CES EduPack Software
A new search engine makes it quicker and more intuitive for students to search for the materials data that they need. Usability is enhanced by a new wildcard option, use of logic operators, and an improved search algorithm. All available data tables are searched simultaneously; search terms are highlighted yellow in datasheets.
The CES EduPack software is a Windows PC application that allows teachers and students to interact with extensive materials property and processing information resources, and to plot, compare, and apply that information in materials selection and other projects.
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| Add materials to your favorites list, highlight them on a chart, save, export, and share |
Browsing and searching materials information
Students can easily browse the CES EduPack information resources (using the tree pictured, right) to locate materials or processes of interest. They can then:
- click to view the relevant datasheet, which describes the material and lists its properties (pictured, below).
- follow hyperlinks to related records (e.g., to processes that can act on the material) or to supporting information (e.g., science notes explaining the science behind a material property).
Read more on EduPack Information Resources »
With Search, students can find materials and processes by name, trade name, application, or other key words. For instance, typing in ‘stainless steel’ finds the record pictured below.
See the new search engine in action in a tip from the recent CES EduPack Bulletin ».
Browse or search for materials, then open the complete datasheet to find out more.
Each datasheet contains a description, uses, and detailed material properties.
The ease-of-use, interactivity, speed, and clarity with which information is presented make the CES EduPack software a very effective learning environment for students of materials and processes. This environment is made even more powerful through integrated graphing and selection tools.
Graphing and materials selection
EduPack provides extensive analysis and graphing features and supports systematic material and process selection. These capabilities can be used to illustrate lectures or as the basis for student exercises and projects.
Users can plot any properties, or combinations of properties, against each other. This allows them to create and customize material property charts (sometimes called Ashby charts—pictured below). At an introductory level, the visual nature of these charts engages student interest in the relationships within and between materials families (such as metals, polymers and ceramics) and encourages self-learning through exploration of the materials data.
All of the materials at level 2 in a Materials Property Chart.
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| Using multiple selection stages and constraints in CES EduPack to quickly identify optimal materials. Tooltips help read off material properties. |
Charts, combined with other CES EduPack tools, support more advanced materials or process selection projects. Students can specify design requirements as constraints and objectives. Constraints screen out unsuitable candidates and may be as simple as ‘the material must be an electrical conductor’ or ‘the material must be injection moldable’. Objectives are then used to rank remaining candidate materials. Typical objectives are ‘minimize cost’ or ‘minimize weight’. Objectives may also be expressed as performance indices—e.g., 'density per unit modulus'. Plotting indices makes it easy to visualize and trade-off material performance against different objectives. Each stage in a selection project can be instantly switched on or off, helping students to explore which criteria are most important. Selection projects can be saved and retrieved for later reference or further development.
Software tools
The Eco Audit ToolThe Eco Audit Tool introduces students to key concepts in sustainable engineering. Available in all CES EduPack Editions, it quickly calculates the energy and carbon footprint of a product at different stages in its life cycle. You can produce illustrations for lectures, use it in student projects, and encourage exploration of 'what if?' scenarios—for example, exploring the impact on product sustainability of a material or process substitution. Hybrid SynthesizerThe Hybrid Synthesizer Tool is an easy-to-use predictive tool that helps students investigate the effects of using hybrid materials and structures, available as an add-on-tool to CES EduPack. |
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Other advanced features
Other advanced features of the CES EduPack software include:
- Tools to view and apply functional data, enabling you, for example, to study the effect of the change in mechanical properties with temperature
- Data and software for cost modeling, enabling you, for example, to see how unit cost varies with batch size for a specific process and factor this into selection studies
Software editions and licensing
For most courses in general engineering, materials and manufacturing, we recommend CES EduPack Standard Edition package. This includes the CES EduPack software and an extensive set of materials and processes data covering 3,750 engineering materials.
Special editions are available that have been specially tailored for courses in Industrial and Product Design, Aerospace Engineering, Polymer Science, Bio Engineering, Sustainability and the Built Environment, Architecture, and Low Carbon Power.
CES EduPack licenses have been structured in response to feedback from the academic community. Contact us to discuss which option best suits your course.
CES Constructor and CES Selector
CES Constructor is an optional software product that lets you construct and edit your own databases. It is of particular use when applying selection and analysis tools in research or in detailed final-year or postgraduate projects.
CES Selector is Granta's industrial materials and process selection software. It adds advanced features to the materials selection tools available within EduPack.
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