Is there a way to constrain alignment deflections to specific angles? I am laying out a forcemain and need to ensure nominal pipe bend angles. If not, what other techniques might I use? I am not using pipes for this since it is pressure pipe and there are parallel pipes involved.
In the past I used a label at the alignment that gave me the degrees of the bend. I had to visually check it, but it wasn't extra work since the agency required the labels to be shown.
Christopher
I do have a label for the deflection angles. I am looking for a way to physically lock the bends. Otherwise I have a dog chasing it's tail scenario when I move a PI.
Hi Neil, I don't have a constraint solution, but I rough in the FM alignment and use a dynamic block at deflection point and add pi's afterward.
I don't have a permanant solution to your idea either, but I think it has merit for perhaps a wishlist item to be able to lock parts of an alignment so that downstream editing will not compromise angle changes that are "locked".
Since things like tangency can be constrained or at least preserved, I wonder whether construction of an alignment by lines to preserve angles is possible...
To generate the bends on creation, you can use the polar and tracking settings and type in pipe lengths to get what you want, but this does not constrain the angles....as far as I understand.
PeterT
Actually I am getting along pretty well using basic lines and parametric constraints. Once I get a route established I'll turn it into an alignment.
Perhaps when we get real pressure pipe tools this capability will be included.
Great.
As far as pressure pipe tools are concerned, we forever live in hope.