Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Improving Structural Integrity of Metals: From Bulk to Surface – Special Issue Reprint

Metals and alloys continue to play a paramount role in the design and construction of load-bearing structures and mechanical components. Ferrous and non-ferrous alloys find countless applications in various industrial areas, including automotive, aerospace, marine, construction, and manufacturing fields. When it comes to guarantee the structural integrity and safety of critical parts, a variety of protection and strengthening mechanisms—not only at the bulk level, but also at the surface level—may be exploited, not to mention the role of the manufacturing process in establishing the material microstructure and, in turn, its strength. Topics that can be covered are rather broad and may include, but are not limited to, the modification of alloy elements and the formation of new alloys such as high-entropy alloys; heat treatments; advanced manufacturing techniques such as additive manufacturing; and surface engineering techniques such as shot-peening, diffusion treatments, and coatings. This Special Issue aims to present up-to-date methods and approaches for preserving and improving the structural integrity of metallic components, with an overview of the phenomena occurring at the bulk and the surface level while considering the role of the manufacturing process as it correlates to the microstructure.