T&P Best Practices?

[RobertWK]

So there's a couple of ways to do things in T&P.

Should each segment between fittings be another route in the same run? -OR-

Should each segment between fittings be in the same route in the same run? -OR-

Should each segment between fittings be their own route, in their own run? -OR-

Should every route be under exactly one run?

Does it even matter?

When should you differentiate between routes and runs?

[cbenner]

The correct answer is:  whatever works best for the way you build your piping.  Or whatever works best for how you want to be able to detail things.  Like most CAD there is no one right answer.  It all depends on what you are building, and how it is built.  For example, I create a separate Run for each disting process line on my P&ID's... each Run may contain as few as (1) or as many as (12) or more routes.  How many routes, depends (to me) on how complex the line is and how many size changes are involved... I take it on a case by case approach.  

Example of a fairly complex pipe run, this one contains only one route if you can believe it.

[blair]

I do a lot of "Flexible" T & P runs, I keep each "style" to it's own run. I have "styles" for each size and color so all my 1/4" black nylon will be on one run while the red 1/4" nylon will be on it's own run. This works fine for simple control circuits, it you have complex control circuits, then possibly keeping each circuit on it's own run may be better for you. 

[salariua]

"ChrisB: Whatever works for you" - that's right! 

I would suggest to look at your fabrication details as well. Do you do layouts and drawings with precise measurements for fabrication? Just general layouts? Just pretty pictures?

I sometimes have separate runs of the same "style" each on it's level of detail for fabrication details. In the image bellow I have that as a single run on it's own level of detail and on separate drawing sheet of the main GA.

I've done branches as well on the same route not to link it to a fitting that could change, needing me to relink the run. but I would suggest to do each segment on it's own route.

[RobertWK]

salariua Do you have to manually place your tees, or does T&P have the ability to automatically include them as fittings?  Do you have to redefine the parameters of the style to include them?

So far I've been doing each 'run' on its own with each segment on its own 'route' , but with a recent system I've been doing each 'run' with multiple 'routes' if they're the same style.

[salariua]

 You have to manually change the fitting to a tee. That's pretty easy especially if you've placed one before, you can then select it and do "place fitting" and it's on your mouse to drop.

You can't have connected points in the route, I add coincident constraints (branch to tee point) and a dimension like this:

You can change the style to place a tee instead of connector everytime but I'mm not sure I would want that (haven't tryied yet).

[blair]

I will depend what and how you want your BOM to show up. If we purchase a made-up rubber hose/air line that comes with end fittings, we will place the end-fittings when we do the run. If we are using nylon line that dosen't come as a made up hose (with fittings) we place the fittings in the primary IAM file before we do the T & P run. This way the fittings are in the primary T & P and all that's in the T & P is the hose. You will need to give some though to how you want your BOM to look.