The MDMC Solution

Capture

• Information systems must handle the peculiarities of materials data
  
  
• Organizations need a single, consistent source for all of their materials information - both in-house data and external references
  
  
• It must be quick and easy to import and export data from and to common sources such as laboratory testing equipment and databases
  
  
• The pedigree of data must be preserved during capture so that it is possible to trace the source of data and to explore its full context
  

Analyze

• Materials scientists require a range of specialist statistical analysis tools
  
  
• Access to these tools should be simple and integrated with tools to access and manage the data on which they operate
  
  
• Capturing and storing the detail of analyses alongside the information that they generate is important in helping to preserve corporate knowledge

Deploy

• Different user types must be provided with easy access to the information that they need within their standard workflows (including integration with tools such as CAE, FEA...)
  
  
• Materials authorities must be able to control the quality of the data used
  
  
• Security is essential - data must be available only to those authorized to use it
  
  
• Any system must be scalable and robust across the enterprise (whether for tens or thousands of users)
  
  

Maintain

• It must be easy to maintain information, including through automatic updates as data changes
  
  
• The system must be adaptable to changing user needs and information technology standards
  
  
• Resources and skills must be available to support on-going development

GRANTA MI is centered on a unique materials database designed for the idiosyncrasies of materials information. The system allows you to manage and process specialist data such as materials types, single point property data, and design curves.

Through GRANTA MI, you can access all of your company's materials information in a single place. GRANTA MI brings together all of your in-house data - whether from testing, quality assurance, design, or elsewhere. GRANTA MI can then integrate external reference information, whether from Granta's extensive catalog or from third-party sources, to ensure a complete resource.

How do you get such a range of data into the database, particularly in real engineering environments where it comes from many sources and in multiple formats? This is a strength of GRANTA MI. From raw test output, to processed results in a spreadsheet, to reference information, GRANTA MI can capture data directly from a very wide range of common sources. These include materials testing machines and analysis software. The system is also adaptable to new sources.

The relational structure of GRANTA MI allows links to be created during import, capturing relationships with other pertinent pieces of information. Ultimately, all data and analyses are safely stored in your GRANTA MI database, fully indexed and traceable, with complete control and accessibility for subsequent analysis, deployment and maintenance.

• Handles the specifics of materials information
  
  
• A single, consistent source for all of your in-house materials information
  
  
• Integrates access to external reference sources
  
  
• Easy import and export
  
  
• Link related information to ensure traceability and knowledge capture
  

GRANTA MI provides easy access to an outstanding portfolio of materials analysis methods and an environment to manage and apply these analyses more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

You can intepret or manipulate any data within GRANTA MI with any of the methods in the system. This ever-growing library studies behaviors including:

• tensile
• compression
• fatigue
• creep
• fracture

For non-standard analyses, GRANTA MI’s open architecture enables quick customization, easily integrating your in-house materials and statistical approaches, almost independent of the technology used (examples include VBA, C++, Excel, and FORTRAN).

The context for any analysis result is recorded via the automatic generation of links for every object in the database. For example, you might use this feature to record the pedigree of individual data points used in an analysis. Any statistically-based data point resulting from this analysis is automatically linked to every piece of the original data in the population used to derive it. Such traceability is critical to organizations pursuing ‘best practice’, since it ensures knowledge is not lost and enables rapid diagnosis of problems, helping to manage corporate liability.

• Simple access to powerful materials analysis methods
  
  
• Flexibility to allow a wide range of approaches and integrate in-house methods
  
  
• Full traceability to capture knowledge, reduce risk and manage liability in the design process
  

One of the most important objectives of GRANTA MI is to ensure that the information it captures and creates is delivered effectively to the people who need to use it. This could be anyone in your enterprise who deals with materials data — including engineers, suppliers, purchasing departments, stock control, and quality assurance staff. A key focus is the engineers who use materials data in engineering simulation and design. Information must be as easy as possible to access within their routine workflow.

GRANTA MI does this for you. First, data is prepared, certified, and published by materials experts, ready for the users who need it. Where required, data security is tightly controlled by GRANTA MI’s access control system, enabling data owners to limit access as necessary.

Engineers can then access this data simply within their routine workflows. First, they can get it via their PCs’ web browser using the GRANTA MI interface that allows you to easily browse, search, chart, plot, tabulate, and check data, and conduct property-based materials selections, comparisons or trade-off analyses. Next, they can easily export data for analysis within their standard computer-aided engineering software. Finally, GRANTA MI's workflow integration capabilities even allow data stored in the GRANTA MI system to be accessed directly from within third-party software (e.g., CAE, FEA, and other PLM tools).

• Easy access to the information you need
  
  
• Fit to the workflows of key users - e.g., engineers
  
  
• Secure and controlled
  
  
• Scalable and robust across thousands of users
  

You need to maintain your data and systems in dynamic enterprises where data, people, and the business environment change frequently.

One requirement is to easily re-apply analysis methods to updated data populations in order to refine existing design information. GRANTA MI's ability to capture all relevant data and its context in a single system makes such analysis much more straightforward.

The capture of contextual information also helps to protect against loss of knowledge and expertise when employees change roles or leave their jobs. With GRANTA MI, this knowledge is no longer only "in people's heads" or in their notebooks - you can search, browse, and analyze it.

You may also want to ensure that you are accessing the most up-to-date versions of external data sources. Granta supports this need by delivering regular data updates of its reference data modules.

• Support continual update of dynamic data
  
  
• Access regularly-updated external sources
  
  
• Preserve corporate knowledge
  
  
• Respond to changing standards, operating systems, user needs
  
  
• Share the cost of essential developments