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All thing Pro/Piping

ptc-3992206
1-Newbie

All thing Pro/Piping

Looking for some to answer questions about pro/piping. I've had the class a couple of times, but know I want to ask some questions about setting it all up. If there is a admin who has set up pro/pipe please let me know.


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12 REPLIES 12

Don,

Pro/Piping is now a Creo product. I moved your discussion to the Creo community to get the right eyes on it.

Welcome to PlanetPTC!

Dan Marotta

Community Manager

Hi Don...

Fire away! I can help you with just about anything in Pro/PIPING or anything related to Creo Routed Systems. When you say you have questions about "Setting it all up" that tells me you're PROBABLY talking about Spec Driven piping. Fair warning... that can be a big job but I'll do my best to answer your questions and get you moving in the right direction.

Thanks!

-Brian

Great!!. We have line stock created. We have an assembly structure set up. I can route the pipe from end to end but I’m having a hard time with elbows. I have other questions but let us just start there so I can get the ball rolling. I can get the flanges to assemble using insert fitting,(on the ends of the pipe). I can’t get elbow to work. I don’t know why. I haven’t used piping in almost 4 years but during the times that I did use it, it was always set up when I arrived. I never had to create anything. I am only a novice in piping. (let me say I understand the routing and assembly structure, and csys function. I’ve done a lot with cabling, surface, mechanisms, large assembly management. I’m no admin just a hard core grunt). Also I’ve taken the PTC courses in piping, cabling, rsd…. Almost every year for the last 3years. Stand training at the company I was at for ongoing education. Training and set up are different, I think.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Don...

There's a few things that come to mind right off the bat...

First- make sure your line stock is set up so that fittings are enabled. I'm sure you've already done this. Second, make sure you have the proper ports on your elbow fitting (and that "Z" is facing the right direction). Third... in some cases your pipe can be SLIGHTLY out of square. This can happen for several reasons or with certain connection types. Elbows won't insert if the pipe isn't completely 90 degrees (assuming a standard elbow).

All of this also assumed you're NOT using spec-driven piping. From your previous reply it seemed like you might be using Non Spec-Driven piping after all. If you try all of these things and the fitting still doesn't work, write back. Make sure the port coordinate systems in the fitting are directly perpendicular, too... that's another thing that can bite you.

Let me know the results...

Thanks!

-Brian

I was able to get the 90degree fittings to go in. thanks. Now for a drawing, is the only way to remove the center line of a pipe; to fabricate the pipe and layer off the line? (we are not doing fab drawing of pipes right now. these show in a higher level drawing and the center line are showing). Oh- your right we are not driving anything. non-driven.

Hi Don...

Unfortunately I've never found a better way to remove those pesky centerlines than the technique you're describing. I think all I've ever been able to do is add the lines to a layer and turn them off that way. In Wildfire 5 (Creo Elements/Pro) there are all sorts of new ways to show solid pipes without having to actually Fabricate (or "Make") them.

Now you can display pipelines as solid even when they're still just lines... but the centerlines won't go away. I also haven't been able to layer the pipelines off to remvoe the centerlines. In addition, I've tried the drawing option hlr_for_pipe_cl which is supposed to turn off the pipe centerlines if hidden line removal is turned on for a specific view. This doesn't seem to work for either fabricated OR non-fabricated pipes. I just can't get that to work at ALL in Wildfire 5.

Still, I think the latest revisions of Piping are great because we're getting closer to being able to work on piping assemblies WITHOUT having to fabricate solids. As an experienced user, I'm sure you know it's much better to wait until later in the design cycle to make those solid pipes. They become cumbersome if you make them too early. The new display tools let us take screenshots and see what the pipes will look like without having to actually fab them... but so far I haven't found a way to hide those centerlines other than what you've described.

Thanks!

-Brian

Do you treat your valves like tees? we are using welded valves? I'm laying out that part today.

The answer to this depends a bit on whether I'm using Spec-Driven or Non Spec-Driven piping. For your style (non Spec-driven), I create the models with all the coordinate systems and the center points as if they were tees. If they're threaded or compression then I also add the points to handle depth of engagement for the thread or compression fitting.

Depending on the project requirements, the valves may be assembled and constrained like any other assembly component with the pipes being routed LAST. Or, alternately, sometimes the valves are placed as a Straight Brk fitting into the pipelines. Much of this depends on where you want to see the valves in your BOM. I prefer having all piping components as part of the PIPING assembly (that's the second scenario mentioned above).

The one thing to be exceeding careful of... is using the Branch feature in Piping. I never... and I mean NEVER create a perpendicular branch into a pipeline (so it resembles a tee in the pipeline) and THEN add the valve at the branch. The system will allow you to do this... and it seems convenient enough. The branch feature handles making a nice perpendicular "tee" into an existing pipeline. This gives you the perfect place to drop a valve (or tee fitting) directly at that point. The trick is that TWO of the pipelines will automatically trim themselves back to accomodate your valve... but the branch line will NOT. Visually it appears to trim all 3 pipelines to accomodate the valve... but you'll notice the pipeline feature which drives the branch pipeline does not actually cut itself back. This isn't a problem unless you're using that pipeline to create a bend table. Your bend tables will be incorrect for the branch line due to this problem. I always use bend tables to export bend instructions to our manufacturing people... so I never, ever use the branch functionality to help locate and place a valve or tee.

If I'm using Spec-Driven piping, the sky's the limit. With Spec-Driven piping, valves, tees, and other fittings drop in seamlessly. All pipes trim themselves back correctly... and the system even checks to make sure I have the correct fitting size, material, and end type (welded, compression, threaded, etc).

Thank you a ton. I think we got a great handle on things now. Atleast at this point. We are getting ready to roll out piping for everyone to use. Thanks a bunch. I'm sure I'll be ping you as thing come up.

No problem! Good luck... and feel free to ask if other questions pop up.

Hi Brian,

You can go to http://learningexchange.ptc.com/tutorials/search?product_id=&search=pipe to know more about Pro/PIPING

Hi Damian...

It was Don that had the original question but thank you for the link.

I have to add this though... and I mean it with complete and total respect for what PTC is doing with Learning Exchange and to you for suggesting it. PTC's training classes and Learning Exchange content barely skim the surface of the knowledge and skills you need to really make use of the tool. All of the routed systems modules are very deep. Even a dedicated one week class isn't enough to give you the proficiency level you need to extract value from those modules.

I have some ideas on how we can provide people with deeper piping & routed systems training. Unfortunately it takes a good bit of time to build the necessary content... but I'm working on it.

Thanks again...

-Brian

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