Defining materials

NOTE: This topic explains the definition of materials. Learn more about how EngView handles materials.

  1. On the Tools menu, point to Preferences, and then in the Materials and Processes group click the Materials section.

The Materials Catalog appears.

Icon Control Name What It Does
  Name Name of the surface appearance
  Type Name of the appearance type
  Thickness The thickness. There are two types of thicknesses: the calculation thickness, which EngView uses for calculations in structures, and the real thickness, which is the actual thickness used in production. See below to learn more about the two types of thickness.
  Grammage Displays the weight of the material (in grams per square meter).
  Description Notes about the material
Search In the field, simplify the search for a material by typing the first letters of its name.
 
Fit Makes the surface model fit the preview area.
Zoom Click to begin zooming inside the preview area.
Pan Click to start moving the surface model across the preview area.
Turn Click to start rotating the surface sample within the preview area.
Single Axis Rotation Click to begin rotating the surface model along the axis defined by the movement of the mouse.
Set scene Opens a dialog box in which you can set the lighting of the preview area.
Snapshot Icon Makes a snapshot of the surface model in the preview area. This snapshot then automatically appears as an icon for the surface appearance in the catalog list.
 
  New/Clone Opens a dialog box in which you can define the properties of a surface: colors, texture, and bump.

NOTE: Cloning an appearance is an effort-saving definition technique in which you define an appearance by modifying the settings of an existing one: In the list, select a appearance, click Clone, edit the settings, and then save them under a new name.
  Edit Opens a dialog box in which you can edit the colors, texture, and bump of a selected appearance.
  Delete Deletes the appearance that you have selected in the list.
  1. Click New/Clone, and then edit the settings as you want them to be.

The New Material dialog box appears.

  1. In the dialog box, edit the settings as you want them to be.
Name Sets a material. Use the drop-down list to select a material, or click the browse button to add a material that is not on the list.
Languages Click to add translations of the name of the material. When you use EngView in this language, you will see the translated material name.
Type Read-only. Displays the material type on which the material selected in Name is based.
Producer The producer name
Cost Sets a cost for the material.
Description Additional information about the material
Comment Notes about the material
 
Structure Additional properties of the material
Calc. Thickness Sets the thickness value that EngView uses for its calculations within resizable templates. (In parameter expressions, this is the value represented by the d() function.) By default, the value is inherited from that of the parent material type. To change the inherited value, select the check box, and then type the new value.
Clearing the check box restores the value set for the parent type.
Real thickness Sets the actual thickness — the one that will be used for producing the structure — and the thickness that EngView uses to visualize 3D models. By default, the real thickness is inherited from both (1) the value for the parent type and (2) the value in Calc. thickness.

How to edit Real thickness:

Case 1: To change the value along with that in Calc. thickness, select the left check box. When you change the value in Calc. thickness, the value in Real thickness changes too.

Case 2: To set a value that is different from that in Calc. thickness, select both check boxes, and then type the new value. The value in Calc. thickness is not affected.

Clearing the right check box restores the value in Cal. thickness; clearing both check boxes restores the value set for the parent type.
Grammage Sets weight, in grams per square meter, to the material.
Corrections parameters template Applies the parameter template that will be used in the operations in which the material will be used.
Diecutting side Indicates the side on which the cutting die falls.
Grain-aware material Indicates the direction of the fiber in the texture of the material.
 
Appearance Settings for attaching appearances to the material's front and rear sides and the edge
Opens a dialog box in which you can select a surface appearance.
Opens a dialog box in which you can edit selected surface appearance: the colors, texture, and bump.
 
Custom Properties Lists the custom properties — if any have been defined — to the material. This is where you can set concrete values for the custom properties that override the default values. Learn more about custom properties to materials.
  1. Adjust the settings as you need them, and then click OK.

The new material is on the list in the Material Catalog dialog box.

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