Select a Material
deFlex includes a built-in material database with engineering properties for common metals and polymers. Selecting a material sets the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, density, and yield strength on the analysis, which the solver uses for structural analysis and stress calculations.
Opening the materials browser
The materials browser is a full-panel view in the Properties sidebar. Open it from the Materials button in the toolbar or the analysis node context menu. The panel has two views: a searchable list of all materials, and a detail view for individual materials.
List view
The list view is the default when you open the materials browser.
Search
A search bar at the top of the panel filters materials in real time. Type any part of a material name or category to narrow the list. For example, typing "aluminum" shows only aluminum alloys; typing "6061" finds that specific alloy.
Grouped cards
Materials are organized into category groups, displayed in this order:
- Aluminum Alloys
- Steels
- Titanium Alloys
- Polymers
Each material appears as a card showing:
- The material name (e.g., "6061-T6 Aluminum")
- Three key properties at a glance: Young's modulus (E), Poisson's ratio (v), and yield strength
The currently applied material is highlighted with an accent border and a checkmark icon. Click any card to open its detail view.
If no materials match your search term, a message indicates that no results were found.
Detail view
Clicking a material card opens the detail view, which displays the full set of simulation properties.
Header
Shows the material name and its category label (e.g., "Aluminum Alloys").
Simulation properties
The detail view lists these properties:
| Property | Description | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Young's Modulus (E) | Elastic stiffness | Current pressure unit |
| Poisson's Ratio (v) | Lateral-to-axial strain ratio | Dimensionless |
| Density | Mass per unit volume | Current density unit |
| Yield Strength | Stress at onset of plastic deformation | Current pressure unit |
| Ultimate Strength | Maximum stress before fracture | Current pressure unit |
| Endurance Limit | Stress below which fatigue life is infinite | Current pressure unit |
| Thermal Expansion | Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) | 1/K |
All values are shown in the current display units.
Back button
A back arrow at the top of the detail view returns to the list view. The search term is preserved.
Applying a material
At the bottom of the detail view, an Apply Material button sets the material on the analysis. Applying a material updates the following analysis properties:
- Young's modulus -- Set from the material database.
- Poisson's ratio -- Set from the material database.
- Density -- Set from the material database.
- Yield strength -- Used by the stress constraint and factor of safety calculations.
If the material is already applied, the button is replaced with an "Applied" indicator and a checkmark.
The selected material is also linked to the analysis for qualification FEA and thermal settings. When a material is applied, the CTE field in the thermal settings section is disabled because it is read from the material database instead.
Read-only scenes
In read-only mode, the Apply Material button is disabled. You can still browse materials and view their properties.
Related pages
- Materials Reference -- Full catalog of built-in materials with property tables
- Configure Analysis Settings -- Stress constraint and thermal settings that use material properties
- Test a Mechanism -- Factor of safety is computed against the material's yield strength