| The Material Database project is a supplemental software application for a Client/Server Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) project called LabLore. LabLore is an in-house full-scale LIMS for a material process laboratory at the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) designed to support material engineers who do new material research. The Material Database will be seamlessly integrated to the LabLore LIMS.; The material database stores user-entered material property and analytical method information. In these database tables, information about material properties include material name, material property type, property value, and property unit. The information about material methods include analytical method type, method name, and standard method procedure. Using carefully designed window interfaces, these data can be saved, retrieved, searched and manipulated. Many database functions are provided, such as searching available data; saving, changing, and deleting database records; and printing out search results.; One purpose for including a material database within a LIMS is that after years of data accumulation, this material database can form a "knowledge pool" for both material research engineers and analytical chemists. Through the LabLore LIMS, research engineers who develop new materials and chemists who analyze them can communicate and cooperate in a more efficient way. Engineers are able to find material property data and chemists are able to locate analytical methods much faster. Using the method database, chemists can document how samples were prepared previously and capture knowledge about how materials can be processed for analysis. Since all chemists use the same database, training new analysts become much easier and communication between chemists is much better. In some cases, this database can give chemists guidance when they try to develop a method to analyze a material which they never encountered before.; All components of this application are fully tested and will be properly integrated into LabLore LIMS. |
