This is the 46th edition of the International Deep Drawing Research Group (IDDRG) Conference, hosted by Eurecat in Barcelona, Spain. Since its foundation, IDDRG has established itself as the leading international forum for scientific and technological exchange in sheet metal forming, bringing together researchers, industrial experts, equipment manufacturers, and material developers from around the world.

The sheet metal forming community is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the transition toward climate-neutral manufacturing, increasing resource efficiency requirements, and the demand for lighter, safer, and more sustainable products. Advanced high-strength steels, lightweight alloys, recycled materials, and multi-material solutions are creating new opportunities while introducing significant challenges in manufacturing and industrial implementation. At the same time, digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and digital twins are reshaping the way forming processes are developed, monitored, and optimized.

The evolution of manufacturing technologies continues to expand the boundaries of sheet metal forming. Alongside continuous innovations in conventional cold, warm, and hot forming processes, new hybrid manufacturing routes are emerging that combine sheet metal forming with technologies such as additive manufacturing, enabling greater design freedom, functional integration, and material efficiency. Innovative approaches such as Incremental Sheet Forming are also opening new possibilities for flexible and customized production. Together, these developments are enabling the manufacture of increasingly complex and high-performance components while paving the way toward more agile, intelligent, and sustainable manufacturing systems.

IDDRG 2027 will provide a unique platform to discuss these challenges and opportunities, fostering collaboration between academia and industry across topics ranging from advanced materials and forming technologies to artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, sustainability, and circular production.

We look forward to welcoming the sheet metal forming community to Barcelona for a week of scientific exchange, networking, and discussion on the technologies that will shape the future of manufacturing

 

Daniel Casellas i Padró

Eurecat, Scientific Director and Conference Chair

The conference will address the latest scientific and technological advances in sheet metal forming, covering topics such as tribology and surface engineering, sustainability and circular manufacturing, material testing and standardization, formability and damage prediction, numerical simulation and digital process design, cold, warm, and hot forming technologies, joining and welding, and fatigue and fracture performance of formed components.

The conference will also highlight emerging manufacturing concepts, including incremental sheet forming  and hybrid manufacturing approaches integrating additive manufacturing with sheet metal forming, alongside the growing role of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and digital twins for process optimization, quality prediction, and intelligent manufacturing systems. Together, these topics reflect the ongoing transformation of sheet metal forming towards more sustainable, efficient, and high-performance manufacturing solutions.

We look forward to welcoming the sheet metal forming community to Barcelona for a week of scientific exchange, networking, and discussion on the technologies that will shape the future of manufacturing.