Progress:
The project and the XML concept for the file format was presented
at the AERC 2007 in Naples. In the meantime the XML concept is broadly
accepted by the community and also the rheometer manufacturers.
TA instruments already promised to implement the XML export in the
near future.
Results from IUPAC sub-committee Meeting, Budapest, May 2007; the
major points which were discussed are:
1) In addition to Dynamic Mechanical Analysis and Capillary Viscosimetry,
now also Rotational Viscosimetry is part of the XML schema, because
many rotational rheometers can be used for dynamic as well as for
steady shear measurements.
2) The structure of the data file was extended to store additional
information calculated from the experimental data like the parameters
of a viscosity curve fit or Arrhenius flow energy. This extension
is necessary to guarantee an optimized workflow. Since frequently
the rheometer software is used to perform such data evaluation the
results should also be stored in the output file to enable a simple
transfer into spreadsheet programs. However, the extension of the
file structure towards storage of further information is beyond
the initial scope of this project and should not be continued besides
for some simple functions.
3) It was decided not to claim a fixed SI-unit system to get a
higher acceptance also from labs currently using e.g. the cgs-system.
This means that each entity will have an attribute "unit",
where the unit is stored. However, the units can only be selected
from pre-defined lists in order to guarantee the compatibility of
different units.
4) It is expected that the XML data file concept becomes established
and thus the work should be extended, esp. to contain further methods.
A long-term goal even could be to generate an ASTM or ISO standard.
This requires a lot of coordination work and resources. A possible
route would be the continuation of the work within the ACCESS project
of H.H. Winter who already offered to do this. Further details have
to be drawn up.
Schema Updates are described here
> see Erik
Wassner's presentation - Budapest Meeting May 2007 [pdf
file - 201 KB]
Last update: 29 October 2007
<project description to be published
in Chem. Int.>