International student Olympiad: interviews with the winners

Aleksandar Lazić, a student at the University of Belgrade in Serbia, took third place in the Hot Bulk Forging section and invested his prize money in purchasing a 3D printer.

Alexander shared his thoughts about the Olympiad and gave some useful advice for future participants:

“My name is Aleksandar Lazić, a Master’s student at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, in the Department of Production Engineering.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Mihajlo Popović for the opportunity to participate in the Students’ Olympiad in Hot Bulk Forging. During my preparation for the competition, I was introduced to QForm software for the first time and quickly realized that it is an exceptionally powerful and intuitive tool for understanding and analyzing metal forming processes.

Participating in the Olympiad was a highly educational and inspiring experience. It provided me with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, develop problem-solving skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the technological aspects of forging simulation. I believe that such competitions are an excellent way for students to prepare for real-world engineering challenges while fostering creativity and teamwork.

I began my preparation about a month before the competition, studying professional literature by local authors and university materials. As this was my first participation, I initially believed that six hours of work would be enough. However, I soon discovered that achieving optimal simulation results and preparing a high-quality report requires patience and dedication.

Preparing for the Olympiad demands continuous learning and independent work. My advice to future participants is to practice regularly, attend QForm training sessions, and focus on understanding the process rather than worrying about the result. Most importantly, enjoy the process of research, simulation and learning something new every day.

I am deeply grateful to QForm for providing me with the opportunity to take part in this competition. The experience gave me great professional satisfaction and strengthened my motivation to continue developing my skills in the field of metal forming.”

Dear Aleksandar, on behalf of our entire international QForm Team, we wish you continued inspiration and enthusiasm for learning and development, great success in your career, and much happiness!