Adding material library accessible in simulate mechanical

[Anonymous]

Hi

I'm wondering how I can add materials to the Inventor material library. I have created and defined the material in Autodesk Simulate Mechanical and they are available in the material libraries in that program, but unnaccessible in Inventor. It doubles my work load if i need to define the materials in both programs and also creats hassles if a change needs to be made to a single material.

The materials are currently saved in .mlb library files. Iventor requests a .asklib file for when trying to add a library.

thanks,
Shannon

[henderh · Accepted solution]

Hi Shannon,

  As you've found the material libraries are currently kept seperate between the two products.

  Here is one way create a new Material in Inventor and add it to a library:

1)  Open the Material Browser via the Material command in the Tools tab in the ribbon

2)  Find a similar material in the library => press the 'Adds material  to document' button

3)  Once it's in the document, Right click on it => Duplicate

4)  Right click => Rename

5)  Press the Edit material button

6)  Switch to the Physical tab in the Material Editor dialog that pops up => enter the properties => OK

7)  Right click on the material => Add to => Inventor Material Library => choose Category

Hope this helps!

Please let us know if you have any additional questions, comments or suggestions.

Thanks, -hugh

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

I think having materials accessible in both Inventor and Simulate Mechanical would be a clear improvement as AutoDesk moves forward. 

[Anonymous]

As a follow up, could you specify how I change the units of the material library to metric?

My document units are metric, but I have imperial units in the material editor.

[henderh]

Hi Shannon,

  There is a way to set the units in the lower left corner of the material browser.

  Thank you for your suggestion of making the material libraries more shared.  If not known already, you can "push" an Inventor model to Autodesk Simulation Mechanical and the material properties will translate over.

Best regards, -Hugh

[Anonymous]

Hi Hugh

Thanks again for the help. I realize that the material properties are pushed forward in this manner, however I'm having to run simulations using different material choices on a single model, so I need to change the material in Simulate Mechanical. At the same time, I run simulations on sections of the model (symmetry) to save time. I need to have the full model in Inventor to access the mass moments of inertia availalbe through iProperties. It may be possible to work out the moments of inertia based on the center of mass calculations in Simulate Mechanical, but it's proven more reliable to pull them from inventor.

Last question, I followed th procedure outlined for creating a new material and it seemed to work. However, when I closed and re-openned my project the material held it's new defined appearance, but all the physical properties returned to the values from the material I initially duplicated. Any thoughts?

Shannon