When defining a rigid piping or bent tubing route, you can select additional route points to control route direction. Use the different elements of the displayed 3D Orthogonal Route Tool as a guide for selecting points.
The different elements of the tool control the location and orientation of tube and pipe components in a route or run. The tools that appear and the range of motion allowed for positioning or repositioning new or existing points varies.
If needed, use Undo to reverse your actions, starting with the most recent. Using Undo also exits the command. Use the
Route tab
Create panel
Route command to resume defining the route.
Define route points at a different rotation
Rotation arrows are displayed on the Direction Axes to show the rotation possibilities for the current selection. Click and drag the Rotation Arrows to rotate freely around the local axis.
While rotating, the tool snaps to all four quadrant border angles of the Direction Axes. The tool also displays points that are snapped from other existing geometry. When the rotation tool snaps to edge or face geometry, a dashed line and preview point shows how it is applied.
To snap the rotation in a displayed direction, click a Direction Axis. Direction axes are set at 90-degree increments.
Define points at 45-degree angles
When the Angle Control is displayed on the direction axis, you can rotate the route position in 45-degree increments. The angle control displays only when 45-degree route directions are included in the active style and the connection data allows this movement.
- In the graphics window, pause the cursor over the Angle Control.
- On the Angle Control, click the arrow showing the angular position you need.
The tool rotates to the available angular position in the selected direction.
- Once the tool is rotated to the new position, select a route point.
Note: To revert to the previous angular position, click the single arrow displayed on the selected axis.
Snap points from other geometry
When Point Snap is on (checked) in the context menu, you can create route points by snapping to faces, edges, or work points that exist within the tube and pipe assembly. This is useful for routing around geometry located in the path of the route.
While the Line Extender or a direction axis is selected, a preview point is displayed at the intersection of the line and the plane of the highlighted face or edge. A dashed line is displayed from the cursor to the preview point. The dashed line represents how the point is applied to the highlighted geometry. A green preview point is displayed on the line if the point makes a connection of the allowable length. Otherwise, the point is displayed as an x.
- Right-click to display the context menu and make sure that Point Snap is turned on.
- Pause the cursor over a displayed direction axis or the Line Extender.
- When the preview point is displayed at the needed location, click the selected geometry.
You can also define nodes based on the snap point using precise values.
Define points using precise values
You can enter precise values for creating a route point by using the keyboard while a tool is selected, or by right-clicking and selecting from the context menu. You can enter angle or distance values. The values are the distance or angle from the active position to the current node. If a point was snapped onto a line of the 3D Orthogonal Route tool, the value entered is the distance from the snap point to the desired node to add. The entered values must comply with set rules for segment length or you are prompted to reenter the value.
Precise distances are useful for creating route points from the initial or snapped configurations.
- To enter an angle, while the Rotation Arrows are highlighted, right-click, and then select Enter Angle from the context menu. In the dialog box, enter the exact angle of rotation, including negative values.
- To enter a distance, right-click a Direction Axes or Line Extender, and then select Enter Distance from the context menu. The entered value can be either a positive number or a negative value.
Alternatively you can begin typing a value while the tool is highlighted, and then enter a value in the dialog box.
Define tubing nodes at any angle and bend radius
For tubing with bend styles, you can create bends at any angle and enter a different bend radius for any bend.
When a tubing with bends style is used by the active route, Rotation Handles are displayed on the Direction Axes to show the rotation possibilities for the current selection. Click and drag the Rotation Handles to adjust the included angle at any degree from 0 to 360.
While rotating, the tool snaps in regular increments based on the 3D Angle Snap value. The value is set on the
Tools tab
Options panel
Document Settings Modeling tab. You can also create a series of bends to achieve a compound bend.
To change the bend radius, click the Radius Handle and enter a value. The new radius only affects the next bend. All subsequent bends use the bend radius set in the Styles dialog box.
Create a custom bend in a piping route
To add a custom bend to a rigid route with fittings type route, right-click and select Custom Bend from the context menu while creating the route. The 3D Orthogonal Route tool changes to include radius handles so you can create a bend with the radius and angle you need.
You can create multiple custom bends in any given pipe route. The Bend command on the Route tab can also assist in creating custom bends in rigid piping routes.