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šŸŒŽGlobal Material Database Guide

Written by AMFG Consulting & Support

Overview

To ensure a seamless, error-free workflow from instant customer quoting through to shop floor production, AMFG utilizes a structured relationship between your platform's Materials database, your Machine Groups, and your available Services.

Every material used across your manufacturing operations must be mapped to a recognized database standardā€”even when you are creating highly specialized, custom materials.

This guide details how to navigate the master database, manage custom material configurations, and create mandatory links to your machine groups.

šŸ› ļø Navigating the Global Database

AMFG features a pre-populated master database compiled from top global material suppliers, cataloging more than 10,000 distinct polymers, metals, and composite series. This database accelerates configuration by allowing you and your portal customers to filter selections by distinct material hierarchies:

  • Family / Type: Broad categorizations separating operations, such as Metal vs. Polymer.
    ā€‹

  • Material Series: Mid-level groupings used to define a broad range of alloy behaviors (e.g., 6000 Series Aluminum Alloy).
    ā€‹

  • Material Grade: Specific manufacturing compositions required for precise pricing formulas (e.g., 6061 Aluminum or 304 Stainless Steel).

To review or build your library, navigate to the Management Console via Settings ā†’ Production Parameters and select the Materials tab.

āž• Adding Materials & Binding Custom Formulations

When introducing a material to your platform, it must either be selected directly from the standardized supplier list or manually mapped to a recognized Material Grade to enable correct engine processing.

Method A: Adding a Standard Database Material

  1. Click the Add Material button located on your materials page.

  2. Use the dedicated search functionality to locate your grade or material supplier.

  3. Select your target entry from the dropdown menu to immediately pull its default operational characteristics into your console.

Method B: Creating and Mapping Custom Materials

If your facility uses a proprietary formulation or a specific material variant not visible in the default supplier list, you can create a custom input while maintaining full system compatibility:

  1. Click on the "Cannot find a material?" prompt on your creation panel.

  2. Enter your localized, custom name for the material in the text input field.

  3. Open the Material Grade dropdown menu and select the closest standard chemistry equivalent from the master database.

  4. Select the matching Machine Group from its corresponding dropdown menu to establish your hardware link.

šŸ”— Linking Materials to Machine Groups

To link a material to a machine group, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Production Parameters: Open the main navigation menu in the Management Console and go to Settings ā†’ Production Parameters.

  2. Open the Materials Tab: Click on the Materials tab at the top of the page.

  3. Click "Assign to Machine": Locate and click the ASSIGN TO MACHINE button in the top-right area of the page. This will launch the "Assign to machine group" pop-up modal.

  4. Select Your Material: In the first field of the modal titled Material, search for and select from the available Materials that have already been added in your console.

  5. Select Your Machine Group: In the second field titled Machine Group, select from the active machine groups that have already been added in your console.

  6. Apply and Save: Click the blue APPLY button to finalize the link.

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