Sentio metallico

Sentio metallico is a metal from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Sentio metallico is a special type of metal that occurs naturally with sparks. The combination of the two creates a protoform. It takes very special skills to work with it.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

When a spark is ignited in a hot spot, a small amount of sentio metallico forms with it. The Fecund Moon Normally, the fusion of the two creates a protoform, but not always. Sometimes, the metal struggles to read the instructions encoded on the spark. Some 'bots can read the spark's instructions and forge the protoform into its intended form. If this doesn't happen in time, the two fail to combine and fade away. Even rarer, however, the sentio metallico will survive and form a different shape: a snowflake-like bloom. A World Misplaced

During the war, creation of M.T.O.s skipped using sentio metallico. Eventually, the Decepticons began smelting their prisoners to reuse the metal, leading to better M.T.O.s. Speak, Memory! (Part 2)

Ask Vector Prime

Vector Prime stated that sentio metallico was essentially the same thing as protomatter, cyber-matter, and Transformium. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/03