Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM
Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM

R&D Services for the Digitalization of Materials

© Fraunhofer IWM | Gebhard/Uhl

Management of digital transformations

 

Fraunhofer IWM empowers companies and research institutions to apply digital methods in materials research in a targeted manner. Through training, consulting, and the transfer of proven tools and standards, competencies for digital transformation are built up sustainably.

  • Analysis of digital maturity and development of a customized digitalization strategy for materials data and processes
  • Support in the selection, adaptation, and implementation of suitable standards and ontologies within the corporate context
  • Support in establishing FAIR-compliant data management processes along the value chain
  • Provision of documented best practices, implementation guidelines, and reusable software tools
  • Joint testing of digital workflows and methods using concrete use cases from the corporate environment

Reference projects

 

Contact

Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl

+49 761 5142-495 | send email

 

© Fraunhofer IWM

Implementation of end-to-end data workflows

 

Efficient materials development requires seamless digital process chains. We design and implement data workflows that keep materials data available — from experimentation through component evaluation — without any data discontinuities.

  • Analysis and modeling of existing data and information flows
  • Automation of data generation, transfer, and storage
  • Implementation of FAIR data principles in experimental and simulation-based workflows
  • Development of tracking concepts for seamless tracing of data origins
  • Establishment of scalable data infrastructures based on open standards (e.g., HDF5, JSON-LD, RDF)

Reference projects

 

Contact

Dr. Dirk Helm

+49 761 5142-158 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM | Gebhard/Uhl

Digital representation of materials and manufacturing processes

 

Digital representations form the foundation for simulation, AI, and digital twins. We develop semantic, machine-readable descriptions of materials and processes that go far beyond simple datasets.

  • Formal description of materials states, microstructures, and property profiles
  • Ontology-based modeling of manufacturing processes and process chains
  • Development of materials charts and digital materials passports
  • Linking experimental data with simulation models in shared representations
  • Implementation of representations as the basis for digital component twins

Reference projects

 

Contact

Dr. Christoph Schweizer

+49 761 5142-382 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM

Data-driven networking of stakeholders in value chains

 

Materials knowledge does not end at the corporate boundary. We empower companies, research institutions, and suppliers to engage in secure, structured data exchange that transforms value chains into a shared knowledge network.

  • Design and development of materials data spaces (e.g., based on Gaia-X / IDSA)
  • Definition of data exchange protocols and common data standards
  • Development of access rights and licensing models for sensitive materials data
  • Connecting SMEs and suppliers to overarching data infrastructures
  • Design of governance structures for collaborative data networks

Reference projects

 

Contact

Dr. Matthias Weber

+49 761 5142-272 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM

Semantic structuring of data and curation of materials databases

 

Materials knowledge only realizes its full value when data is machine-readable, unambiguously described, and interpretable across contexts. Through ontologies and standardized vocabularies, we establish the conceptual foundation for interoperable data exchange.

  • Development and adaptation of domain-specific materials ontologies (e.g., based on EMMO, PMDco)
  • Mapping heterogeneous data models to common semantic schemas
  • Implementation of controlled vocabularies and taxonomies
  • Linking materials, process, and component data through semantic relations
  • Quality assessment and plausibility checks of materials data sets
  • Development and maintenance of curated materials databases

Reference projects

 

Contact

Philipp von Hartrott

+49 761 5142-273 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM | Gebhard/Uhl

Linking data islands and data silos

 

In established corporate structures, materials knowledge is stored in isolated systems. We make these data islands accessible, linkable, and usable — without replacing existing IT infrastructures.

  • Analysis and inventory of distributed data sources and formats
  • Development of data interfaces
  • Harmonization of inconsistent data structures and unit systems
  • Connecting ERP, PLM, and LIMS systems to shared data infrastructures
  • Establishment of federated data architectures while preserving data sovereignty

Reference projects

 

Contact

Yoav Nahshon

+49 761 5142-375 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM

AI-based assistance systems and process acceleration

 

AI is only effective in the field of materials science if methods are based on high-quality, domain-specific data and are embedded in physical knowledge of materials. We develop and validate AI approaches that deliver industrially reliable results.

  • Development of ML models for predicting materials properties
  • Physics-informed machine learning to combine data and model knowledge
  • Anomaly and pattern detection in manufacturing and testing data
  • Design and validation of AI pipelines meeting industrial quality requirements

Reference projects

 

Contact

Dr. Ali Riza Durmaz

+49 761 5142-195 | send email

© Fraunhofer IWM | Gebhard/Uhl

 

Digitized life cycle and sustainability assessment

 

Regulatory requirements and sustainability goals make the data-driven assessment of materials across their entire life cycle indispensable. We combine materials data with life cycle assessment methods to produce robust evidence.

  • Data-driven Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for materials and components
  • Calculation and tracking of materials and product CO₂ footprints
  • Development of service life models for stress-optimized component use
  • Preparation of materials data for regulatory reporting requirements (REACH, Ecodesign, CSRD)

Reference projects

 

Contact

Dr. Thomas Straub

+49 761 5142-537 | send email