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AutoCad MEP Bend Angle List

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Message 1 of 16
fty6caddy2
3712 Views, 15 Replies

AutoCad MEP Bend Angle List

Can the Bend angle list be modified to display other angles other than the 15, 30, 45, 60 & 90 options? I have customized our database/Catalog using the EMT compression section under conduit. In 2010 I was able to add as many custom angles as I wanted to constants list and I could just use the pull down when adding a bend, but from 2011 on I have not been able to modify the Bend Angle list, I have to manually input the custom bend angles, were on 2013 now and it's still the same issue. Is there a way to edit that list, and can it be more than 5 options?

 

Thank you,

 

Rick Rios

15 REPLIES 15
Message 2 of 16
Joshua.Benoist
in reply to: fty6caddy2

Hi Rick,

 

As you draw, use the compass with polar tracking on.  The compass and polar "increments" can be set to any granular number needed.  You can also create custom angles like 22.5, used often in conduit.  Look at the compass settings on the ribbon > view tab.  You can also right-click the polar button at the bottom to access the polar settings.

Hope this helps,

Joshua



Joshua Benoist, PE
Senior Premium Services Specialist
Global Services
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 3 of 16
fty6caddy2
in reply to: Joshua.Benoist

John,

 

Ive tried it and the results arent as we wish. You could only snap to increments or add ticks, this is not a solution to what I am asking for, it was worth a try though..

You have to adjust the plane of the compass until you get it right and even then it doesnt model in the bend angle that you click to. Why wouldnt there be a way to modify or add to the angles already listed in the Bend Angle? See the attached screenshot of the properties dialog box when adding a conduit bend. The list thats highlighted is the one I want to modify.

 

Thanks,

Rick

 

 

Message 4 of 16
Keith.Brown
in reply to: fty6caddy2

What Joshua had mentioned was correct.  You can set the tick marks or the increment on the compass.  This will of course not change the angle of the bends available on the properties palette but it doesnt matter.  Those bends are set to accept a custom angle.  What this means is that you can snap the compass to any angle and the bend will adjust.  The angles shown on the properties palette are just the default angles.

 

To make it a little clearer, when in the middle of running conduit, hit "C" to turn off the compass.  This will allow you to bend your conduit to any angle.  Make sure you have your dynamic input on so that you can manually input the angle of the bend.  This is where using polar snaps vs orthoganal snaps will be a plus.

 

To summarize, you can "bend" the conduit bends to any angle you want, the ones listed on the properties palette are just the default angles.

 

I hope this makes it a little clearer.

Message 5 of 16
Keith.Brown
in reply to: Keith.Brown

I went back and reread your original question and realized that you were asking to change the values in the list.  I don't believe that you can do this.  What you need to do is set it to "VALUES FROM CATALOG".  This will allow you to do what was mentioned in my previous post.  If you are able to change this list then i suspect it would be in an xml file located somewhere in an Autocad directory,.

Message 6 of 16
Joshua.Benoist
in reply to: fty6caddy2

The list itself cannot be edited.

Joshua



Joshua Benoist, PE
Senior Premium Services Specialist
Global Services
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 7 of 16
fty6caddy2
in reply to: Joshua.Benoist

Josh, Keith,

 

I appreciate your input. Adding the custom angles to polar tracking and editing the compass works for straight x,y or z and -z offsets, it will not work on rolled offsets. I can't edit the plane to make it work properly using our factory offsets when its rolling in any direction. I was just hoping we could add elbow angles to that list as you were able to on 2010, doing so would allow you to add your custom offset when it's rolling or on a staight plane. See attached image for the preferences menu from 2010 that would allow you to edit that list. I can manually input the desired angle on 2011, 12 & 13, but our coordinators wanted to see if the pulldown could be edited as it was in 2010. If it can't oh well, I would wish that Autodesk would be adding useful functions as opposed to removing them.

 

Thanks,

 

Rick Rios

Message 8 of 16
Joshua.Benoist
in reply to: fty6caddy2

You can change the plane of the compass.  Tap "P" on the keyboard.  The compass will cycle thru the XY, X-Z, Y-Z planes and then cycles thru the planes that are aligned with the conduit body.  Try this while viewing the conduit from a SW Isometric perspective.

Joshua



Joshua Benoist, PE
Senior Premium Services Specialist
Global Services
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 9 of 16
fty6caddy2
in reply to: Joshua.Benoist

Yes but the compass will not give you a rolled plane. If im rolling 6" north and 4.5" in Z it will not run a custom angle from polar tracking and connect it. Like I mentioned before I can manually input my custom angle in the bend angle section of the properties, but it won't be saved to the pull down. Our guys were looking for a way to pull down instead of manually inputting it every time. See attached image.

 

Thanks,

 

Rick Rios

 

Message 10 of 16
Joshua.Benoist
in reply to: fty6caddy2

Sure you can.  Grip move the UCS icon to the end of your conduit segment.  Rotate the UCS such that the X-Y and other planes are in the direction you want to roll..  Then draw the next conduit segment on those workplanes.

Joshua



Joshua Benoist, PE
Senior Premium Services Specialist
Global Services
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 11 of 16
fty6caddy2
in reply to: Joshua.Benoist

Joshua,

 

I am trying to simplify the process not add extra steps, rotating the ucs, cycling through the planes and moving the cursor around to the correct custom angle are way too many extra steps, especially when youre coordinating thousands of feet of pipe in a heavily congested hospital ceiling space. I will add our custom angles on the polar trackign menu but this will not work for us on rolled offsets. We will just continue manually inputting the custom angles and hope that Autodesk will bring  this feature back on future builds.

 

Thank you for your time and input,

 

Rick rios

Message 12 of 16
awitt
in reply to: fty6caddy2

Rick,

 

This is what I do.

I change the constant list in the catalog to include at least 15.0 and 22.5 in the bent section and the elbow part of each type of conduit. You have to regenerate the catalog.

Then when drawing a rolled bend, you have to change the UCS. Usually I will draw a line between the two ends and pick set the UCS to the object. Draw the conduit. Erase the line.

One thing though if the conduit justification is not the same like one is bottom center and the other center, Autocad will not like it. So I draw all my conduit center justified. It is harder to figure out how to align different sizes on the rack, but at least I can join the conduit together with bends and/or elbows.

Hope this helps.

 

Amy

 

Message 13 of 16
Keith.Brown
in reply to: awitt

Have you tried using Autoconnect when you want to use a standard angle?  90, 60, 45, and 30 all work fine when using autoconnect.  If you need an angle other than that then you will have to use one of the previous mentioned methods.

Message 14 of 16
scott.mccoy
in reply to: fty6caddy2

Autodesk - you missed the whole intent of the question (at least how I took it) - can you add more bends to Out Of The Box list of bends?  It's a simple question, yes or no.  If yes, how and where?

 

I too would like to add to the common bend list - 10 & 22.5 degrees..  Yes you can work around missing angles by typing in the bend angle in the Properties dialog box (and then locking it if you want to make repeat bends).  Sadly though I have to repeat the process because AMEP doesn't remember what it would consider a custom angle.

 

Does your answer work - yes, but with much effort.

 

One other possible answer to the rolling offset with custom angles - click the plus on the end of the first pipe, if you know the angle you would like (one that is not OTB), type the angle in the "Bend Angle" box in the Properties dialog box and lock it, then click the end of the second pipe.  Using this method, you don't need to fool around with the compass plane.

 

Thanks.

 

Scott

 

 

Message 15 of 16
Keith.Brown
in reply to: scott.mccoy


@scott.mccoy wrote:

Autodesk - you missed the whole intent of the question (at least how I took it) - can you add more bends to Out Of The Box list of bends?  It's a simple question, yes or no.  If yes, how and where?

 

 


I don't work for Autodesk but i can answer the question anyway.  NO you cannot add any more bends to the list. 

Message 16 of 16
scott.mccoy
in reply to: Keith.Brown

Excellent.  Well, not really, but I appreciate the answer.

 

Now I wonder if Autodesk will ever make that a field that one could add to?  Sure would be nice, makes auto-routing a bit easier.

 

Thanks again.

 

Scott

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