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Move Pipes in locked Axis

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
vannmannen
3173 Views, 8 Replies

Move Pipes in locked Axis

My tolereance towards Plant 3D is starting to faint. As a piping designer it is critical that I can move objects like a pipe or a beam in locked x,y,z directions. This is not a feature in Plant 3D. Autocad 2D has object snap tracking but this does really not work in 3D. Microstation has something called 'Accudraw' which allows you to completly lock your object in x,y or z while moving or copy'ing. PDMS can also move objects in the planes by use of P-Point references which works perfect.

 

Snap commands like perpendicular  does not reall help me either. See attachment.

8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
dave.wolfe
in reply to: vannmannen

3DMOVE is a standard AutoCAD that sounds like what you need, if I understand you correctly.

Dave Wolfe
Isaiah 57:15



Tips and Tricks on our blog: ASTI blog
EXPERT ELITE MEMBER
Plant 3D Wish list
Message 3 of 9
vannmannen
in reply to: dave.wolfe

Tnx, that is definatly the feature I have been looking for.

 

But its worth mentioning that it is not easy to use compared to the other softwares...

Message 4 of 9
vannmannen
in reply to: vannmannen

Oki, Im gonna need more on the Gizmo:

 

By default the gizmo will be located for instance in the middle of a structural member.

Now, I need the gizmo to be relocated to top of steel of that beam for alignment with another beam so I right click and click 'Relocate Gizmo'.

Then I snap the Gizmo to one of the snap-point on thp of my beam (Im planning to lock it in Z direction so I can use all snap point on top of beam) BUT when I confirm, the gizmo disapears 😞

 

The command window shows the following:

Command: _3dmove Command: Select objects: 1 found

Select objects: Specify base point or [Displacement] <Displacement>: *Cancel*

Command: Regenerating model.

 

SO.... not really working this feature. Let me again emphasize that moving pipes and object along axis is probably the most essential command to use when we are piping modules...

Message 5 of 9
dave.wolfe
in reply to: vannmannen

Have you tried using the square grip, and the vertical triangle grip? The square grip should allow you to move the pipe left or right while keeping the network connected.  The vertical triangle group will let you adjust the piping elevation based on the BOP, COP or TOP.

Dave Wolfe
Isaiah 57:15



Tips and Tricks on our blog: ASTI blog
EXPERT ELITE MEMBER
Plant 3D Wish list
Message 6 of 9
vannmannen
in reply to: vannmannen

Dave, could you take a few snapshots of what you are describing there.

I'm not sure if I follow but it sounds interesting...

Message 7 of 9
dave.wolfe
in reply to: vannmannen

Here's a short video.

 

http://screencast.com/t/1KWAEDsqWnD

 

 

Dave Wolfe
Isaiah 57:15



Tips and Tricks on our blog: ASTI blog
EXPERT ELITE MEMBER
Plant 3D Wish list
Message 8 of 9
vannmannen
in reply to: dave.wolfe

Dave, in your video both the flange connected to the tank and the valve is moving by doing the operation. This is also what I experience when I do the same things. In the real world we have lots on instruments, control valves, pipe supports, injections points + + that has fixed locations. Someone has to realize that the consept of 'auto routing' really does not work. I'm not too old fashion'd but I prefer to place components manually and move component manually, this is the only way I have total control of the layout.

 

Now, this is the core of the problem. Plant 3D does not give me the option to do my operations manually in a simple way. I spend waste so much time daily just to move elbows and structural beams along the axis.

 

My olny suggestion to the plant 3D developers is that they implement a similar (or preferably identical) feature as the ACCUDRAW from Bentley microstation. It gives 100% complete control moving elements by pressing only one key, no right click+click+click...

Message 9 of 9

Have a look at this video, I think it helps with how to move pipe in a particular direction.

 

Placing the pipe via Autorouting is one option, you can then continue to move and modify it. The pipe also has the move grip in the middle of it, and the triangle grip which gives you options for TOP, COP and BOP elevations.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjlI_aPwgzg&noredirect=1



Tomislav Golubovic
Technical Specialist - Plant and Infrastructure
Autodesk Australia / New Zealand
Autodesk, Inc.
Autodesk ANZ YouTube Channel

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