Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM want to create a materials data space as the basis for digital twins of materials. To this end, the researchers are continuously inspecting and breaking down samples of materials, to determine the specific properties of the material in question during the relevant processing step and to create a widely ramified database of complex relationships between the individual properties and states. Taking test specimens produced using additive manufacturing as an example, the scientists have already successfully proven the basic feasibility of their concept.

The aim is to create the digital data basis, in a standardized format, for simulating digital twins of any object to be manufactured in its relevant current state. This materials data space will not only provide comparable values for various different materials and manufacturing processes, but will also facilitate the comparison of actual values from production with target values from the database – including an automatic production stop whenever quality dips below the required standard. Simpler simulation models based on virtual images are already being used to make predictions about individual groups of product properties.