Materials Data Driven Design (MAD3) is today’s R&D 100 of the day

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)’s MAD3 software uses the power of machine learning to improve metal-forming processes by incorporating a material’s microstructural information — allowing manufacturers to obtain microstructure-aware material properties for the first time. This advance is particularly important for the recent emergence of novel materials with complex microstructural features. MAD3 provides accurate plastic anisotropy information three orders of magnitude faster than any existing framework and is deployed with a user-friendly GUI that can be easily adopted by non-experts using an ordinary laptop. This software reduces the need for forming/stamping trials, which can cost between $2 to 5 million per year per manufacturing plant. It is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry and advancing the design and manufacturing of lighter structures, optimized military vehicles, and alloys for energy applications.