Open Access Conference Proceedings

The 31^st International Conference on Metallurgy and Materials METAL 2022 took place in Brno on May 18 - 19, 2022. 200 participants from 20 countries listened to 77 lectures and viewed 83 posters. After a two-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the conference could take place this year in the traditional format again.

The conference was opened by Professor Ping. Xiao, who holds the Rolls-Royce/Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Advanced Coating Technology. He dedicated his lecture to the topic of surface engineering and coatings for aero-engine applications. The second plenary lecture was given by Assoc. Prof. Mariola Saternus from the Silesian University of Technology in Kawovice. The lecture dealt with the synergistic effect of the optimal of AlNi addition to the zinc bath as an alternative to the baths containing Pb, Bi and Sn.

However, the thematic scope of the conference lectures was traditionally much broader. Researchers presented innovations not only in the fields of advanced iron, cast iron, steelmaking, non-ferrous metals and alloys, metal forming and surface engineering, but also in the economics and management of metallurgical production.

The program also included a commercial presentation by TestForce Ltd. which presented the steps to an optimized and automated lab.

The prize for the best poster has been awarded to Dušan Majtás from the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. In his work, he showed the corrosion of lead and copper coupons and comparison of ageing simulation and real exposure.

The next 32^nd METAL conference will take place on May 16 - 19, 2023.