Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS

Digitalization

The entrance of the digital transformation into materials characterisation and testing includes a multitude of building blocks, from the introduction of a laboratory information system to the use of an electronic laboratory book and the digital mapping of workflows. All efforts must meet the requirements of the so-called FAIR principles (F = findable, A = accessible, I = interoperable, R = reusable). This is the only way to create knowledge management out of data management. We are happy to share our experience on these topics with all those who are still at the beginning.

Digital Transformation

The RoboMet 3D robotic system allows fully automated metallographic preparation including etching with subsequent light microscopic image acquisition for efficient development of real 3D information of materials.
© Fraunhofer IWS
The RoboMet 3D robotic system allows fully automated metallographic preparation including etching with subsequent light microscopic image acquisition for efficient development of real 3D information of materials.

Exponentially growing data volumes, an increasing complexity of collected data and ever higher compliance requirements are putting research and development under increasing pressure to innovate. Digitization is a key transformation that can increase efficiency and gain competitive advantages. Fraunhofer IWS has been working intensively on the development of a research data management system for several years. Experiences in this process, which is primarily designed as a “bottom-up“approach, flow into consulting offers to industry.

The reuse of experimental findings, which can be realized by means of a suitable research data management concept, becomes particularly clear in the 3D reconstruction of structures (computed tomography) or material structures (by means of metallography robots). Only a stringent recording of all primary and secondary data (including metadata) allows a comprehensive clarification of process-structure-property-effect relationships.

Laboratory Management and Electronic Laboratory Book

For digitalization in materials testing, among other things, an extensive metallography database was developed as a modern laboratory information management system.
© Fraunhofer IWS
For digitalization in materials testing, among other things, an extensive metallography database was developed as a modern laboratory information management system.

The totality of data from process chains in development laboratories must be recorded in a structured manner so that the mutual relationships between the individual data can be used to perform search functions and data analyses. With the Laboratory-Information-Management-System (LIMS), a database was developed that provides this functionality using the example of a metallography laboratory. In the projects “Digital Transformation in Materials Testing“ (DiWan) and within the framework of the “National Research Data Infrastructure for Materials Science & Materials Engineering“ (NFDI-MatWerk), the needs for digital infrastructures and assistance systems are covered, e.g. deployment scenarios for Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN).

Knowledge Management

Sample tag-cloud for visualization of information from texts for material characterization and testing.
© Fraunhofer IWS
Sample tag-cloud for visualization of information from texts for material characterization and testing.

The basis for effective knowledge management is structured recording, management and storage of the data available in documents, tables, figures, etc. (explicit knowledge). In addition, an essential part of the “knowledge capital“ of companies and research institutions is the experiential knowledge of the experts in the testing laboratories (tacit knowledge). Fraunhofer IWS develops strategies for the digitized capture and use of both knowledge categories in laboratory operations in order to build a digital data repository. This will create an adequate data source for simulation calculations, data mining and digital twins.