How to make pipe branch off in piping run without tee fitting

[DRoam]

I'm trying to make a piping run that at one point branches off in another direction. Basically I want to have one straight pipe, a main line, where another pipe branches off and sticks out vertically from it and goes its own way. However, I want this branching pipe to be welded to the main line, not connected with a tee fitting. Inventor won't let me create branches from within a route, and it doesn't seem to want to let me snap to the existing main line run if I create a new run for the branching pipe. Can anyone tell me how to do this?

[cwhetten · Accepted solution]

You don't want a tee, but what about an olet?  This is the standard way of branching in a line without a tee.

Without an actual fitting, I don't think you can do this with Inventor's tube & pipe module.  For certain, it wouldn't know to cut the branch pipe to fit the shape of the main pipe.

You could author a custom fitting that is just a piece of pipe with the appropriate cut.  Inventor would see it as a fitting, but it would be otherwise indistinguishable from an ordinary pipe.

Try the olet idea first, since that is the easiest solution.  If this won't work for you, post back and I can help you with the custom fitting approach if you want.

-cwhetten

Please click "Accept as Solution" if this response answers your question.

[DRoam]

Thanks for the reply! I searched content center and couldn't find any olets, where would I find that?

[cbenner]

Olets are in the Content Center under "Branches".

EDIT:

Not sure if there are olets in the CC or not now, I looked and I see my custom parts, but no out of the box parts.  Here is a link to the wiki help on authoring fittings... near the bottom there is asection on the special needs of authoring branch fittings.

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Inventor/enu/2013/Help/1310-Autodesk1310/3029-Tube_and3029/3159-Tube_an...

Right now you cannot create a branch in Tube & Pipe within a route.  As cwhetten says, you need to place a fitting and begin a new route from there.  I have placed an enhancement request for this, however, as other piping programs are able to do this.  You pick a point on the route and start off in a new direction.  The piping program populates it with a tee or gives you a choice if there are multiple fittings designated as branch fittings.

I think Adesk could do this, but it would take a major recoding, so it might be a while.

[cwhetten]

As cbenner said, they are under the category called Branches.  If you have a filter on, you won't see them as their standard property isn't populated.  So, make sure you turn off any filter (see the top of the attached image, the little icon that looks like a funnel).

-cwhetten

Please click "Accept as Solution" if this response answers your question.

[DRoam]

Awesome, thanks all. I should be able to work with olets and tees in the meantime. Thanks to ChrisB for placing the enhancment request to Autodesk, I appreciate it! Hopefully they willl implement that change soon, it would be very helpful.

[SteveHartley]

In 2024 there is still no branch connection without O-let option. This is quite common in piping and called a stub in branch connection.   Olets are relatively expensive to install and not always necessary. 

Im quite surprised that this premium design software dosent have this simple piping functionality.

[A.Acheson]

Hi @SteveHartley 

While the pipe cope or stub in branch isn't available out of the box you can author the olet or threadolet  to the same dimensions as a pipe which will allow you to snap to a route, and cut the pipe with the hole. It does however have a drawback of putting a segment in when you might not want it which is visible on the drawing. If you want o use thius method I am happy to assist you set it up. This is a workaround however and I agree with you that it should be build into the software. Here is the request in the idea forum. Please vote.