Material properties

Plastics are assigned to different families, based on various properties, such as crystallinity, reaction to heat and their chemical composition.

Topics in this section

Thermoplastic material characteristics
The important material characteristics to consider when selecting a thermoplastic material grade are described.
Material Subject to Warpage
Material crystallinity
Material crystallinity is the process whereby liquid material solidifies into a transparent crystal-like state.
Semi-crystalline material families
Semi-crystalline materials have both crystalline and amorphous regions.
Thermoset materials
Cross-linking is a chemical process in which chemical bonds form among molecules of thermosetting materials, resulting in an interconnected network. This cross-linking process is the principal difference between thermoplastics and thermosets.
Material properties required for analysis
Specific analyses use different material properties in their calculations. The material properties that are required or optional for an analysis are listed.
Environmental impact
Users have the option to consider the environmental aspects of the materials being used.
Material Quality Indicators
Because of the importance of quality material data on analysis accuracy, Autodesk Moldflow Plastics Labs have developed Material Quality Indicators.

Parent topic: Materials and databases