Complex Routing in AutoCAD Plant 3D – #1

From time to time, you will come across a pipe route that just stumps you.  This one came up today with a user and this was the solution to the route.  If you know a better way, please comment and let us know and make us all better pipe designers

The scenario was two vertical pipes coming off of a tank.  One pipe would turn right at a higher elevation than the second pipe.  The second pipe would turn at 45 degrees and tee into the bottom of the first pipe’s horizontal run.

Hopefully you can visualize the route from the images above.  Here are the steps using some constructions lines, the TRIM command and LINE-TO-PIPE.

1.  Erase the horizontal pipe on the higher elevation run.

2.  Draw 2 construction lines:  1 replacing the horizontal pipe you just erased and 1 at 45 degrees horizontal off of the elbow.  Make sure the line crosses over the 1st construction line in the plan view.

3.  Once drawn, you will want to TRIM the 2nd line using the TRIM command.  However, this is not a standard trim in that you will trim based on PROJECTed geometry so the syntax will look like this:

4.  Now just draw a new LINE from the endpoint of the trimmed LINE and perpendicular to the 1st LINE:

5.  Lastly, a LINE TO PIPE command from the Ribbon (PLANTCONVERTLINETOPIPE) will convert those LINEs to Pipe by selecting them with a crossing window or selecting them one at a time…

and your complex pipe route is complete!  Again, if you know of a better way, comment and make us all smarter!

More complex routing to come!  I will also be teaching this and other “Tricks of the Trade” at Autodesk University this year!
Look it up and sign up – PT21675  Plant 3D: Tricks of the Trade 2.0
https://au.autodesk.com/