Hi,

We have designed a condenser on PVElite 2010. We designed to the EN code, but have used ASME materials for severeal parts. As such, my collogue created the ASME materials in the EN database, on his computer. If I run the model on my computer I get errors as I believe it cant find the ENumat file on my PC. Now, even if I copy his ENumat file over to my PC in the same location as it was stored on his PC, it still doesnt work :-(.

Furthermore, it seems that these "new" materials is stored somwhere else than in the umat file. The reason I say this is beacause when I open the model on a different PC, and I click on the material propoerties dialog box, the propeties comes up. However, if I open the material database, its not there?

Additionaly to the problem of using different PC's, what am I supposed to do now that we've upgraded to 2011? Because the custom materials we created in 2010 also doesnt show up in the database, even after I've copied the umat file over to the 2011 system directory.

Can someone pleeese advise because confusion has got the better of me up to now...


Regards
Erwil

Hi Erwil,

Are both the old and new machine the same version of Windows? If not, the UMAT1 materials are located in different locations:

The material files are stored in the system folder. On Windows XP the path
to PV Elite 2011 system folder is,

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Intergraph
CAS\PVELITE\2011\system

on Windows Vista and Windows 7 it is,

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intergraph CAS\PVElite\2011\system

Hi Andrew,

I got the umat file and its working now on my PC...really happy, thanks. It still seems as though those materials is not pulled into the 2011 databse though....

Regards
Erwil

You have to copy the umat from the older version and place it in the new system folder and re-merge the materials again.

Hello folks, and thank you Andrew for you response

There is a problem using ASME material when using PV Elite in EN13445 mode. The EN specified materials are treated differently from the way they are treated when using PV Elite in ASME mode.

When dealing with EN 13445, you need the yield values for (in some cases) the 0,2% proof stress, and 1,0% proof stress. Which are two versions of the Yield stress.

The best way to add an ASME material is to select a near material from the EN material database (when using the EN material editor) and make the necessary changes to the suit the ASME material. In this way, you will get all the required values. That is the safest way of dealing with this situation.

I thought I would mention this precaution.

Alles sal reg kom!

Just want to say thanks for the all the advice. My problems have been resolved mostly. However, opening the cutom materials in 2011 doesnt seem to work, no matter how much I try. Think I'll just re-create all the materials, or stick with running it on 2010.

Since we are on the topic, I would like to recieve some aditional advice on the issues regarding the mixing of materials (EN and ASME). I appologise for my ignorance if this has been discussed in depth elsewhere in this forum, but I prefer to discuss it im my own words :-).

Firstly, I am very aware of the fact that EN and ASME handles the design stresses differently, and that their safety factors differ. This always gives me headaches and I would like to know how others, that deals with it more regularly, does it.

The way I do it is as follows: In designing to the ASME code, I derive the "design stress" for EN materials, according to the EN code, and use this value as the "allowable stress" in the ASME formulation. In designing with the EN code, I use the ASME allowable stress value as the design stress in the EN formulation. I believe that this is generally acceptable method although the safety factors are not exactly the same and ASME is more conservative...

If I want to mix these materials in PVelite, it becomes difficult to fully define the ASME material in the EN code and vica versa as ASME dont provide the yield values etc. So I just create the material (with bogus values), then enter the "Allowable" values into the material dialogue box and thats it. So what I would like to know is whether theses allowable values that are entered in the material dilogue box are stored in the model file, or separetly in "Umat"? It looks like its stored in the model file...

More questions:

1) What is the best sourse for obtaining material properties such as yield stresses for different chemical compositions? Mannesman?
2) Why isn't the creep rupture properties of EN materials stored in the PVElite database? Most of these values are available in the different EN material codes...

Ray, jou Afrikaans is nie te sleg vir 'n Amerikaner nie hehe...

Regards
Erwil

My vrou is Afrikaans sprekend. Ek kan nie soo goed die taal praat nie! Ek is nie n Amerianer nie, ek is Engels (Rooinek!).

As I am coming to South Africa February 28 to run the PV Elite seminar, I can discuss these issues with you face to face. If you would like to see me, write to techsupport@intergraph.com, and mark the the email for my attention (Ray) in the subject line.

Thanks Ray, it will be really cool to meet up...