SYNTHESIZING COMBINATORIAL LIBRARIES OF MATERIALS

Methods and apparatus for controlling an automated material handling procedure. The method includes receiving a recipe file comprising component information and mapping information; interacting with a user to create a procedure for executing a set of material handling steps; and causing a automated material-handling apparatus to carry out the set of material-handling steps by executing the procedure. The mapping information relates a source component and a destination component. The mapping information defines one or more transfers of at least one source component material to at least one destination component location. The method includes providing to the user an assortment of pre-programmed code objects and receiving from the user a selection and arrangement of the pre-programmed code objects. The procedure is defined by the user's selection and arrangement. The procedure contains at least one first pre-programmed code object operable to read and interpret the recipe file and at least one second pre-programmed code object operable to interpret a mapping read from the recipe file.