Preface

The 13th International Tooling Conference – Tooling 2025 was held from 24 to 26 March 2025 in Trento, Italy. Jointly organized by ASMET and AIM, the International Tooling Conference has long represented a key forum for professionals, researchers, and industrial stakeholders engaged in the tooling sector. The event serves as a bridge between academia and industry, encompassing the entire value chain of tool production. Returning to Italy for the second time—after the 2006 edition in Turin—the conference was hosted in Trento, an Alpine city distinguished for its strong commitment to technological innovation and its recognized role within both the national and international tooling community. The 2025 edition took place in a context marked by profound industrial and environmental transformations, most notably the challenges posed by the European Green Deal and the ongoing green transition. These developments have been progressively reshaping well-established paradigms, emphasizing a more responsible approach to the use of raw materials guided by the principles of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Central themes included the substitution of critical raw materials, the implementation of more sustainable production technologies—such as additive manufacturing, a zero-waste process capable of drastically reducing material losses—and the adoption of circular strategies for the management, utilization, and end-of-life treatment of tools and dies. These topics were at the heart of the 13th edition, aptly entitled “Tooling 4 Sustainability,” which aimed to stimulate critical reflection and foster scientific discussion on the future of this strategic industrial sector at both European and global levels. The success of the conference was reflected in the participation of over 100 delegates from 14 countries, the high scientific quality of the presentations, and the depth of the technical and theoretical insights shared during the plenary and keynote sessions. Particularly noteworthy was the active involvement of early-career researchers, whose contributions enriched the interdisciplinary dialogue. The event was generously sponsored by BGH Edelstahlwerke GmbH (Germany) and Voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl GmbH. This special issue of Steel Research International presents a selection of papers identified by the Scientific Committee as particularly deserving of attention for their scientific merit and contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the tooling field.