Tube and Pipe Improvement List

IT IS DONE.

Ideas for Inventor

I have finally managed to publish all Tube and Pipe posts on Inventor Idea Station. I’ve split the original idea and documented another 65 or so.

A couple of remarks:

Idea 21 is has been posted before as an Individual item and it can be found here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/tube-and-pipe-multiple-selection-change-size/idi-p/5355567

Idea 30 is work in progress. I can't replicate it and that might mean it was a temporary glitch or localized issue. If it can't be replicated then there's nothing to fix. 

Idea 84 is work in progress as well. Just before hitting the post button, a possible solution came to mind on how this might work, and if there is a workaround then it might not be an issue to be reported after all.

You can easily find all the ideas by searching for author "salariua" by category "Tube&Pipe" or by tags "overhaul, pipe, routed, systems, tube". Unfortunatelly not all of them have tags because there is a limit of 100 tags per hour and I had to drop some to keep posting.

This list was long in planning, started 2 years ago, and while these have been documented for months I had force myself and make the effort of publishing them because Autodesk was catching up and a few of them have been implemented in recent versions based on the Original Idea.

I know allot of you will blindly vote for them because you trust me, you are familiar with my work, or simply because you feel TP needs a massive consolidated effort to bring it up to date and the more ideas the better. I urge you to vote for the ones you care about and to study them carefully. While some are specific to my workflow, others will no doubt help you as well but they will be implemented by ranking number of votes.

I have to thank DRoam on Inventor Forum for grabbing the links and making one big list with active links. Please report back if the links are not working.

All in one, this is it. Thank you for your help on making Inventor a better product. Go and vote for the ones you feel need implementing.

Original idea: Tube and Pipe Overhaul
Tube&Pipe 001: “Place fittings without needing to populate first”
Tube&Pipe 002: “Glyph size setting”
Tube&Pipe 003: “batch delete work features”
Tube&Pipe 004: “Nodes break routes”
Tube&Pipe 005: “Place fitting options”
Tube&Pipe 006: “Keyboard shortcuts”
Tube&Pipe 007: “Work features visibility auto-off”
Tube&Pipe 008: “Branches”
Tube&Pipe 009: “Constrain Runs/Routes”
Tube&Pipe 010: “Remember last used size”
Tube&Pipe 011: “Multiple T&P assemblies”
Tube&Pipe 012: “Allow “violation mode” editing
Tube&Pipe 013: “Dynamic change size”
Tube&Pipe 014: “Positive/negative dimensions”
Tube&Pipe 015: “Return to parent not working”
Tube&Pipe 016: “Multi-selection working commands”
Tube&Pipe 017: “CC pipes & section views”
Tube&Pipe 018: “iProperties for CC items”
Tube&Pipe 019: “Include route centerlines for visible only”
Tube&Pipe 020: “Maintain manually changed sizes”
Tube&Pipe 021: “Multiple selections change sizes”
Tube&Pipe 022: “Speed up place from CC process”
Tube&Pipe 023: “Dimension with parameters”
Tube&Pipe 024: “Constraints for nodes”
Tube&Pipe 025: “Orientation of drawing dimension”
Tube&Pipe 026: “Isometric chain dimensions”
Tube&Pipe 027: “Changing annotation plane not working”
Tube&Pipe 028: “Saved without asking”
Tube&Pipe 029: “Filepath length”
Tube&Pipe 030: N/A
Tube&Pipe 031: “3D Ortho tool for 3D sketches”
Tube&Pipe 032: “Change Fitting Diameter inactive”
Tube&Pipe 033: “Delete not working”
Tube&Pipe 034: “Repeat Last Command missing”
Tube&Pipe 035: “Prevent fittings from changing orientation”
Tube&Pipe 036: “Default focus for commands”
Tube&Pipe 037: “Populate self-intersecting routes”
Tube&Pipe 038: “Change Fitting Diameter restores default fitting”
Tube&Pipe 039: “Match Properties function”
Tube&Pipe 040: “Orientation changes without notice”
Tube&Pipe 041: “Jumping pointer”
Tube&Pipe 042: “Change size screen refresh”
Tube&Pipe 043: “Auto constraint/dimension”
Tube&Pipe 044: “Auto-dimension for angles”
Tube&Pipe 045: “Automatic perpendicular constraint”
Tube&Pipe 046: “Routing from 3D points”
Tube&Pipe 047: “Constrain to 3D points”
Tube&Pipe 048: “Equal constraint”
Tube&Pipe 049: “Authoring iLogic iParts iAssemblies”
Tube&Pipe 050: “Move fittings with equipment”
Tube&Pipe 051: “Fittings report wrong angle”
Tube&Pipe 052: “Route construction line visibility”
Tube&Pipe 053: “Route construction line drawing visibility”
Tube&Pipe 054: “Vault Check-Out ”
Tube&Pipe 055: “Author Assemblies as TP fittings”
Tube&Pipe 056: “TP dynamic Construction Lines”
Tube&Pipe 057: “TP Construction Lines anywhere”
Tube&Pipe 058: “TP iParts iAssemblies, Shrinkwraps”
Tube&Pipe 059: “Retrieve TP dimensions in drawings”
Tube&Pipe 060: “TP Tubing with Bends Missing Constraints”
Tube&Pipe 061: “TP CC Library Rebuild”
Tube&Pipe 062: “TP Reuse Fitting Sets”
Tube&Pipe 063: “TP Dimension Error”
Tube&Pipe 064: “TP Delete Coincident Constraint on Node”
Tube&Pipe 065: “TP Fittings Not Moving”
Tube&Pipe 066: “TP Allow Rotate For All”
Tube&Pipe 067: “TP Hose Template not Honored”
Tube&Pipe 068: “TP Hose Fully Constrained Sketches”
Tube&Pipe 069: “TP Allow Import of Styles with Errors”
Tube&Pipe 070: “TP Move/Restructure Browser Fittings”
Tube&Pipe 071: “TP Hose Route Off by Default”
Tube&Pipe 072: “TP Allow Insert Fittings for All”
Tube&Pipe 073: “TP Stop Checking Out Fitings”
Tube&Pipe 074: “TP Rotating Fittings”
Tube&Pipe 075: “TP Place All Fittings”
Tube&Pipe 076: “TP Mirror Runs”
Tube&Pipe 077: “TP Clone, Copy, Rename”
Tube&Pipe 078: “TP Minimum Pipe Segment Violation”
Tube&Pipe 079: “TP Remove Pipes from Recent Open Documents”
Tube&Pipe 080: “TP Express Mode”
Tube&Pipe 081: “TP Bends Have Static Values”
Tube&Pipe 082: “TP Dimension on Browser Planes”
Tube&Pipe 083: “TP Min/Max on Inserting Nodes”
Tube&Pipe 084: N/A
Tube&Pipe 085: “TP Route Constraints Productivity Improvement”
Tube&Pipe 086: “TP Split Command off Center ”
Tube&Pipe 087: “TP Save Dialog Pop-up”
Tube&Pipe 088: “TP Save Dialog Pop-up”
Tube&Pipe 089: “TP Paste in Browser”
Tube&Pipe 090: “TP Route – Allow Angle Dimensions”
Tube&Pipe 091: “TP Show Constraints”
Tube&Pipe 092: “TP Drawing Dimension Error Tubing with Bends”
Tube&Pipe 093: “TP LOD Replace Fitting Error”
Tube&Pipe 094: “TP Dimensions Fail to Compute”
Tube&Pipe 095: “Remove ISOGEN info”
Tube&Pipe 096: “Loosing Authoring Info”
Tube&Pipe 097: “Improve Favorites Menu”
Tube&Pipe 098: “Constrain Against Sketch Route”
Tube&Pipe 099: “Connect Fitting to have Edit Orientation dialog”
Tube&Pipe 100: “Favorites cancels to Content Center”
Tube&Pipe 101: “Style Editor, replace multiple styles”
Tube&Pipe 102: “Allow Self draining, Multiple Angles”
Tube&Pipe 103: “Make Adaptive in User Folder ”
Tube&Pipe 104: “Make Adaptive Multiple Runs/Routes”
Tube&Pipe 105: “Edit Connection needs an Apply Button”
Tube&Pipe 106: “Allow us to remove Route Ghost Features”
Tube&Pipe 107: “Spaghetti Loops when Connect Fitting”
Tube&Pipe 108: “Allow Hoses to Start Both Ends”
Tube&Pipe 109: “3D Move Rotate Distorts Route”
Tube&Pipe 110: “Make Adaptive Suppresses Constraints”
Tube&Pipe 111: “Allow Publish to All CC categories”
Tube&Pipe 112: “Hide References Missing Option”
Tube&Pipe 113: “Fix Icon for Hidden Fittings”
Tube&Pipe 114: “Allow Routes to Continue From Other Routes”
Tube&Pipe 115: “Allow Include Centerline for Multiple Routes/Runs”
Tube&Pipe 116: “Cannot Use Different Lightning Environment”
Tube&Pipe 117: “Remove Fittings From Nodes”
Tube&Pipe 118: “Bend Radius Missing Error”
Tube&Pipe 119: “Defer Update Not Working in TP”
Tube&Pipe 120: “Place Parts and Fittings in Last Save Design View  Rep”
Tube&Pipe 121: “Change Fitting Orientation Random Not Working”
Tube&Pipe 122: “Smart Coincident Constraint”
Tube&Pipe 123: “Lock Fitting Orientation”
Tube&Pipe 124: “Allow Any Angle Elbow Routes”
Tube&Pipe 125: “Fix: Replace Family Template in CC”

Later,

ADS

Fitting Alignment Issue

What’s wrong with these fittings?

 

Weird alignment

weird again.

My fitting orientation is all wrong.  You will get this especially on zero dead leg valves for pharmaceutical products but I’ve seen this on other products.

If you create a plane between the 3 connection points of the valve you will see that it’s not parallel with the rest of the geometry, valve body in my case.

default orientation

The direction is given by the 3’rd connection perpendicular to the line between the first and second. I think this is to help out with inexperienced users, idiot proof really, helping out if you didn’t align your connections to the model but that's just for straight fittings like tees.

Now what? Am I supposed to measure the angle every time and change fitting orientation on a continuous loop? (rolling eyes).

In order to fix this you need to add another authoring point and make it a 4 point connection.

4 Connections on a 3 point fitting? Are you mad?

I thought we already established that and we’re here to have some fun and solve some problems.

 We will be creating the 3rd connection inline (same plane) and parallel with the fitting as spare, never to be used and instead the 4th connection is to be used.

It might help to make the 3rd on a different plane away from 4th like right on the origin line just so it’s out of the way when placing or connecting fittings to it. We want to make it very obvious from the snap preview that it’s not the one to be used.

authoring dialog window

I have also gave it a really small connection size; a size we would never use like 1/8” to differentiate it even more and keep people from connecting to it.

And this is what the difference between placing a 3 or 4 connection fitting looks like

 

compare the results.

I’ve given this example before on autodesk forum on a similar issue.

You can keep just 3 connections if you align the third but we can do better.

3 would do but 4 is better

I feel it’s best to have a 4’th connection but be careful on placing fittings.

Watch out for ghost connection when placing this fitting. 

Later,

ADS

               

                

Custom Elbow, Self Draining Lines P1

Self draining lines?

I’ve used those quite a lot on this past year and it seems we will continue in the ones to come.

I have been contacted by one of you (my internet friends) and asked if I think it’s possible to create custom length elbows and use it with Tube and Pipe.

                Apparently his company has open a support case with Autodesk and after a thorough investigation they were told it’s not possible and to continue constraining the fittings, one after the other just as they do now.

                So he has resorted to the dark side and contacted a bogus blogger to see if he has a possible solution. Happy to say I do have a possible solution but it’s up to him to decide if he wants to go the TP way.

                The biggest challenge is to create an elbow with custom angle and where the user is prompted to specify a length for the entry, exit legs (straight section of the elbow).

                Most important phase in the design process is to get the user requirements right and I have failed that from the beginning but I’ll blame the language barrier and the different time zones.

                All the companies I know buy 90deg elbows and they bend them to required angle because it’s cheaper this way. My initial impression was that they use 90deg elbows as well but they cut the legs at an angle (slope angle) rather than bending the elbow.

                Some good info emerged out of this and that’s why I decided to mention it. So keep it in the back of your mind in case you ever need to do something similar.

                There are a couple of methods to cut the legs back but some will give you errors down the line.

                Do not control the leg lengths by editing the sweep path because when removing the leg altogether (max cut) you will get errors on generating other members with 0 length legs.

                Do not author the part by using the leg face because that will fail. I will fail when you cut the face to an angle (the face is not circular anymore) and it will fail if you remove the straight leg completely, (face not existing anymore).

                Instead create sketch points and work points for your authoring connection setup.

Authoring work features

                While the elbow is 90deg the connection needs to be picked up as different angle, that is a must for self draining lines or you will not be able to select the fitting in the TP Style Setup dialog window.

Authoring angle

TP style dialog

                For that you need to create custom work axes but that’s easy if you create some construction lines in the sweep sketch. Check out my blog on authoring empty parts here.

                Because I wanted the users to have a minimum, maximum allowable distance and a 1mm increment (keep it nice and tidy) I have setup custom cells for my ipart table and that was a big waste of time.

                Do not create custom range cells or columns in the ipart table; they have no effect once published to content center. Instead publish it as it stands and alter the content center family table.

don't waste time here

                Now that we got that out of the way I will show you what my friend really wanted and how to create a proper custom length elbow to be used for tube and pipe self draining lines but that in the next blog.

                PS: I am doing a video for this as well…… more than a year since I’ve done a video !!!!

Here is the test elbow (the wrong one) in case you are looking for inspiration or just want to test it out.

Later,
ADS

               

photo credit: Hernan Piñera Seated (license)

T&P Hoses P2 - Documenting Hose Lengths

How do I show hose lengths? How to document hoses? I need to document cut lengths, swage distance as well as overall lengths, so how to do that?

               

                Last week we covered BOM structure for hoses and I’ve showed you how to mark them as single items in BOM / Parts List. This is useful if you don’t’ manufacture the hose and you don’t need to show all the sub-parts individually.

                But what if you need to show those dimensions and send the drawing over to whoever is going to manufacture it; assuming it’s not a standard stock item.

                Hoses are created as a subassembly in tube and pipe and you get the route, the sweep part and the connectors (depending on style settings) in one single assembly.

Hoses are created as assemblies

                Unfortunately the info is not at the assembly level and it can’t be exposed when changing BOM structure to “Purchased” or “Inseparable” (check my previous post here). All the info is created in the hose part (the one containing the sweep).

                If you open the hose and check the parameters window you can find a couple of parameters defining the various lengths for the hose (they are exposed as custom iproperties as well.)

                If you open the parameters window here’s what you will find:

PL - Pipe Length (hose in this case)

RPL - I believe this is "Rounded Pipe Length" (hose in this case)

OPL - I believe this is "Overall Pipe Length" (hose in this case)

ROPL - I believe this is "Rounded Overall Pipe Length" (hose in this case)

Parameters exposed to iProperties.

If you have connectors each end (like I do) you will notice that the sweep sketch is made from a spline and 2 straight lines (swage distance). Measuring the spline and the individual lengths you will get PL(hose length) which is then rounded to the nearest increment (changeable from the T&P route style) and you then get RPL (rounded hose length).

Rounded increment is declared in the Route Style

OPL (overall hose length) you get by adding the connector lengths to the PL (hose length) and just like above when you round this to the nearest increment you get ROPL (rounded overall hose length).

                If you need this info in the Parts List you need to add these custom iproperties manually by editing the drawing table. However if you marked the hose as “Inseparable” or “Purchased” the info will not show up.

                In both cases you can add a Leader Line and use the “Custom Properties – Model” to show these on the drawing.

Use Leader Lines to document the various lengths

                Here's a short animation of the process.

Later,

ADS photo credit: Garden hose (license)

Removing phantom fittings

                Although similar with last post I need to share some tips on how to populate a corrupted route again. Last post we discussed how to delete fittings and today we are using the info there to remove fittings and segments that don’t update. 

                This is a scenario that I see a lot and it refers to broken links and updates on the fittings. You modify a route and when you try and update the run you realize that some / all fittings don’t update position and sometimes Inventor creates a complete new set of pipes and fittings ignoring the existing ones.

                I don’t have a case at hand but I will share the one on Autodesk Forum I have been answering and which can be seen here.

               

                As you can see from the images, Inventor decided to keep some segments in place when the route has been changed.

                A different case would be when you need to remove the populated fittings and segments from a route like in this post here.

               

                Just like in my previous post you need to move the fittings and segments outside T&P assembly (promote) and then demote them to a new assembly which can then be deleted.

                The problem is, once you move those fittings you can’t populate the route again. We are technically hiding the elements outside TP and then we delete them so the route has no clue that the parts have been deleted.

                If you do need to populate it again then I have a trick and this is the reason we are here today.

                The route can’t be populated again but you can copy/paste it and then make it adaptive and this will replicate your exact route. Because you are doing this at the route level (instead of run level) you will get the default fittings and not any manually placed ones (valves, reducers, etc.) but nonetheless it is far better than sketching the route again.

                Inventor will NOT place the route in the original location and you will see it at a distance adjacent to the corrupted one.  As a rule any new files will be created at assembly origin and that means that any route will be located at the run origin but without constraints. You can always check the position of the original one by checking the iproperties/occurrences tab.

                You have two options to move the route to a new location:

1                1 - You have not used the Make Adaptive command yet. Once you paste the route you can then right click on it and in the iproperties / Occurrences tab you can enter 0 in the “Current Offset from Parent Assembly Origin” and then click apply. Then you can use the Make Adaptive command.

Position route at origin.

Make Adaptive menu.

                2 - If you have use the Make Adaptive and even used the Populate Route command you can repeat the steps before but in the Occurrences tab take of Adaptive first and then put 0 in the offset value fields. As soon as you click apply, the Adaptive box should be ticked automatically for you if not make sure to put it back. You can't just change the position of an adaptive route or you will get this error:

"

                "Properties: problems encountered while executing this command

                Invalid input for Request"

Take off Adaptivity first.

Limitations:

-          You still need to connect the route to your equipment around.

-          Sometimes, if the location of fittings and segments don’t update you need to edit the route and simply click on “Finish Route” to force an update. Update button or rebuild all will not help you.

Force update the fittings and segments.

Small animation of the process.

This trick is part of the “How to constrain my TP assembly and its components” blog which will come at a later time. Way too many to handle at once.

Latter,

ADS.

photo credit: fittings (license)