Jason Weber visits with Prof. Lorenzo Donati about the upcoming ET'24 In-Conjunction Workshop on Process Analysis & Optimization    8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Fee: $595 Instructors: Professors from the Manufacturing Technologies Group at the University of Bologna, Italy Learn how to optimize and analyze the aluminum extrusion process in this one-day intensive course from the experts at the Manufacturing Technologies Group at the University of Bologna in Italy. They have worked extensively with European extruders and die makers to optimize die design, improve welding phenomena in extrusion dies, increase die life, and analyze final microstructure of extruded profiles. This course covers the following topics: Introduction to practical and analytical extrusion concepts Material flow and Friction in direct extrusion Die failure modes and die life prediction Seam welds, welding criteria and profile strength Charge welds and process performance Microstructure evolution and Streaks formation mechanisms. About Prof. Lorenzo Donati Lorenzo Donati is Associate Professor in Manufacturing Technologies in the “Department of  Engineering for Industry” in the School of Engineering (Forlì Campus) of Alma Mater Studiorum  -University of Bologna. He received the Ph. D. in the course on “Engineering of manufacturing  systems, of metallurgy and applied measurements” of the Polytechnic University of Marche  (Ancona, IT) with a dissertation on “Seam weld formation during aluminum extrusion: FEM  simulation and experimental verification of the mechanical and aesthetical proprieties”. The  research field concerns the analysis and optimization of forming processes with specific focus  on the extrusion of light alloy: seam and charge welds quality, die life estimation,  microstructure evolution during extrusion processing are some examples of the most relevant topics. He is organizer  and head of ICEB, the "International Conference on Extrusion and Benchmark", which is held in Europe every two  years since 2007. He coordinated and participated to several projects in the field of light alloys extrusion funded by  International and National bodies as well as Companies.   A full list of publications is available at  http://www.unibo.it/docenti/l.donati