SmaDi - Digitalisation of smart materials and their manufacturing processes

Technical progress in recent decades has led to mechanical systems being combined into mechatronic systems with the help of electrical control and data processing. So-called “smart materials” play a central role in this process. These have the distinctive property of reacting to external influences (such as electrical, magnetic and thermal stimuli), e.g. by deformation. Due to the complex material behavior, which depends on the manufacturing process, the targeted development of smart materials requires an exact description of the properties and the necessary manufacturing processes. In the interdisciplinary consortium SmaDi, consisting of researchers from complementary fields of computer science, materials science and engineering, efficient ways of accessing and analysing large amounts of data from experimental tests and simulations are therefore being developed for the first time across different smart materials. Approaches for material production and application are derived from this and an application-specific comparison is made possible. On the one hand, the focus is on comprehensive modelling and computerbased description of the smart materials under consideration. On the other hand, an information technology query system is being established that answers abstract queries about the materials using the existing models and data. The results aimed for in the SmaDi consortium will therefore considerably reduce the research effort in the selection and optimization of materials in the future and lead to tailor-made product developments, from which above all the SMEs involved in the market will benefit. In perspective, this reduces the market entry hurdles for suppliers of smart materials and thus enables the development, establishment and dissemination of future-oriented products. Based on the overarching approach for smart materials, the information technology solutions developed can also be transferred to other material classes and can be used in cooperation with the MaterialDigital innovation platform for other utilization sectors.