On the Enter Recipe page, inputs form the framework of an experiment and include:
- Ingredients: Any raw material used in experiments, including their amounts.
- Ingredient Attributes: Additional information about ingredients, such physical or chemical properties, supplies, CAS number, GHS symbols, or SDS/TDS files.
- Process Parameters: Used to capture critical information about how a formulation was processed, such as mixing speed or time.
- Input calculations: Tied to the inputs of an experiment and can display derived values like ingredient ratios, recipe costs, or % solids directly on the recipe view.
- Equipment: Hardware equipment used when running the experiment, such as mixers or ovens.
Inputs Listing Page
All inputs stored in the platform are managed through the Inputs listing page, accessible by selecting Inputs/Outputs → Inputs from the navigation bar.
To ensure consistency and minimize manual data entry, inputs can be shared across material families. During implementation, a company’s existing input data can be uploaded to Uncountable. Additionally, users with the necessary permissions can create new inputs directly from the Inputs listing pages.
Ingredients
Ingredients represents any raw material in the platform, named using its commercial rather than generic name.
Learn more about ingredient inputs:
- Ingredient Details Page
- Creating New Ingredients
- Adding Ingredients to a Recipe
- Enabling Mix Order on a Recipe
Process Parameters
Process parameters are used to capture critical information about how a formulation was processed. Examples include mixing speed, time, and temperature.
Process parameters are added as inputs to on the Enter Recipe page along with ingredients to fully document the experimental setup. While ingredient values are always numeric, parameters can be numeric, categorical, text, date, timestamp, attachments, or even curve data.
Learn more about process parameter inputs:
Calculations
Input calculations are calculations using inputs (i.e. density, solids %, formula cost, the ratio between two ingredients) and are added on the recipe side of an experiment. Since recipes are defined before an experiment runs, input calculations cannot reference output values. However, they can incorporate outputs from component recipes used as ingredients.
Learn more about input calculations:
- Input Calculations
- Editing an Existing Calculation
- Creating New Input Calculations
- Adding Input Calculations to a Recipe
Groups
Input groups are collections of inputs (ingredients and process parameters) that can be added to recipes in bulk. Input groups can be used to:
- Quickly add multiple inputs at once when editing a recipe or defining workflow steps
- Set up standard parameter groups with default values
- Create starting points for scientists by pre-populating standard parameters and ingredients
Learn more about input groups:
Attributes
Ingredient attributes are descriptors of ingredients or parameters. Attributes can numeric, text-based, categorical, or file attachments. Examples include specific gravity, molecular weight, density, cost, CAS number, GHS hazard symbols, and SDS/TDS files.
Learn more about ingredient attribute inputs:
- Attribute Configuration
- Editing an Existing Attribute
- Creating a New Ingredient Attribute
- Adding Attributes to Inputs
Equipment
Equipment refers to the hardware equipment used to run experiments. Unlike other inputs, equipment is tied to labs rather than material families.
Learn more about equipment inputs:
Metadata
While metadata is not technically an input, it is worth mentioning since it can be displayed on both the Enter Recipe and Enter Measurements pages.
Experiment metadata captures information that is not a process parameter or directly tied to recipe composition. Examples include experiment creator, date, and plant location. To view and edit experiment metadata fields, access the Metadata page within “Inputs/ Outputs” tab of the navigation bar.
For a deeper dive into metadata, check out the following articles: