SS-T: 1010 Material Database

Use Material Databases in SimSolid.

Purpose
SimSolid performs meshless structural analysis that works on full featured parts and assemblies, is tolerant of geometric imperfections, and runs in seconds to minutes. In this tutorial, you will do the following:
  • Learn how to edit the SimSolid Database.
    • Add material using CSV import.
    • Add material using the context menu.
    • Add non-linear material using stress strain curve defined by n-k values.
    • Add an orthotropic material.
    • Add fatigue properties to an existing material.
  • Open the Material Database.
  • Create a new SimSolid Material Database.
Model Description
The following files are needed for this tutorial:
  • ImportCSV.csv
  • Stress_strain_curve.csv
  • NewSimSolidMaterialDB.ssm

Import Material from CSV

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 1.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 2.
  3. Click Import CSV.
  4. In the Material import units pop-up window, click OK to accept default units (Pa, kg/m3…).
  5. In the File explorer, browse to <install_directory>\2021\SimSolid2021\Examples\Material Database and choose ImportCSV.csv and click Open.


    Figure 3.


    Figure 4.
    The new materials appear under the group names specified in the file (Generic Materials and Import Test).


    Figure 5.

Add Material from Context Menu

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 6.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 7.
  3. Right-click on Generic Materials and choose Add material in the context menu.


    Figure 8.
  4. Enter the material name and values as shown in Figure 9.


    Figure 9.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. Click Save.

Add Non-linear Material with Stress Strain Curve - Import from CSV

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 10.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 11.
  3. Right-click on Sample non-linear materials and choose Add material in the context menu.


    Figure 12.
  4. Click Add stress-strain curve.
  5. Click Edit.
  6. In the Stress-strain curve dialog, click Import CSV.
  7. In the Stress-strain curve dialog, click OK to accept default units (Pa).
  8. In the File explorer, browse to Stress_strain_curve.csv and click Open.
  9. Click OK.


    Figure 13.

    The Elasticity Modulus is calculated from the Stress-strain curve.



    Figure 14.
  10. For Material name, enter Steel NL. Enter other values for the material as seen in Figure 14.
  11. Click Apply.
  12. Click OK.

Add Non-linear Material with Stress Strain Curve - Create by n-values

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 15.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 16.
  3. Right-click on Sample non-linear materials and choose Add material in the context menu.


    Figure 17.
  4. Click Add stress-strain curve.
  5. Click Edit.
  6. In the Stress-strain curve dialog, click Create by n-values.


    Figure 18.
  7. In the Stress-strain curve parameters dialog, select Low-carbon steel from the drop-down menu. Then click OK.


    Figure 19.
  8. In the Stress-strain curve dialog, click OK.


    Figure 20.
    The Elasticity Modulus and yield stresses are calculated from the Stress-strain curve.


    Figure 21.
  9. Enter the other values for the material as shown in Figure 21.
  10. Click Apply.
  11. Click Save.

Create Orthotropic Material

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 22.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 23.
  3. Create a new group.
    1. Click Add group.


      Figure 24.
    2. Right-click on the new group and select Rename from the context menu.
    3. Enter Orthotropic for the group name and click OK.
  4. Right-click on the new group and select Add material.
  5. For Material name, enter Western_Pine_Test.
  6. For Material type, select orthotropic from the drop-down menu.
  7. Enter material values as shown in Figure 25.


    Figure 25.
    Note: Orthotropic materials can only be defined in the global coordinate system. Right-click parts in the assembly that are assigned orthotropic materials and select Set orthotropic material geometry to re-align the material properties to local coordinates.

Add Fatigue Curves

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 26.
  2. In the dialog, click Edit current.


    Figure 27.
  3. In the Generic Materials group, right-click Steel and select Copy from the context menu.
  4. Edit the copied material.
    1. Select Steel_Copy.
    2. Click Edit material.
  5. Add fatigue curves.
    1. In the editing field of the dialog, expand the Fatigue properties branch and click Add stress-life (SN) curve....


      Figure 28.
    2. For Curve definition method, select One slope.
    3. Click Add strain-life (EN) curve....
    4. For Curve definition method, select Slope.
    5. Enter the material values as shown in Figure 29.


      Figure 29.
      Note: By default, the Curve definition method is set to Estimate from UTS.
  6. Click Apply.
  7. Click Save.

Open Material Database

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 30.
  2. In the dialog, click Open.


    Figure 31.
  3. In the File explorer, browse to NewSimSolidMaterialDB.ssm and click Open.


    Figure 32.
    The new Material Database will be shown in the Edit Material database dialog.


    Figure 33.
    Note: After completing the tutorial, make sure to reopen the default SimSolid Material Database. Repeat steps 1 through 3 and load SIMSOLID-Material-DB.ssm (available at C:\users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Simsolid\SIMSOLID Material DB.ssm).

Add Material Database

  1. In the main menu, click Settings > Material database.


    Figure 34.
  2. In the dialog, click New.


    Figure 35.
  3. In the File explorer, for File name enter NewSimSolidMaterialDB-practice and click Save.


    Figure 36.
    The new Material Database will be shown in the Edit Material database dialog. You can add new materials from the dialog.


    Figure 37.
    Note: After completing the tutorial, make sure to reopen the default SimSolid Material Database (available at C:\users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Simsolid\SIMSOLID Material DB.ssm).