You can search for different types.

Example: "DNC"

You can search for a classification.

Example: "fastening element"

Each term must occur

If you search for several terms, results are only displayed if all the words searched for occur in the project.

Example: "screw with flange" or "flange screw"

the order plays plays a role

The manufacturer's name can also be entered in the search field.

Example: "Bow handle sample company"

The search also works if you enter terms and variables together.

For an exact search, place the search term in curly brackets {}. Condition: The searched term must appear exactly in the result. However terms may also appear in the result. terms may also appear in the result. The exact search does not tolerate no stemming and no splitting of words.

Example: "{screw}"

The search term "screw" or "angle with screw" is found, but not "screws" or "screwdriver".

For a strict search, put an exclamation mark (!) at the end of the term you want to search for with an exclamation mark (!). Condition: The result may only contain what was entered (apart from spaces or a separator such as a period). The strict search tolerates Stemming. For performance reasons, it is advisable to run the strict search only as a variable search.

If you search for example: "MAT=copper" you will also find "Rivet: Copper, mandrel: phosphated steel". However, if you only want to find "copper", use the strict search.

Example: "MAT=copper!"

If, on the other hand, you only find hits with "Rivet: Copper, mandrel: Steel phosphated", i.e. you want to exclude results with

"copper" alone, then combine phrase search and strict search.

Example: "MAT="Rivet: copper, mandrel: steel

phosphated"!"

For a phrase search (specific sequence of terms), place the entire search term in quotation marks. Condition: All search terms must be found. There must be neither anything missing nor anything in between. There may be other terms outside the search term. The phrase search tolerates stemming and splitting of compound words. 

Here are some examples:

"bolts with nut"

also finds "hexagon bolts with nuts"

For a better understanding, two important differences between phrase search and exact search are mentioned:

Stemming in phrase search:

"with flare tube" finds "with flared tube" (stemming tolerated)

Stemming in the exact search:

"{with flare pipe}" does not find "with flared pipe" because stemming is not tolerated and only the exact term is searched for.

Compound words in the phrase search:

"bolt with nut" also finds "cap screw with nut".

Compound words in the exact search:

"{screw with nut}" does not find 

"cylinder screw with nut".

If only parts of a chain of numbers, letters or combined numbers and letters are known, the wildcard search can be used. The section you are looking for can occur in any position.

For example: With "*CH55*", "ACH550-BCR-046A-2" is found.

Whether the unknown positions occur at the beginning, end or in the middle does not matter. The number of placeholders used is also arbitrary.

For example: "1SF*7102R7000" or "1SFA8*102R*000"

From V11 onwards, the placeholder "Question mark (?)" can be used to replace individual positions. Although this placeholder also works in V12, the placeholder "asterisk(*)" is simpler and more flexible, as it can stand for none, one or more characters.

For example: "1SFA8 ?? 102R?000"

If the unknown section is delimited by spaces, separators such as periods or characters of a different type (numeric/alphanumeric), the placeholder is not required.

Alphanumeric search: Terms are broken down by default into meaningful sub-terms. With "table" you can find "table top" even without using the wildcard * placeholder. With "Tabl", however, you cannot find what you are looking for. In this case, you would have to use the wildcard search and search with "Tabl*".

Numerical search: This search works intuitively.

For example "123*567*"

With a wildcard search, no stemming is performed.

"*crew" only finds "screw" and not "screws". If you want to find both, you must enter specify "*crew*".

A wildcard search is always associated with a certain loss of performance. However, it depends on how many hits there are. For example, a search for "s*" is significantly slower than a search for "*screw". If a search for "s*" is carried out across a large number of catalogs, it can happen that the PARTapplicationServer cancels the search because it would cost too much performance. In this case, an error message such as: "Wildcard search too general. Restrict the search further by enter additional letters or numbers ... "

Any preceding zeros have no effect on the search result.

For example: "9876" also finds "000009876"

Negative values can be entered using the usual notation.

For example "-5"

If a range of numbers is searched for and the search is actually to be carried out as a number search, the search string must be placed in square brackets.

For example: "D=[10-14]" or "D=[10-14 inch]". 

When using a unit, there must be a space between the number and the unit. If the brackets are omitted, a textual search is performed.

Numerical values are indexed in their base unit. They can also be searched for by specifying a desired unit as a search operator in square brackets [ ].

A search for "5" will find "5 mm" and "5 inches".

A search for "25.4[mm]" will find both "25.4 mm" and "1 inch".

A search for "1 [inch]" will find both "1 inch" and "25.4 mm".

Values can be searched in inch notation, for example "3 1/2". 

A fractional representation is evaluated as an inch by default and a conversion to mm takes place automatically in the background so that mm values can be also found.

If you want to search explicitly for mm with a fractional representation, you would have to add "mm" in square brackets.

For example: "1/2 [mm]"

The search is only carried out numerically if the unit is explicitly specified, otherwise it is also carried out textually.

For example: "0.5 [inch]"

Decimal numbers can also be searched for by specifying "from-to". For example: "1/2 - 3/4" or "1 1/2 - 1 3/4"

It is possible to specify the unit after the values for "from-to" specifications. For example: "1 1/2 [inch] - 1.75 [inch]"

If there is no explicit specification, the last token defines the unit. The following search therefore still leads to inch results, as the fractional number is automatically evaluated as an inch.

For example: "1.5 - 1 3/4"

Inch values can also be part of order numbers.

Comparison operators: If you are searching with variables, operators can be used for a comparison. Not only the actual-equal sign (=) can be used, but all common operators. 

These include

= Is equal to

< Less than

> Greater than

<= Less than or equal to

> =: Greater than or equal to

For example: "Hexagonal hood L>200"

Concatenation operators: You can also link terms and numerical values with "AND" or "OR" and exclude certain terms with "NOT". The search term is not case-sensitive. Operators such as AND, NOT and OR, however, must be capitalized.

NOT means the exclusion of a specific term. Here are a few examples: Round cylinders should be excluded.

"Cylinder NOT round" or "Cylinder !round"

If a sequence of terms is to be excluded, these must be placed in brackets. For example: "Handwheel ! (shape V)"

AND means that all terms must occur or all conditions must be fulfilled. In some cases, the operator can also be omitted. "Screw AND shaft" is equivalent to "screw shaft"

Examples of the AND operator

"16.2 21 90"

"Hexagon head screw L = 400" or

"Hexagon head screw AND L = 400"/

"Hexagon head screws AND >200"

The system searches for hexagon head bolts with any value greater than 200.

"Hexagon bolt L>=140 L <= 160" or

"Hexagon bolt L>=140 AND L <= 160"

"Hexagon head screw L = 120 AND D = 22"

"IDNR>=23012001 AND IDNR <= 23012025"

OR means that it is sufficient if one term occurs or a single condition is met.

Example of the OR operator

"Hexagon bolt OR cap screw" 

The result therefore contains both hexagon bolts and cap screws.

"(Hexagon bolt) OR (head cap bolt)" is equivalent to "Hexagon bolt OR head cap bolt" The brackets are unnecessary in this case. The space is equivalent to AND.

Please note the following points when using this function:

- Space has the meaning of AND

- AND has higher priority than OR

. Parenthesis has higher priority than AND and OR

Here are some examples:

We are looking for a hexagon bolt with either M10x50 or M10x60.

"Hexagon bolt (M10x50 OR M10x60)" is equivalent to "Hexagon bolt M10x50 OR Hexagon bolt M10x60"

If the brackets were simply removed in the first case, the results would be much less clear.

In English, "bolt" and "screw" are sometimes used for the same item. To find the right product anyway, one could search like this:

"head cap (bolt OR screw)"