AutoCAD Plant 3D

[#1]

This is just to confirm something.

In the catalog builder for bolts the length of the bolt is got from what is input as the Length in the “Piping Component Properties” section. When you add @@@ into the description Plant 3D inserts the bolt into the model and gets the length from the “Piping Component Properties” using a project setting to round the value up. In Plant 3D 2013 it looks up a bolt table to see if the length is available.

Is this correct as I was expecting a bigger improvement from CadWorx

[#2]

Hi Patrick,

I started to reply to this yesterday based on my previous experience implementing bolt sizes but soon realized it was changed last release cycle so I asked the author of the changes for some notes about it and here is his response:

I hope I can declare that with short words…

For bolt length calculation we check the FlangeThickness values defined at flange and bolt set

If both are equal (or one is not set) and it’s no wafer component we use the bolt length defined inside bolt set

But if both are different we subtract the bolt set FlangeThickness from bolt set bolt length, add the flange FlangeThickness

Now  look for the next possible bolt ‘standard’ length (if define – if not we round up to next 10)

If we look now into 10HS01 spec we see that the DN 50 flange has as defined FlangeThickness a length of 18.0 mm

 

Now let us have a look now into the bolt set definition. We see that there is FlangeThickness defined with 20.00 mm and an overall length 87.0 mm

 

We see that the bolt set and flange FlangeThickness are different so we have to recalculate (booth used flanges are equal)

87.0 – 20.0 – 20.0 + 18.0 + 18.0 = 83.0

So we get a new calculated bolt length 83.0 mm … the next possible ‘standard’ bolt length would be 85.0

This definitions and recalculations give us the possibility for easier use of different flange sheet thickness with the same base definition PressureClass, NominalDiameter, EndType, Facing for bolt set selection – that is otherwise problematic if we connect  an orifice flange with a welded flange … the orifice flange normally has a larger flange sheet for the instrument connections but the same base definitions so we would always get the same bolt length defined in bolt set.

So we have only 1 bolt set for the base properties with 1 standard FlangeThickness we used for base length and recalculate it if necessary.

if look like for

• DN 100:   95.0 – 24.0 – 24.0 + 20.0 + 20.0=   87.0  -> next possible bolt length would be   90.0
• DN 125:   99.0 – 26.0 – 26.0 + 22.0 + 22.0=   91.0 -> next possible bolt length would be    95.0
• DN 150: 112.0 – 28.0 – 28.0 + 22.0 + 22.0 = 100.0 -> next possible bolt length would be 100.0

I hope this short overview help to understand the different bolt length values

[#3]

One question, which is utility of Bolt Standard in Catalogs? In the Spec Editor: Catalogs->Edit Bolts Length Maping...

 Each catalog have diferent standard.

[#4]

Thank you Jorge, I am currently using Plant 3D 2012, but hopefully moving to Plant 3D 2013 soon. I see in 2013 there is a lot more to the bolts and it appears to be more intelligent. This is something to look at later.

[#5]

hi, the BOLT STANDARD LENGHT shlould take the available lenght form the EDIT BOLT LENGHT MAPPING function inside the catalog. But it doesn't. If i define a new BOLT MAPPING STANDARD call DIN931 and inserting the same valure (DIN931) in the BOLTCOMPATIBLESTD field of the bolt component it should take the value entered. Let's speak about M16 --> lenght 86: the result is that the system take anywasy 85 as calculated according to what you have explained. Where is really defined the STANDARD BOLT AVAILABLE LENGHT? thanks

[#6]

Thanks a lot Jorge!

This helps me very much. I was been told that the calculation works in a completly different way and therefore i didn't understood why the calculation is alway wrong.

But I think such informations should be available in the online-help. This would avoid many problems beforehand!

And it's true. The Bolt compactible standard mapping is just not working. Please FIX IT!

Best regards

Klaus from Salzburg/Austria