Route a Pipeline

Piping Design

Model a pipeline by sketching the pipe routing. A pipeline is formed from pipe components, which comprise pipes and pipe parts. As an example, straight pipe and curve.

  • Model a Pipeline along a guiding line. Model a Pipeline Along a Guide Curve
  • Add a pipeline by defining the route of the pipe's centerline by clicking points.
  • The direction of a pipeline added in the vertical direction (Z axis) will be automatically fixed.
  • A pipe part (elbow) will be automatically added between pipes in places where the pipeline's direction changes.
  • Model the pipeline close to the actual dimensions. Refine the pipe lengths and their relative positions using geometric constraints.

 

  1. Create a new assembly. New Assembly to Archive
  2. Select from the following options.
    • On the tab, in the Add group, select Add pipeline. (G4)
    • On the tab, in the Pipes group, select Add Pipeline (G4 Plant).
  3. Select from the following options.
    • Select in the Properties group Material, Pipe Diameter, Wall Thicness, and Bend radius. (G4)
    • Select in the Properties group Pipe Class, Nominal size, Wall Thickness, Pipe Item, Curve Item (G4 Plant).
  4. Select either of the following:
    • Select Using Elbows for the places where the pipeline's direction changes.
    • Select Using Bending for the places where the pipeline's direction changes.
  5. Click the start point of the pipe's centerline.
  6. Enter the line position to be used.
  7. Define the sweep plane in one of the following ways:
  8. Define the sweep direction in one of the following ways:
  9. Do either of the following:
    • Enter a length for the pipe on the keyboard.
    • Before clicking a point you can snap the cursor into a Point, Line or Face on the model if the Snap function is active.

      To a Point, Line or Face when the Snap function is active.

  10. Click a pipeline point. Continue modeling the pipeline by clicking the next point. In the routing points, select bending radius of the curve on the tab Properties group field.
  11. When routing the line you can add a component by pressing the B key. Continue routing by confirming the component position by selecting Confirm.
  12. Undo the previous point by pressing Ctrl+Z , and click the point again. You can undo the added points of the same pipeline all the way to the starting point.
  13. Select Confirm.


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Auxiliary Modeling Functions

Note:
  • Pressing the K key shows the directions of the coordinate axes at the cursor.
  • The first pipe component added to an assembly is fixed in place, indicated by the lock symbol . The component's location will not change if you drag other components of the pipeline. The length of the fixed component will change unless it is defined with a dimension constraint. You can fix and release components using the F key.

    Fix a Part or a Subassembly
    Release a Part or a Subassembly

  • If you do not define the position or length of a pipe component accurately when it is modeled, it will be positioned in the assembly using geometric constraints.

    Position Pipe Components Using Constraints

  • You can also model a pipeline by adding pipes and pipe parts from the component library.

    Add a Pipe Component

  • If you are routing a pipeline using bent pipes, the pipe sections of the pipeline form a single entity. The pipe sections are grouped into a kind of a subassembly within the assembly tree. Bent pipe sections are listed as single rows in the parts list.