CWA 17815:2021

Materials characterisation - Terminology, metadata and classification

Scope

The main purpose of this CWA is to propose a widely agreed and common basic architecture for materials characterization data (CHADA), which can be used as a building block for the most complex characterization case studies, also comprising interactions with modelling and process workflows.
The materials characterization field consists of a merge combination of process from multiple scientific communities, which have established different terminologies that focus on various application domains and types of characterization methods.
In addition to that, characterisation is an integral part of materials and product development, processing, and application. It involves stakeholders from:
- Industrial end-users of characterisation from processing and manufacturing industry.
- Scientists in both academia and industry developing new materials, properties, and applications;
- Technology integrators providing materials testing, multiscale analysis, characterisation, and consultancy services.
- Scientists from Academia, Research Institutes and instrument manufacturers who develop characterisation methods and methodologies.
- Manufacturers and developers of analytical instruments from both academia and industry.
- Standardisation Bodies and Metrology institutes.
For such reasons, the development of a common terminology for materials characterisation is mandatory and should include (a) Standardization of terminology and method classification, and (b) a guideline to translate industrial problems into problems that can be analysed with characterization methods.
On this basis, standardized terminology metadata and classification will be formalized into taxonomies and ontologies of materials characterization.
This CWA includes definitions of fundamental terms for the field of materials characterisation, followed by a detailed description of a new concept for data documentation in materials characterization (CHADA).
The definitions also enable a classification of materials characterisation methods.
Using the concepts of "user case" (which includes the sampling process, specimen, testing environment and characteristic length scale), "experiment" (which include the details of the measurement chain), "raw data" and "data processing", we propose a more straightforward classification of materials characterisation methods, replacing the current situation of opacity that makes the field hard to access for industry and outsiders.
This CWA also provides a systematic description and documentation of methods including the user case, method, raw data generation and analysis and post-processing of data: the "materials CHAracterisation DAta" (CHADA). This document seeks to organize the information so that even complex characterisation workflows can be conveyed more easily and key data about the methods, raw data generation and analysis, and post-processing of data and their implementation can be captured. A template CHADA for the methods is described to guide users towards a complete documentation of material characterisation.