechnical University of Bari e Dipartimento di Meccanica, Matematica e Management del Politecnico di Bari; Martur Fompak International; Città Metropolitana di Bari; Ecotre Valente; Morphica; Omron; Prima Additive; SKF Industrie; Distretto Tecnologico Aerospaziale – DTA; FPT Industrie; G-Nous Tech; Intesa Sanpaolo; MICS – Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile; MOOV3; Roboze.