02.02.2024 by Aileen Sammler
Ready for the Future? Artificial Intelligence in Materials Testing Labs
Introducing LabV® – an AI-Enhanced Data Management Platform for Laboratories
In many laboratories, analytical instruments are not connected, resulting in data scattered across different systems, spreadsheets, and documents. In some cases, measurement results are even recorded manually and stored on paper. The data then needs to be manually transferred for analysis purposes − a time-consuming and error-prone step. Connecting all devices in the laboratory and collecting the data on a single platform therefore helps optimize laboratory workflows. A solution to these issues is LabV®, a cloud-based software that connects every device in the material testing lab and seamlessly integrates it into existing IT infrastructures. Complex and costly device connections to an LIMS or CAQ system are eliminated. What is new: the data management platform is now also being supported by an AI-based digital employee.
This means that the digital assistant has now become reality in materials testing laboratories. The innovative data management platform LabV® is the first of its kind, providing laboratories with easy access to artificial intelligence (AI). This development marks a shift in how laboratories access and utilize their data.
How Does it Work?
LabV®'s AI-powered digital assistant is transforming daily laboratory operations by streamlining management of complex data sets. It enables laboratories to unlock valuable insights from data that was once difficult to access, all without the need for coding expertise or the laborious task of sifting through spreadsheets. It uses natural language processing, akin to ChatGPT, which empowers laboratories to explore their data in new ways using straightforward commands.
The digital assistant can meet specific needs of each laboratory and industry - whether it's creating visual representations of quality control charts, analyzing individual measurements over extended periods with a simple click, or exploring the relationships between various lab parameters. It eliminates the manual effort traditionally required to uncover trends, discrepancies, or anomalies and facilitates the investigation of intricate relationships, such as those found in battery production or the correlation between viscosity and gloss in paint formulation.
„Artificial intelligence is not a gimmick. Laboratories can identify previously unrecognized correlations and make their data accessible in an intuitive way.“
LabV® stands out from conventional lab software like LIMS or CAQ systems by integrating all pertinent data sources. This includes equipment for chemical, physical, and mechanical testing, as well as the laboratory's existing IT systems, such as ERP or MES. This integration creates a rich, AI-ready data ecosystem. The potential of AI is unlocked only when many data sources are integrated, a principle that applies across various sectors, including battery manufacturing, polymer and metal processing, and the coatings industry.
Perfect Combination: LabV® and Thermal Analyzers by NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing
LabV® can be seamlessly integrated into any lab device, including NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing's thermal analysis instruments, such as thermobalances, differential scanning calorimeters, dynamic-mechanical analyzers, and dilatometers, just to name a few. This synergy allows for the efficient use of LabV®'s extensive features, including automated data evaluation, data post-processing, and report generation, in conjunction with NETZSCH's high-precision measuring instruments. This simplifies laboratory work, optimizes data management, and enhances collaboration within and between laboratories.
