CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

CAMSDM100/EMSD413
Cambridge Engineering Selector: Materials Data Module

Introduction

In engineering selection, the screening process should normally be quantitative, and should
be performed by linking the technical and economic requirements of the design with the
attribute profiles stored in the database(s). In the case of materials selection, the links can be
based on ‘material performance indices’ which are combinations of material properties that
characterise performance in a given application. Typical examples are the specific stiffness of
E σ
a material , or the specific strength f (E is the Young’s modulus, σf is the failure
ρ ρ
strength and ρ is the density). These particular indices can be used to select the optimum
material for a light, stiff tie rod, or a light, strong tie rod respectively. Many material
performance indices have been derived and tabulated for standard design cases in
mechanical, structural, thermo-mechanical and electro-mechanical engineering.

The Cambridge Engineering Selector is comprised of a number of databases (materials,

processes and shapes) that can been screened based upon user specified selection criteria. The
aim of this lab class is to become familiar with the Materials Data Module component of the
Cambridge Engineering Selector software.

Exercise 1

Create a new project. Save the project as “YOUR NAME Tube Furnace”.

From the Project menu, select Project Settings.

Figure 1

Ensure that the Selection table is Materials and that the Currency and Units are Australian
Dollars and SI respectively. Refer to figure 1.

Next ensure the following have been set:

Materials Filters: Generic

Forms: Generic

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Process Filters: <All records>

Forms: <All Alphabetical>

Shape Filter: Shape Class Click on the tab

Forms: Shape Class

Right click on the ‘Table’ folder

to set the Filters and Forms

Figure 2

Click once on the Results button in the Standard toolbar. The Selection Results window
contains a list of all of the records that have passed the selection stages. Because you have not
yet performed any selections, the list is all of the records in the current filter for the current
selection table.

It is important that this configuration of Filters and Forms is used for all materials selection
exercises in the CES. The Filters and Forms determine how the data tables are viewed. A
different set of Filters and Forms are used for Process selection. This will be covered in the
second CES tutorial.

The Case Study

A tube furnace is a commonly used heating device. They are primarily used for heat treating
metals and ceramics. The tube furnace has an insert that separates the heating elements from
the specimen being heated. This allows for more uniform heating by avoiding the direct
radiation of heat onto the sample. This first exercise is to use CES to develop a short list of
candidate materials for the insert.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

The Performance Criteria

The maximum operating temperature of the furnace is1200ºC. The furnace operates in air at
these temperature. Thermal cycling is a necessary function of a tube furnace and so the
furnace needs to have reasonable resistance to thermal shock.

Other secondary criteria might be; wear resistance, minimum thermal conductivity, etc.

Price is a final constraint that should be applied in most materials selection examples.

The Selection

In the CES, selection is achieved by successive stages of elimination. Usually two separate
parameters are evaluated in each stage. Consider the first stage: exam maximum operating
temperature and oxidation resistance. Obviously both of these are important!

Click once on the New Graphical Stage button on the Project tool bar to create a new
graphical stage.

Figure 3

On the x-axis, plot “Oxidation at 500C”. Select this parameter from the drop-down list under
attributes. Refer to figure 3.

Next, on the y-axis, plot “Maximum Service Temperature”. Refer to figure 4.

Click ‘OK’ and a plot like the one in figure 5 will be displayed. Note that the plot displays all
the materials in the database. There is a range in a given property for a particular material.
Lines or ‘bubbles’ on the selection charts represent this.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Click tab to select the y-axis

Figure 4
Maximum Service Temperature (K)

1000.

Very Poor Poor Average Good Very Good

Oxidation at 500C
Figure 5

For the tube furnace insert, it is necessary to only consider materials that are classified as
being suitable for use above 1200ºC in addition to having good oxidation resistance (elevated
temperatures in air).

To restrict the selection to only these materials, use the Box Selection tool. Select only
the materials with a maximum service temperature greater than 1200ºC and an oxidation
resistance rated as “Very Good”. Select ‘Stage Properties’ from the ‘Project’ menu to specify
these values exactly. Refer to figure 6.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Figure 6

The graph should appear as it does in figure 7. You can zoom in on the box selected area

using the Magnify tool.

3500.

3000.

Selection box at 1200ºC & Very

Good oxidation resistance
Maximum Service Temperature (K)

2500.

2000.

1500.

Very Good
Oxidation at 500C
Figure 7

Examine the Selection Results by clicking once on the Results button.

Figure 8

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Approximately 36 of the 387 materials in the CES database passed the first selection stage.

The majority of the candidate materials are ceramics, however there are also a few high
temperature metals and alloys as well.

Click once on the New Graphical Stage button on the Project toolbar to create a new
graphical stage (Stage 2).

For this stage consider thermal shock resistance. Thermal shock, ∆T is the amount of rapid
temperature change necessary to cause a corresponding stress, σ, in a material.

σ
∆T =
αE
σ
To maximise thermal shock resistance, it is necessary to maximise and minimise α
E
(thermal expansion coefficient).

On the x-axis plot “Thermal Expansion”.

Click the ‘Advanced’ button

Figure 9

σ
On the y-axis use the ‘Advanced’ option to plot . In the ‘Expression Builder’ window, set
E
up the expression: [Elastic Limit] divided by [Young’s Modulus]. Young’s Modulus is in
GPa so must be multiplied by 1000 to convert to MPa. Refer to figure 10. Click ‘OK’ when
done.

Enter a meaningful title for the y-axis – for example “Yield Stress/Young’s Modulus”. Refer
to figure 11. Click ‘OK’ when done. The plot should appear as it does in figure 12.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Figure 10

Figure 11

For the purpose of selection, select all materials that will withstand a thermal shock of 150°C
or better.

To do this, plot a selection line, . The gradient of the line is ‘1’ (see below).

log( Eσ ) = logα + log(∆T ) ⇔ y = mx + b

Choose an arbitrary value of α (e.g. 1 × 10-5/K) and determine the corresponding value of σ
E =

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

0.0015. Click somewhere on the graph. A line will be drawn. Select below the line, i.e.
maximise Eσ and minimise α. Specify the point on the line (10-5 , 0.0015) exactly by
choosing ‘Stage Properties’ from the ‘Project’ menu. Refer to figure 13.

10.

1.
Yield Stress/Young's Modulus

0.1

1.e-002

1.e-003

1.e-004

1.e-002 0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000

Thermal Expansion (10^-6/K)
Figure 12

Figure 13

Click ‘OK’ then the plot should appear as shown in figure 14. The results are independent of
the previous selection stage. In order to intersect both stages, click on the Results Intersection

button. Refer to figure 15.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

10.

1.
Yield Stress/Young's Modulus

0.1

1.e-002

1.e-003

1.e-004

1.e-002 0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000

Thermal Expansion (10^-6/K)
Figure 14

10.

1.
Yield Stress/Young's Modulus

0.1

1.e-002

1.e-003

1.e-004

1.e-002 0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000

Thermal Expansion (10^-6/K)
Figure 15

View the list of materials that have passed both selection stages by clicking once on the

Results button. There are now approximately 29 candidate materials. All of these
materials are ceramics with the exception of a nickel chromium alloy. The details of the
individual records can be viewed by double clicking on them. Refer to figure 16 & 17. Note
that there is a range in values for many of the different material properties. Also read the
‘Typical Applications’ section at the end of the record.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Double click to view record

Figure 16

Alumina
Genera l
Designation
Alum ina s
Composition
Al2O3
Atom ic Vo lum e (a ve ra g e) 0.005 - 0.0058 m ^ 3/ km ol
De nsity 3. - 3.98 Mg/ m^3
Ene rgy Conte nt * 150. - 200. M J/ kg
Pric e 2.02712 - 60.8136 A UD/ kg
Re c yc le Fra c tion 0. - 0.
Mechanical
Bulk M od ulus * 137. - 324. GPa
Co m p ressive Streng th 690. - 5500. M Pa
Duc tility * 0.18e-003 - 1.8e-003
Ela stic Lim it * 69. - 665. M Pa
End ura nc e Lim it * 59. - 488. M Pa
Fra c ture To ug hness 3.3 - 5. M Pa .m ^ 1/ 2
Ha rd ne ss 5.5e +003 - 22.05e+003 M Pa
Loss Coe ffic ie nt * 0.01e-003 - 0.2e-003
M od ulus o f Rup ture 152. - 800. M Pa
Poisso n's Ra tio 0.21 - 0.33
Sha p e Fa c to r 20.
She a r Mo d ulus 88. - 165. GPa
Tensile Streng th * 69. - 665. M Pa
Young 's Mo d ulus 215. - 413. GPa
Thermal
Gla ss Tem p e ra ture No t Ap p lic a b le K
La te nt Hea t o f Fusion * 620. - 1360. kJ/ kg
M a xim um Servic e Tem p era ture 1.35e+003 - 2.114e+003 K
M elting Point 2.277e +003 - 2.369e+003 K
M inim um Se rvic e Te mp era ture 0. - 0. K
Sp e c ific He a t * 451. - 955. J/ kg .K
Therm a l Cond uc tivity 12. - 38.5 W/ m .K
Therm a l Exp a nsion 4.5 - 10.9 10^ -6/ K
Electrical
Brea kd ow n Potentia l 8. - 43. 10^ 6 V/ m
Die le c tric Consta nt 7.8 - 11.1
Re sistivity 1.e+018 - 1.e+024 10^ -8 ohm.m
Pow er Fa c to r 0.08e-003 - 10.e-003
Environmenta l Resista nce
Fla m m a b ility Ve ry Go od
Fre sh Wa te r Ve ry Go od
Org a nic Solve nts Ve ry Go od
Oxid a tion a t 500C Ve ry Go od
Sea Wa ter Ve ry Go od
Strong Ac id Ve ry Go od
Strong Alka lis Ve ry Go od
UV Ve ry Go od
Wea r Ve ry Go od
Wea k A c id Ve ry Go od
Wea k A lka lis Ve ry Go od
Notes
Typical Uses
M eta llise d a ssem b lies; Wa ter fa uc e t va lves; Me c ha nic a l se a ls; Va c uum c ha m b ers a nd vessels; The rma l ima g ing
c a m era s; Centrifug e lining s; Sp ur ge a rs; Fuse b o d ie s; Hea ting e lem ents; Pla in b e a ring s; Cutting too ls; Sub stra te s for
m ic roc irc uits; Sp a rk p lug s.
Warning

Other Notes

Links
Ap p lic a tio n Area s
Re ferenc e

Figure 17

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Click once on the New Graphical Stage button on the Project tool bar to create a new
graphical stage (Stage 3). This is the final stage and is where a cost constraint is applied.

On the x-axis, used the ‘Advanced’ option and plot [Uses:\Thermal]. Essentially this restricts
the selection to those materials that are associated with thermal applications. Refer figure 18.

Figure 18

On the y-axis plot ‘Price’. The plot should appear as it does in figure 19.

100000

10000.

1000.
Price (AUD/kg)

100.

10.

1.

0.1

Uses:\Thermal
Materials for Thermal Applications
Figure 19

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

100000

10000.

Alumina

1000.
Price (AUD/kg)

100.

10.

1.

0.1

Uses:\Thermal
Materials for Thermal Applications
Figure 20

Use the Box Selection tool to select only those materials that cost less than $2.50 per
kg. This restricts the final selection to alumina. Refer to figure 20.

Switch between each of the stages and examine the sensitivity of the constraints that have
been applied. Experiment with labelling the graphs.

Save the project when finished.

The Candidates

Alumina appears to be the optimum choice for tube furnace inserts. This is consistent with
commercially available tube furnaces. Whilst other refractory materials are also used, the
liner or insert is invariably manufactured from alumina.

Exercise 2

Create a new project. Save the project as “YOUR NAME Car Battery”.

The Case Study

Battery case

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

A 12V lead-acid battery is most commonly found in motor vehicles. These batteries need to
be reliable and they operate under fairly extreme conditions.

The Performance Criteria

The battery case contains the sulphuric acid electrolyte. It needs to be resistant to the
temperatures encountered in the engine bay. Furthermore it is required to be rigid,
lightweight, be electrically insulating and easy and cheap to produce.

The Selection

Follow the procedure documented for Exercise 1 setting up the following selection stages:

Stage 1

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Strong Acid Very Good Resistance

y-axis Maximum Service Temperature (K) >333 K (60°C)

Stage 2

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Electrical Conductivity <1×10-14 (Ω.m)-1

y-axis Specific Stiffness >1 GPa.m3/Mg

1
Note that electrical conductivity, σ = where ρ is electrical resistivity and has the units Ω.m.
ρ
Stage 3

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Materials Metals & Polymers

y-axis Price < $2.50 per kg

Note that in Stage 3 ceramics have been ignored. The reason for this is primarily from a
fabrication perspective. Polymers and metals are easy and inexpensive to fabricate whereas
ceramics are difficult and expensive.

The Candidates

High density polyethylene and polypropylene are the suggested candidate materials for the
battery case. In reality, in most situations, 12V battery cases are produced from
polypropylene.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Exercise 3

Create a new project. Save the project as “YOUR NAME Precision Gear”.

The Case Study

Gears transmit power or motion mechanically between parallel, intersecting or non-

intersecting shafts. Spur gears have straight teeth and are used to connect parallel shafts. They
are the most easily made and the cheapest of all types of gears.

The Performance Criteria

Low wear is the most important performance criteria for the gear. This is especially so given
that it has precision applications. In conjunction with wear resistance, having a high hardness
is also important. There is a strong relationship between these two parameters. Fracture
toughness is a measure of how susceptible a material is to the presence of defects or flaws.
Generally speaking, higher fracture toughness is desirable for a gear, as its geometry will tend
to create severe stress concentrations.

The Selection

Follow the procedure documented for Exercises 1 & 2 setting up the following selection
stages:

Stage 1

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Materials Metals & Ceramics

y-axis Wear Very Good

Stage 2

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Fracture Toughness > 10 MPa m

y-axis Hardness > 800 MPa (HV)

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Stage 3

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Typical Applications Mechanical

y-axis Price < $2.50 per kg

The Candidates

The candidates are cast irons or steels.

Exercise 4

Create a new project. Save the project as “YOUR NAME Heat Exchanger”.

The Case Study

At the final stage of producing a liquid natural gas product, the natural gas needs to be cooled
to below -160°C. The gas is cooled by exchanging heat with refrigerant gases such as ethane,
propane and butane. To accomplish this a heat exchanger is used.

The Performance Criteria

Clearly the operating temperature is the most important selection criteria. The efficiency of
heat exchange is another (thermal conductivity). Both sides of the heat exchanger plates or
fins are in contact with hydrocarbons (organic solvents). Chemical resistance to these types of
solvents is also a very important selection criteria.

Other criteria are ease of fabrication (this eliminates ceramics) and cost.

The Selection

Follow the procedure documented for Exercises 1 & 2 setting up the following selection
stages:

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

Stage 1

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Minimum Service Temperature < 110 K

y-axis Thermal Conductivity > 225 Wm-1K-1

Stage 2

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Materials Metals

y-axis Resistance to Organic Solvents Very Good

Stage 3

Chart Axis CES Parameter Selection Criteria

x-axis Typical Applications Thermal

y-axis Price < $3.00 per kg

The Candidates

The candidates are wrought aluminium alloys.

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

CAMSDM100/EMSD413
Cambridge Engineering Selector: Materials Data Module

Name:

Student Number:

Date:

Question 1 (1 mark):

E
In Exercise 2, specific stiffness   was plotted rather than Young’s Modulus alone. Why is
ρ
it more meaningful to consider specific strength and specific stiffness especially when weight
and/or size is an important design factor?

Question 2 (2 marks):

In Exercise 3, cast irons and steels were the suggested candidate materials for precision spur
gears. There were fourteen different steels and cast irons. What steps need to be taken from
this point to make a final decision? Give at least three other factors that should be considered.

Question 3 (1 marks):

In Exercise 4, if price was not so restricted, what other materials appear as suitable
candidates?

Question 4 (1 mark):

Aluminium alloys are classified as ‘wrought’ and ‘cast’ in the CES database. In Exercise 4,
would it be possible to cast heat exchanger fins? Explain you answer.

[Please hand in this sheet at the end of the lab class – marked out of 5 and worth 5% of unit]

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 CAMSDM100/EMSD413 -2nd Semester, 2001

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