Material Hub > About us > Project > ERDF Project
ERDF Project
Introduction
Material Hub is the name of an open materials research portal that was developed from October 2016 to September 2021 in the ERDF-funded project of the same name at the Saxon State Library - Dresden State and University Library (SLUB). It has been further developed since October 2021 in the DFG-funded specialist information service Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnik (FID Materials Science).
Motivation
Materials research has so far usually been tedious and time-consuming. When searching for materials or their properties, a multitude of different data sources must be searched. The results are available in heterogeneous formats and have to be summarized manually. Information a material differs depending on the source, for example due to different test methods or target group orientation.
Vision
We are developing a central research portal that will enable researchers and users from industry, arts and crafts to access a large number of highly heterogeneous databases simultaneously for their materials research. A uniform search mask as well as hidden semantic enrichment and data integration ensure that the desired information can be found more quickly. In addition to overview searches, which for example provide all entries for a certain class of materials or all products of a certain manufacturer, it should be possible to obtain the properties of a specific material or to find materials based on desired properties or potential applications.
Events
Material Hub as part of the Bio Polymer Exhibition
Beginning in October 24, 2019, SLUB Dresden invites to the exhibition "Plastik. And then?" in the SLUB Makerspace. “Plastic. And then?” combines the exhibition "Bio-plastics or both" of the Materialarchiv and the “Unstoff-Reststoff-Nutzstoff” presentation by Kunststoffschmiede Dresden. The exhibition is complemented by a prototypical demonstrator of the free, universal material research portal Material Hub.
Web-Seminar VI about Construction Materials for Food Contact in the Material Hub
On September 04, 2019, a feedback web seminar was held in cooperation with the VDMA (Board Initiative Joint Research - Database Construction Materials for Food Contact), where the testers reported on their experiences with the Material Hub. The feedback received will be addressed in the further development of the Material Hub.
Web-Seminar IV and V about Construction Materials for Food Contact in the Material Hub
On May 21 and 29, 2019, two web seminars took place as part of a pilot project with the VDMA (Board Initiative Joint Research - Database Construction Materials for Food Contact). Selected interested parties were instructed in the test use of the material hub prototype.
Material Hub a guest of Frenzelit
© Marc Mosch
On January 17, 2019 Material Hub visited Frenzelit in Bad Berneck . The meeting was used for project presentation and data acquisition within the pilot with TUD and VDMA on food contact materials in Material Hub.
Founded in the 1980s as a paper factory, Frenzelit is an owner-managed company with approx. 500 employees and meanwhile produces a wide range of sealing and insulation materials. Aramid and glass fibres, but also gneiss, graphite, carbon and various plastics are used. The entire production chain is covered in the Fichtelgebirge. Frenzelit is represented on all 5 continents by subsidiaries for assembly and distributors.
During interesting discussions and a tour of the plant, the wide range of materials become obvious as well as their innovative potential for other fields of application. Especially this discovery of new applications for existing materials is one of the strengths of Material Hub.
Material Hub at the 7th Dresdner Werkstoffsymposium
On December 6 and 7, 2018, the 7th Dresdner Werkstoffsymposium took place at the Westin Bellevue Hotel. Academical and industrial participants discussed interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities for innovative materials in industrial production. The Material Hub team presented the project and the current prototype to an interested audience. Lively exchanges with the experts gave Material Hub new impetus. The corresponding poster can be downloaded here: PDF.
Web-Seminar III about Construction Materials for Food Contact in the Material Hub
On November 13, 2018, another web seminar took place as part of a pilot project with the VDMA (Board Initiative Joint Research - Database Design Materials for Food Contact), where selected designers were introduced to the idea behind Material Hub and the current prototype.
Web-Seminar II about Construction Materials for Food Contact in the Material Hub
On September 6, 2018, a web seminar wass held as part of a pilot project with the VDMA (Board Initiative Joint Research - Database Design Materials for Food Contact), where representatives of selected supplier companies were introduced to the idea behind Material Hub and the current prototype.
Web-Seminar I about Construction Materials for Food Contact in the Material Hub
On July 19, 2018, a first web seminar was held as part of a pilot project with the VDMA (Board Initiative Joint Research - Database Design Materials for Food Contact), where selected designers were introduced to the idea behind Material Hub and the current prototype.
Material Hub at the 3rd VDMA-Workshop
© Marc Mosch
On April 12, 2018, the Material Hub team presented the further developed prototype at the VDMA workshop "Food contact materials in the Material Hub". In addition to the VDMA members, suppliers in particular were also present. At the workshop it was clarified how their data can be integrated and how their interests can be taken into account. The workshop took place in Bad Salz-Uflen at the company Firma Sollich statt.
Presentation at the conference VVD 2018
On 15 March 2018, Material Hub was presented at the VVD 2018 – Verarbeitung und Verpackung 4.0 conference. The presentation with the title "Material Hub - Order in the Chaos of Material Data Sources" was given at 16:30 at the Radisson Blu Park Hotel in Radebeul.
Face-Lift for the Material-Hub-Webseite
Since March 02, 2018, the Material Hub website has been shining in a new light.
Material Hub at the second VDMA Workshop
On November 16, 2017, the Material Hub team presented the first prototype at the VDMA workshop "Food contact materials in the Material Hub". In addition to the VDMA members, suppliers in particular were also present. At the workshop, it was clarified how their data can be integrated and how interests can be taken into account. The workshop took place in Frankfurt.
Results
A publication on the material hub at VVD 2018 "Material Hub - Order in the chaos of material data sources" can be found here: PDF
The registration phase for data providers started on 29.09.2020.
On 16.12.2020 the extended registration phase began and the search functionality was published.
