Search the material database

Search the Autodesk Simulation Moldflow materials database based on material property requirements, this will help in the choice an appropriate material.

Often the type of material required is known, but the specific grade is not defined. Your part might need a 20% glass filled polycarbonate, but which one?

1. Click (Home tab > Molding Process Setup panel > Select Material).
   Note: The current material appears in the Commonly used materials list. This allows you to quickly select commonly used materials.
2. Click Search to display the Search Criteria dialog.
3. Select Family abbreviation from the Search Fields list. The right hand area in the dialog is changed to Family abbreviation.
4. In the Substring text box, enter PC to search for polycarbonate materials. The Search Fields now includes PC after the Family abbreviation . You can then select another Search Field to focus your search.
5. Click Search. The Select Thermoplastics material dialog appears.
6. Expand the Select Thermoplastics material dialog by dragging the bottom right corner of the dialog to view multiple columns. Over a thousand polycarbonate materials are presented. We need to refine our search further.
7. Click Search and the Search Criteria dialog reappears.
8. Click Filler data: Description and enter glass in the Substring text box. Click Search. The number of materials now listed has been reduced to just under 200. Scroll across to the column labeled Filler data: Weight (%) to see a range of filler percentages.
9. To further refine the search, click Search.
   Note: The previous search criteria are still listed in the Search Fields list.
10. Click Filler data: Weight. The pane on the right displays a Minimum and a Maximum text box so you can specify a range of filler weights.
11. Enter 20 in both the Minimum and Maximum text boxes, then click Search. There are now under 60 materials that meet the search criteria.
12. Scroll across to the Family abbreviation column, and click on the column heading to sort the list alphabetically.

    Several of the materials remaining are a blend of polycarbonate and another polymer. Sorting this column groups the materials together by blend.

    Approximately 150 parameters can be used for sorting. These include Transition temperature , Maximum Shear rate , Thermal conductivity data , Moldflow Viscosity Index etc.

    You can compare multiple materials. For example, perhaps you want to compare Lexan 5369-739 from GE Plastics (USA) , and Panlite G-3120 Nat from Teijin Chemicals .

13. Select Mistubishi Group: Novarex 7025GRU20NK , then hold down Ctrl on your keyboard, and then select Teijin Chemicals: Panlite G-3120 Nat .
    Tip: Several materials can be selected at once using this method.
14. Click Compare. The Material Test Method and Data Comparison Report dialog displays the characteristics of the selected materials. You can see that the Teijin Chemicals was more recently added to the materials database, and the test data was supplied by the manufacturers.
15. Click to graphically compare viscosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat or pvT data.
16. When you have finished comparing materials, close any graphs you may have opened, then click OK to return to the Select Thermoplastics material dialog.
17. Click Panlite G-3120 Nat from Teijin Chemicals and click Select to return to the Analysis Wizard.
18. Ensure the Add material to commonly used list after selecting checkbox is selected. This will add Panlite G-3120 Nat to the Commonly used materials list.
19. Click Finish, and if necessary click Create Copy to create a copy of your study with the new material.

    Panlite G-3120 Nat is shown in the Study Tasks pane and will be used in subsequent analyses.