Material Properties Library: Bringing Material Data into One Place

The Material Properties Library in AsInt Edge is being developed to address this challenge by bringing material information into a structured, centralized, and searchable digital environment.

Materials can be searched using information such as Specification Number, Grade/Type, UNS Number, Notes, Alias, Composition, and Code Year. Users can also apply filters based on the Governing Body, Design Code, and Design Code Year to narrow down the required material records.

Figure 1 – Material Properties Library

The application also provides Favourites and Recent sections. Frequently used materials can be added to Favourites for quick access, while recently viewed materials are automatically available in the Recent section. This makes it easier for users to return to material records that they have already accessed without repeating the search.

The Code Year is particularly important when working with material data. Engineering codes are periodically revised, and material information may change between editions. For existing equipment, the material data applicable to the original design or construction basis may therefore differ from the data in a later code edition. Maintaining the code year with the material record helps preserve this engineering context when the material data is used for subsequent assessments.

Once a material is selected, the application presents the available information as a consolidated material record. Instead of manually collecting individual properties from different tables, users can access the material’s identification, classification, mechanical properties, and other relevant information in one place.

Figure 2 – Material Data and Stress at Design Temperature

The material record can include information such as specification, grade/type, nominal composition, product form, P-Number, Group Number, UNS Number, minimum tensile strength, minimum yield strength, allowable stress, and other material-specific information. The record also retains information such as notes, source, governing body, and code year.

The application also provides a graphical representation of Stress/Strength at Design Temperature, allowing users to view how material strength-related properties vary with temperature. The graph display’s allowable stress, tensile strength, and yield strength against temperature. By selecting or entering a design temperature, the corresponding values can be viewed directly, providing a clearer understanding of the material properties relevant to that temperature. The creep temperature is recorded for the material wherever applicable and is shown in the graph to differentiate the creep regime.

This brings together both the underlying material data and its temperature-dependent behaviour within the same material record.

Where applicable, the material’s creep temperature is identified on the graph, indicating the temperature above which time-dependent deformation (creep) may become significant. This provides users with an important reference for assessing the suitability of a material for prolonged service at elevated temperatures and for distinguishing between conventional strength-controlled and creep-controlled design conditions.

The library also provides a Similar Materials view to help users identify related material records. This becomes particularly useful where multiple records exist for a material or where the same material designation appears with variations in specifications, notes, or sources.

The similar-material records are prioritized based on their level of similarity. The first priority is the same Grade and same Specification with different Notes. The second priority is the same Grade with a different Specification. The third priority is the same Grade and same Specification with a different Source, such as material records originating from different code years or sources.

Figure 3 – Similar Materials

This prioritization helps present the most closely related records first while still allowing users to review other relevant material records and their associated code-year or source information.

The value of the Material Properties Library extends beyond searching and viewing material information. The material data is intended to become a common input for the wider asset-integrity workflow in AsInt Edge.

Within the Asset Centric Workbench, users can build the asset hierarchy from functional locations to equipment and components. A material can then be searched and assigned directly to the relevant equipment or component.

Once assigned, the associated material information can be populated directly into the component’s design data. This creates a connection between the material, the physical asset, and the engineering activities that require the material information.

The data can support different workflows across AsInt Edge, including Asset Strategy Development and RBI, Asset Inspection, CMLs, Fitness-for-Service assessments, and other asset-integrity activities. By making material information available as a common data source, the approach reduces the need for users to repeatedly search for and manually enter the same information across different workflows.

By consolidating critical material information in a clear, accessible, and centralized format, the application serves as a single source of truth for material property evaluation. This reduces the time and effort required to gather data from multiple references, minimizes the risk of errors arising from manual interpretation, and ensures greater consistency in engineering analyses. As a result, users can make faster, more informed decisions with increased confidence, improving both the efficiency and reliability of the design process throughout the project lifecycle.

To explore material properties and discover a range of other powerful engineering applications, sign in to AsInt Edge and get started instantly with a seamless user experience.