Material Selection Dialog

The Material Selection Dialog in SpaceCAD 7 allows users to select a material for any rocket element that has a material property. This dialog enables users to customize the physical properties of rocket elements by choosing from a wide range of materials, each with different densities and classifications.

Key Fields and Features:

1. Filter Material Type (Left Panel)

• This panel provides filtering options based on the type of material.
• Material types include:
  • Fiberglass
  • Kevlar
  • Metal
  • Nylon
  • Paper
  • Plastic
  • Rubber
  • Wood
• Users can select one or more filters to narrow down the list of materials.
• Example: Select “Wood” to only display wood materials like balsa, birch, and basswood.

2. Material List (Right Panel)

• Displays a list of available materials along with key properties:
  • Description: The name of the material (e.g., Balsa, Aluminum 7075).
  • Material Class: The category the material falls under, such as wood, metal, plastic, etc.
  • Density: The density of the material, shown in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). This property directly affects the rocket’s weight and performance.
• The list can be scrolled, providing access to a wide variety of materials commonly used in model rocketry.

3. Search Bar

• Allows users to search for a specific material by name.
• This is useful for quickly finding a material if the user knows exactly what they are looking for.

4. Select Button

• After choosing a material, the user can click Select to apply it to the rocket element.
• The selected material’s properties (such as density) will automatically be reflected in the rocket design.

5. Cancel Button

• Closes the dialog without making any changes to the current material settings.

Example Workflow:

1. Changing the Material of a Nose Cone:

   • Open the Material Selection Dialog by clicking the Change button in the Edit Nose Cone dialog.
   • Use the filter options to select Wood, then browse through the list and select Balsa for a lightweight nose cone.
   • Click Select to apply the material.

2. Selecting a Metal Body Tube:

   • Open the Material Selection Dialog for the body tube element.
   • Use the Filter Material Type to select Metal.
   • Choose Aluminum 2024 from the list and click Select.

Diagram Explanation:

A flowchart or diagram could help illustrate how selecting different materials affects the rocket’s total weight and flight performance, emphasizing the impact of material density.

This documentation helps users understand how to navigate the Material Selection Dialog and choose the right materials for optimizing their rocket designs in SpaceCAD 7.