The sloped piping feature in AutoCAD MEP 2023 toolset expands catalog content and pipe fitting routing preferences. Sloped piping supports gravity-based piping designs for sanitary drain, waste, vent, and sewer/storm drainage systems. For example, you can lay out the main of a drainage system with a 1/4” per foot slope and connect several branches with different slope angles based on the distance and height from the main. The system can generate possible layout solutions for sloped systems based on points you specify in the drawing, the slope value, and the allowable angle of deflection for the pipe fitting used.
Sloped piping layouts model real-world piping requirements. Fittings are inserted based on the orientation of the pipe segment. As a result, pipes fit flexibly into couplings. AutoCAD MEP 2023 toolset rotates the orientation of an elbow (or other fitting) around the attached point based on the centerline of the sloped pipe. The software lays out pipe and fittings with a horizontal slope and transitions between sloped and vertical pipes eliminating the need to manually calculate angles.
AutoCAD MEP 2023 toolset applies slope in the Z direction of the current user coordinate system (UCS) in a drawing. You create sloped piping systems using elbows, tees, wyes, or other fittings that connect an angled segment to a horizontal segment. The next example shows a rise/run ratio of 3/10 for the sloped segment where the elbows are rotated to accommodate the slope value.
Sloped segment perpendicular to horizontal segments (front view)
You can create slopes in straight runs if you have the appropriately angled fittings. The next example shows a 45-degree elbow connecting a 45-degree sloped segment to horizontal segments.
Sloped pipe segment (side view)
AutoCAD MEP 2023 toolset supports the design of sloped connections by using wyes (laterals) or angled tees to connect a branch to a main. It inserts angled tees/wyes at the correct orientation to connect a sloped branch to a sloped main. You can also choose an eccentric reducer (with different diameter openings at each end with different centerlines) or a concentric reducer (with different diameter openings at each end with the same centerline).
Auto Layout can generate routing solutions for sloped piping systems based on points in the drawing. You can draw sloped piping layouts if the current routing preference supports angle of deflection (allowable fitting tolerance). As you draw pipe, you can use sloped pipe-related properties on the Properties palette. For example, the Use fitting tolerance property turns on angle of deflection on a joint if the current routing preference supports angle of deflection. As you lay out the pipe run, you can set a slope value on the Properties palette and the slope format on the General tab in the Pipe Layout Preferences dialog box.
You can also set Joint direction. Joint direction determines how male and female connectors are oriented in auto layout. For example, if you select male into female, the male connector is placed first, then the female connector after the joint.
Slopes Supported by Gravity-Based Piping Systems
The gravity-based pipe tools on the Gravity Pipe tab support sloped piping designs for drain, process drain, sanitary, sanitary vent, and storm systems in the following slopes:
- 1/8” per foot
- 1/4” per foot
- 1/2” per foot
Slope Value Displayed in Piping Layouts
The software displays the current slope value of a pipe segment as you draw the run. Slope value appears in both constrained layouts (pipe drawn between 2 existing pipe objects) and unconstrained layouts (pipe drawn from a pipe object to a point in space). This information is especially useful when routing solutions are generated, as illustrated next.
Slope value displayed
A pipe segment can have a slope value specified on the Pipe Properties palette, or it can have a different slope depending on a particular routing solution that is used. The immediate visual indicator tells you exactly what solution is used and the associated slope value. To turn off this feature, enter PIPESLOPEDISPLAY on the command line. Then enter n at the next prompt.