The materials laboratory expanded its microscopy and spectrometry capacity to support a wider range of characterization tasks. Upgrades include higher‑resolution imaging, improved sample handling, and automated data capture pipelines that reduce manual steps. The lab also refined its calibration and proficiency testing procedures to improve repeatability across operators and instruments. These changes enable faster turnarounds for studies in advanced materials, from thin films and coatings to complex metamaterials. Data integrity is a priority: results are stored with metadata describing sample prep, instrument settings, and analysis scripts, making it easier to compare data across time and projects. The lab team published updated methods documents so customers and collaborators know what to expect and how to prepare samples for best results. Next steps include expanding environmental conditioning during tests and adding workflows that push results directly into modeling pipelines, helping researchers iterate from characterization to simulation more quickly and with greater confidence.