The Latest Updates from Knovel: New Database, Subject Area, and Excel Tool

As an online subscription portal created to provide technical information for scientists and engineers, Knovel can also be harnessed by prior art searchers looking for reference information on engineering and technology topics. Knovel, originally launched in April 2001 and maintained by the Knovel Corporation, is a subscription-based online platform that provides access to more than 4,000 reference works and databases from over 90 international publishers and professional societies. Knovel focuses on engineering content, and and it currently covers 30 subject areas.  According to its website, the Knovel interface also provides access to “interactive tables and graphs to help engineers use and export relevant data.”  Through the Major Recent Updates section of the Knovel System Report on Intellogist, you can read about the latest changes to Knovel’s content coverage and interface.  The Knovel system has seen a number of updates during the month of September, including a new Titanium Alloy Database, a new subject area covering Fire Protection Engineering and Emergency Response, and an Excel Add-In which users can download to integrate the Knovel search and unit converter tools into their Excel worksheet.

After the jump, learn more about these September updates to Knovel!

The following updates were announced on the Knovel website and K-Exchange Blog in September 2012:

Titanium Alloy Database – A Knovel press release describes the new Titanium Alloy Database added to its Critical Content line:

The Titanium Alloy Database, developed by J. Gilbert Kaufman, includes physical and mechanical property data for more than 80 alloys, with summarized descriptions of condition and processing history. Compelling features of this new database include:

  • High temperature properties information such as strength and fracture data at high temperatures;
  • An extensive list of often used properties of titanium alloys including the alpha, alpha-beta and beta type alloys;
  • Typical applications and available product forms for numerous alloys.

Fire Protection Engineering Subject Area – A press release on the Knovel website describes the newest subject area, Fire Protection Engineering and Emergency Response, released on the platform:

Knovel’s Fire Protection Engineering and Emergency Response Subject Area provides over 70 titles covering a wide range of information, including:

  • Fire Protection Analysis
  • Fire Protection Management
  • Fire Science & Human Behavior
  • Fire Protection Systems
  • Passive Building Systems

Key publishers in the new subject area include John Wiley & Sons, PennWell, ASHRAE, ICHemE, Elsevier, AWWA, Steel Construction Institute/FABIG, US CDC, American Society of Plumbing Engineers and Smithers-Rapra.

Excel Add-In -According to the K-Exchange Blog, Knovel now has a new Excel Add-In which “installs a tab to your Excel desktop that provides one-click access to Knovel’s search and unit conversion tools. When you login at www.knovel.com you’ll find the Excel Add-In under the tools menu.” The add-in installs a Knovel tab into Excel worksheets, and users have direct access to:

  • Knovel’s search
  • Data search
  • Unit conversion

The Knovel Excel Add-In (screenshot from K-Exchange blog post).

 Conclusion

The Knovel System Report on Intellogist comments thatKnovel is a useful resource for scientists and engineers looking for access to detailed technical reference material. Knovel is also helpful for prior art searchers looking to understand basic concepts in engineering and technology, but its helpfulness as a prior art source is debatable. Searchers looking for a broad swath of the most up-to-date publications and journal articles in a particular technical area will probably not find Knovel useful. However, for its intended purpose, Knovel can be useful to gain background knowledge on the theory behind technology areas that a prior art searcher must be familiar with.  The subject areas covered by Knovel are expanded on a regular basis, as illustrated in the Major Recent Updates section of the System Report, and Knovel also seems to be growing its Critical Content line of databases every few months. Knovel is a growing online resource for engineers and scientists that can also serve prior art searchers for educational and reference purposes, so check out the Knovel System Report to learn more about the platform!

Do you use Knovel as an educational, reference, or prior art search tool?  Tell us about your experiences with the product in the comments!

Patent Searches from Landon IP

This post was contributed by Joelle Mornini. The Intellogist blog is provided for free by Intellogist’s parent company Landon IP, a major provider of patent searches, trademark searches, technical translations, and information retrieval services.

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One Response

  1. it’s very informative and very much helpful for known about the business .

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