Abstract
The powder metallurgy community mourns the passing of Engineer Gian Filippo Bocchini, which occurred at the beginning of 2023. Engineer Bocchini was an absolute protagonist in the development of Powder Metallurgy not only in Italy, where he carried out his professional activity for more than 60 years, but also internationally.
Born in Spoleto in 1934 and graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Federico II University of Naples, he worked for many years at Merisinter in Naples, a historic Italian powder metallurgy company, where he held top positions. In 1986, he participated in the establishment of the company Höganäs Italia Srl, the Italian branch of Höganäs AB, Sweden, holding the position of CEO for 12 years until December 1998, when he retired. From that time he continued to work with great passion both as an industrial consultant and as a researcher, carrying out many studies in collaboration with various Italian universities. Thanks to this long and intense activity, he was known, appreciated and highly respected by the entire industrial and academic community.
He participated intensely in the activities of the Italian Metallurgy Association (AIM), in which he was the President of the Powder Metallurgy Center from November 1982 to 1993 and again from November 2004 to February 2015. In 2022, on the occasion of the National Congress of Heat Treatments of the AIM, received an award in recognition of the notable commitment and high competence placed at the service, with great passion and generous interest, of the Association and in particular of the Powder Metallurgy Centre.
In 1995 he received the Ivor Jenkins Medal of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining.
Until a few years ago, he continuously participated in the Congresses organized by EPMA, APMI/MPIF and JPMA, presenting his studies mainly on pressing, sintering and heat treatments of sintered materials. He had a great scientific curiosity and a predisposition for the theoretical analysis of phenomena, based on a solid knowledge of the mechanics and thermodynamics of materials.
I had the pleasure of meeting him at the beginning of my career, in 1984, and the honor of sharing a personal relationship that has consolidated over the years. I learned a lot from him. He was a competent, authoritative man, very friendly and generous with advice towards young people. He also had great communication skills and passion for training younger people.
On behalf of the Powder Metallurgy community, I express my deep condolences for his passing and send an affectionate greeting to his wife Mrs Maria Rosaria.