The MICRESS® team has the pleasure to announce an upcoming MICRESS® training. The goal of the tutorial is to help students and researchers from the field of computational materials science to get started with microstructure simulations. Training participants will be introduced by experts in the field to the use of MICRESS® in order to gain hands-on experience that can directly be applied to their own research. The training will be held online. All lectures will be held via WebEx Training.

The training is divided into two parts:

  • Introduction and overview (2 hours): After a basic introduction to the MICRESS® principles, the software capabilities will be shown by applications done in several scientific and industry projects. At the end of this part, an overview of the MICRESS® user interface will be given.
  • Lectures and hands-on sessions alternating (1.5 days): Attendees will be given access via the WebEx Training interface to a remote desktop with all necessary software installed. This way, multiple practical exercises using MICRESS® can be done.

Scientists from both academia and industry are encouraged to register for the training. Participation in the event is free of charge. Registration for the first overview or for both parts is possible.

System requirements:

A portable or temporary version of the WebEx Meeting app and WebEx AnyConnect client are recommended to participate into the training, esp. hands-on. The meeting app can be installed during the login process. In principle, the WebEx Training module supports only Windows systems. A browser login or a login from Linux or MacOS system via app are not recommended.

For the best hands-on experience, a head-set and a larger screen is recommended. There will be the opportunity for private audio channels with the tutors.


Time
Aug 27th and 28th, 2025, from 8:45 am to 4:15 pm (CEST,UTC+2) Open for registration

Program – Day 1

Time Topics
08:45-09:00 Login
09:00-09:15 1 Welcome Plenary RA
  • Agenda
  • Introduction of tutors
09:15-10:15 2 Introduction Plenary JE
  • Overview of features and modelling principles of MICRESS
  • Applications
10:15-11:00 3 Overview of the MICRESS user interface Demo BZ
  • Driving file editor: MICpad
  • Configure input, find examples and manuals
  • Run an example setting
  • Data types and formats of results (txt, mcr, vtk)
  • Viewer DP_MICRESS and micpy usage
11:00-11:15 Coffee break Q&A
11:15-11:30 4 Welcome to training with hands-on Plenary RA
  • Round of introductions of attendees - Who are you?
11:30-12:00 5a Training infrastructure Plenary LK
  • Introduction to Webex Training
12:00-12:30 5b Getting started with your first MICRESS simulation Hands on
  • Connecting to your remote desktop
  • Find MICRESS example directory
  • Create private copy and modify output path
  • Run MICRESS simulation and inspect results with DP_MICRESS
  • Edit comments in driving file and restore original comments from output file (*in)
  • Call for tutor's help
  • Sign completion
12:30-13:15 Lunch / Dinner break
13:15-14:00 6 Driving file step by step Plenary BB
  • A close look at the training example T01_03_AlCu_E_HypoEutectic_2D_TQ.dri
  • Step by step explanation of most important input
14:00-14:30 7a Modify a driving file Demo RB
  • Creating your own driving file (from an example, interactively)
  • Modification of a driving file (e.g. adding initial grains)
  • Strategies to get the new driving file operational
14:30-14:45 7b Modifying a driving file Hands on
  • Create driving file from template (T01_03_AlCu_E_HypoEutectic_2D_TQ.dri)
  • Set output name and path
  • Place initial grains with and without Voronoi tesselation
  • Run simulation and visualize output using DP-MICRESS
14:45-15:00 Coffee break Q&A
15:00-15:15 7c Solution for Voronoi tessalation and going 3D Demo RB
  • Place initial grains with Voronoi tesselation
  • Sperical grain in 3D
15:15-15:45 7d 3D simulation Hands on
  • Expand example T01_03_AlCu_E_HypoEutectic_2D_TQ.dri to 3D
  • Place initial spherical grain in the domain center
  • Inspect 3D results with DP_MICRESS and export to VTK
  • Visualize results with ParaView
15:45-16:15 8 Initial Microstructures Plenary LK
  • Synthesizing initial microstructures
  • Importing initial microstructure from experimental data
  • Running simulations on synthesized/imported microstructure
  • Importing microstructures from plain-text/VTK files
  • Adding properties to imported microstructures
  • Using MICRESS restart files

Program – Day 2

Time Topics
08:45-09:00 Login
09:00-09:30 9a Grain growth Plenary JE
  • Basics
  • Interfacial properties
  • Orientation/Misorientation
09:30-10:00 9b Grain growth conditions and misorientations Hands on
  • Clone driving file from example T10_01_GrainGrowth_2D.dri
  • Enable misorientation in phase interaction
  • Use Read-Shockley model for interfacial energy
  • Use Humphreys models for interfacial mobility
  • Run simulation and visualize orientations with dedicated color scale
10:00-10:30 10a Phase transformations Plenary JE
10:30-10:45 10b Add a phase to an existing example Demo RA
  • Add the theta phase to the AlCu equiaxed dendritic example (AlCu_E_Dendritic_2D_TQ)
10:45-11:00 Coffee break Q&A
11:00-11:30 11a Coupling to thermodynamics Plenary BB
  • Thermo-Calc equilibrium and Scheil-Calculation as a basis for MICRESS simulations
  • Creating a GES5 thermodynamic database with Thermo-Calc
11:30-12:15 11b Coupling to thermodynamics Hands on
  • Add Cr as a further element to example T02_01_FeCMn_D_DeltaGamma_2D_TQ.dri
  • Generate and include the required Fe-C-Mn-Cr.GES5 file
  • Add all missing element-specific data
  • Display Cr concentration distribution in DP_MICRESS
12:15-13:00 Lunch / Dinner break
13:00-13:30 12a Nucleation Plenary JE
  • Nucleation undercooling
  • Nucleation models - seed undercooling / seed density
  • Nucleation sites
13:30-14:00 12b Nucleation Hands on
  • Alter critical nucleation undercooling in example T02_20_FeCMn_E_GammaAlphaIsotherm_2D_Lin.dri
  • Start simulations under variation of initial process temperature
  • Compare simulation results
14:00-14:15 Coffee break Q&A
14:15-14:45 13 Coupling to the process Plenary BB
14:45-15:45 14 Final challenge Hands-on
  • to be defined
15:45-16:00 Open discussion Q&A
  • Farewell

Pre-Training

Please feel encouraged to complete the following pre-training tasks to be best prepared for the training event.

Task 1
  10 mins

Watch MICRESS Phenomenology Part 1 to get an introduction into thermodynamics.

Watch MICRESS Phenomenology Part 2 to get an introduction into diffusion and kinetics.

Watch MICRESS Phenomenology Part 3 to get an introduction into multi-phase-field modelling.

Watch MICRESS at work to learn about coupling of thermodynamics and phase-field-modelling.

Task 5
  8 mins

Watch MICRESS Post-Processing Overview to get an overview of common tools for MICRESS post-processing.

Watch DP_MICRESS Post-Processing Basic Introduction to learn about the features and operational use of DP_MICRESS.

Download and install DP_MICRESS.

Download the following MICRESS simulation examples.

Open each of the examples with DP_MICRESS and inspect the corresponding output.