CUSTOM MATERIAL IN SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS has an extensive large material library, but some of the users often need to create new custom materials for their project or design. The ability to add custom materials enables users to calculate an accurate mass or simulation of a part or assembly.

You can create custom material by following the below steps:

1) Before creating a material, we will see how to add a material to a part or assembly

A) In a part, materials can be changed by going to the design tree, right clicking Material, and selecting Edit Material.

2) Now we have seen how to add material, now we will create a new material or custom material to the material library, For that you need to access material library, which can be done by searching in search box in SolidWorks or by going to Edit> Appearance> Material Edit

3) Ones the Material Dialogue box is open, scroll to the bottom of the material tree. Right click on custom material and select New Library, then create a New Category within the Library. For this I have used is Strongest Metal and category called Vibranium

4) New materials can be created by copying and pasting a similar material, or entering the material properties manually. Existing SOLIDWORKS materials cannot be edited.

To copy a material, simply click on a material in the existing SOLIDWORKS Library, right click and select copy. Right click in the new category and select Paste. Click Apply.

5) As we have copied the properties of other material properties, we have to edit material properties for our new material. The main property you need to add for your material are as follows

A) Tensile Strength

B) Yield Strength

C) Poisson’s Ratio

6) To edit the values just double click the box as shown in the above image, after inserting required data for your new material click apply and close the material box

7) Now you have successfully added the new custom material to the material library, now you can just add that material to the part as instructed in step 1

 

THANK YOU FOR READING!

WORKING WITH SPRINGS IN SOLIDWORKS SIMULATION

Spring being a Mechanical Elastic component, gives the engineers a relief when dealing with mechanism driven assemblies. The commonly used springs can be a compression, extension & torsion varieties.

Spring Design:

Modeling Springs within SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD environment has been a quite simple process for the Engineers. The usage of simple Circle, Helix/Spiral commands with produce a fully Swept Springs. Modifying the Dimensions, Pitch & Revolutions can produce the required variations among the Springs. The productive features available in SOLIDWORKS allows to Automate the existing Spring design with varying input data's like Diameter, Coil Length & Pitch based on revolutions.

Spring Animations:

The 3D CAD models can virtually be animated with respect to time. The Time based motion provides the information related to extension & compression operation occuring in Springs. The Users should set the time limit for the operations & provide the valid Force/Motor condition for the spring to translate in a particular direction. The Motion Simulation can take the output of reaction forces & Optimum Motor force for the necessary operating conditions. For simulating the spring compression forces, the designers can give the Spring input data for the load bearing faces in the assemblies instead of modelling the CAD Geometry. The spring constant is a varying parameter which can be decided by the designers by selecting the Spring type to be a Linear or Torsional Spring.

Spring Stiffness Validation:

The integrated Design validation tool provides the analysts in simulating the Spring tension force & Spring stiffness calculations. The spring loads can be applied to the CAD geometries directly by restraining the degrees of freedom. The material database available inside SOLIDWORKS Simulation helps the designers in deriving the Stress, Strain, Displacements & Fatigue Life cycle for the Springs. The SOLIDWORKS Simulation also enables the user to provide manual springs selections on the existing CAD Geometries.

Benefits:

1. Ease of Use in Modelling & Validating springs for its applications
2. CAD Integrated validation provides better results for spring stiffness
3, Less post processing time for Life prediction
4. Spring design reuse & Spring Automation