dimension compound angle in Civil 3d

[Ross_S1]

I have a pipe bend drawn, that has both horizontal and vertical deflection.  I want to find the angle of the bend.  When I use the angular dimension tool, it gives me the angle in the xy plane, but disregards the z direction.  How do I measure /dimension the compound angle?

[HorizontalCurveGuy]

Never heard of a compound angle. Seems to me it could be infinate number of planes between the horizontal and vertical plan all with a different angle. I guess thats the answer determin that plane set the ucs to it ( the pressure pipe gliph should be helpful) and measure

[Pointdump]

Ross,

This will probably sound boneheaded and inelegant, but couldn't you list the line thusly:

As for dimensioning, you could use a note.

Dave

[rl_jackson]

Personally I have not done any design in quite some time, and I've just been using C3D strictly for survey.

My first thought is if this is a standard pipe network, the angle would be determind by slope, which could also be interpreted as a ratio, but either way its still an angle (or at least an angle could be computed).

My second thought if its a pressure pipe, wouldn't you then have specific bends applied to the network, which would be standard  (i.e. 11.25, 33,45,90 etc..) so would not the angle already be defined (here anything short of a standard bend would most likely break the bank to get made special, not to say it doesn't happen).

In either case I would certainly think that if this was to be anotated in any way you would need both a plan and profile to show the horizontal and vertical angles, and might even require a section as HorizontalCurveGuy stated it is technically infinte, as you would be moving in multiple planes at once.

Now having said that you may what to take a look at Object Snaps - Polar Tracking tab, as it may present a solution to your problem.

[AllenJessup]

I don't have any experience with a UCS. But if you created a UCS base on the 2 legs of the pipe. Would that allow you to label the full angle?

Allen

[Pointdump]

Ross,

Allen's UCS idea is easy. Here I labelled the angle two ways:

Dave

[AllenJessup]

Dave,

Glad you got it to work. I gave it a quick try and decided I didn't know enough about a UCS to do it without a lot of practice.

Allen

[HorizontalCurveGuy]

Hey! what about ..."I guess thats the answer determin that plane set the ucs to it "...
Jus bustin. kudos Allen <G>

[HorizontalCurveGuy]

Hi Allen
UCS 3Point>>> end, vertex, end. Then PLAN >> current. Dimension as if it were world

[Pointdump · Accepted solution]

One small distinction in setting a UCS with 3 Point. The order that you click is important. The first time I tried this, I clicked in the order shown, and my dimension (and the ViewCube) was backwards. Unfixably backwards. So I reset the UCS with 3 Point, this time selecting click-points from the other direction. That worked.

Dave

[Ross_S1]

It looks like the UCS idea is what I'm after, but I've got some learning to do.  Thanks to all that responded.

[Ross_S1]

It looks like the first part of the UCS response was as much part of the answer as the one that I "accepted as an answer".