Set up a personal database

Create a personal database to store the materials you commonly use, copy some materials from the Autodesk Simulation Moldflow materials database and store them using their nicknames.

Assume there are three polycarbonates that you commonly use, with the following nicknames.

• An unfilled polycarbonate, called "Makrolon".
• A polycarbonate with 10% Glass Fiber filler called "5100".
• A polycarbonate with 20% Glass Fiber filler called "5211".

You can create a personal database to store these materials.

1. Click (Tools tab > Databases panel > New).
2. Select Thermoplastics material from the Property type list.
3. Click Browse. The Database Name dialog appears.
4. Enter Our Material in the File name text box and click Save.
5. In the New Database dialog, click OK. The Properties dialog appears.
6. Click Databases >> The dialog expands to display a second table displaying a database that is populated with a complete list of materials.
7. Beneath the second table click Search The Search Criteria dialog appears.
8. Select Trade name from the Search Fields list and type Makrolon in the Substring text box. Click Search.
9. Scroll down the list in the second table and select Makrolon 3158 . Click Copy. The material has been copied from the Autodesk Simulation Moldflow materials database your personal database shown in the top table.
10. Add Calibre 5100 from Dow Chemical USA and Calibre 5211 from Dow Chemical Europe , to your database.
    Tip: Click Search, then click Clear Filters to remove the previous search requirements. For these materials, search for the Trade nameCalibre. Sort by Trade name, then select the two materials and click Copy.

    You can now change the names of the materials in your personal database to be the nicknames you use regularly. Using your nickname makes it easier for you to search for those materials in your personal database.

    Your personal database now contains three materials.
11. Select Calibre 5211 from the list in the first table in the Properties dialog, then click Edit. The Thermoplastics material dialog appears with the Description tab selected.
12. Select the text in the Trade name text box and type 5211 (20% Glass filled) and click OK. The Properties dialog is updated to use the new trade name for material.
13. Select Calibre 5100 , and alter the trade name to 5100 (10% Glass filled).
14. Click OK to close the personal database.

    Although the in-house name for the unfilled polycarbonate is simply Makrolon, we suggest that you leave the grade number in your personal database to distinguish it from the many other grades of Makrolon that are available.

    Note: You can change any parameter in the Properties dialog in this way. If you change a physical characteristic, you will affect the analysis results.

    If, in addition to using Makrolon 3158 at its default value of 300°C, you also wanted to use Makrolon 3158 with a melt temperature of 305°C, you could create a new database entry for this condition.

15. Click (Tools tab > Databases panel > Edit).
16. Select Our Material.21000.udb from the list and click Open. Your personal database is opened in the Properties dialog.
17. Select Makrolon 3158 and click Duplicate. The Thermoplastics material dialog opens.
18. Change the Trade name to Makrolon 3158 - plus 5.
19. Select the Recommended Processing tab and change the Melt temperature to 305°C. Click OK. The new material is added to your personal database with the upgraded parameters.
20. Click OK to close the database.