Metallic Rolling and Plastic Forming
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: simulation and digitization in material processing; intelligent modeling and optimization; digital twin in materials engineering; intelligent process control; intelligent rolling
2. State Key Laboratory of Featured Metal Materials and Life-Cycle Safety for Composite Structures, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: automation of the rolling process; intelligent modeling and optimization; digital twin in materials engineering; intelligent process control; intelligent rolling; simulation and digitization in material processing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Metallic rolling and plastic forming serve as foundational technologies in modern industry, producing essential components that range from large-scale structural frameworks to precision electronics. The ongoing pursuit of thinner, lighter, and stronger materials has accelerated progress in vehicle lightweighting, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction. By incorporating streamlined and low-energy processes, these methods also contribute to sustainable development. Moreover, as key enabling technologies for high-end equipment manufacturing, they supply critical materials to strategic emerging sectors such as aerospace and new energy, thereby strengthening the national industrial foundation.
The field is currently evolving toward greater intelligence, precision, and environmental sustainability. Current research focuses on enhancing production efficiency via headless rolling and intelligent models, while addressing challenges in forming high-strength materials and advancing domestic high-end equipment capabilities. Key R&D obstacles remain, including limited model adaptability under complex conditions, difficulties in coordinating microstructure with performance, and a lack of unified technical standards across the value chain. Looking ahead, technologies such as dynamic digital twins and artificial intelligence are expected to enable precise forming control and support the transition to form-integration manufacturing. Promising research directions include new plasticity theories based on deep learning, ultra-fine grain forming processes for extreme service conditions, flexible manufacturing systems for small-batch production, and green technologies aimed at energy reduction.
This upcoming Special Issue of Materials aims to present new developments in metal processing, with an emphasis on rolling and plastic forming. It will cover innovations in forming processes, materials engineering, process simulation, and machine learning–based modeling and optimization. We are pleased to invite you to submit research papers and reviews related to the latest achievements and developments in Metallic rolling and plastic forming. All comments and suggestions for this Special Issue are welcome.
Prof. Dr. Jingguo Ding
Prof. Dr. Xu Li
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- rolling
- numerical modeling
- intelligent modeling
- finite element analysis
- mechanical analysis
- multi-objective optimization
- digital twin
- machine learning
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
