An AI framework for time series microstructure prediction from processing parameters

In this study, we present an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven framework for predicting the microstructural texture of polycrystalline materials after a specific deformation process. The microstructural texture is defined in terms of the orientation distribution function (ODF) which indicates the volume density of crystal orientations. Our approach leverages an encoder-decoder model with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) layers to model the relationship between processing conditions and material properties. As a case study, we apply our framework to copper, generating a dataset of 3125 unique processing parameter combinations and their corresponding ODF vectors. The resulting predictions enable the calculation of homogenized properties. Our AI-driven framework outperforms traditional material processing simulations, yielding faster results with limited error rates (< 0.3% for both the elastic matrix C and the compliance matrix S), making it a promising tool for the expedited design of microstructures with tailored properties.