Inventor 2012 Pipe routing...

[mikegonia]

I need to route some piping but don't have the Tube & Piping Design add-in.  Need to upgrade to Ultimate to get this functionality ($4K!).  I don't do this often, so I can't justify the expense.  It would be helpful however.  Any suggestions on creating these piping routes using standard inventor tools?  I hate to have to creat separate parts for each pipe run.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[brendan.henderson]

I had a similar problem (managament woudl not spend the money) so I authored a round part with the Structural Authoring tool and added the part to the Content Centre. Then create a sketch of the pipe run and apply the CC member, remembering to click MERGE in the FG toolbox to make it add up all of the seperate sketch entites to make the complete pipe length. Most end trims won't work and I could not get any pipe flares and such to work. But at least the pipe run works. In the sketch/sketches you make you will need to apply the known bending radius of the pipe. It's a work around but you gotta do what you gotta do.

[mikegonia]

Thanks for the info Brendan.  I'll give it a try.

[ToddHarris7556]

I've always used the Pro version w/Routed Systems, but I think the approach might vary a bit depending on your end goals.

Regardless of the end goal, I'd say that you'll want to use 3D sketches and work from centerline layouts. If you're a piping designer, this will sound completely obvious. If you're not, it may be helpful.

For simple visualization, you may not need to create individual parts for elbows, tees, straights, etc. In fact, they may not even need to be hollow. Solid gets the point across. It still requires 3D sketching and sweeping, but isn't all that much work.

For actual pipe fabrication spools, you'll likely be better off placing invidual parts. I don't even know if the Content Centre includes pipe components without Routed Systems. If so, I'd suggest a pipe route skeleton, using 3D/2D sketches as required. Then placing CC components in the assembly constrainged to the skeleton. If you don't have access to the CC parts, then creating them from scratch is less fun, but not horrible. Ask around for specific parts, and you may find folks have them available.

Hope this helps.

[CADProfessor]

If incase you get the Tube and Piping add in for your Inventor, I would recommed you to see the link for learning it 

http://trainingtutorial.com/Tube_and_Pipe_Routed_Systems2012.htm