Tube and Pipe - why will it not make a straight run????

[mslosar]

Seriously...this isn't rocket science....

I tried this on a large assembly and had problems, so I went for simple.

I drew a rectangle, put a point on one corner. Saved IPT.

Placed that IPT in an assembly. Did a pattern to make a 2nd copy 12" above the first. Points, by definition have to be 100% in line that way. FWIW, i measured with All Decimals on. X and Z 0.0 change, Y, 12".

Ran tube and pipe. Chose Route. Clilcked lower point, then the upper point. EVERY time it gives me a 5 segment route instead of a 1. Every style I run it with does a version of the same thing. I flat out DO NOT need to go up, over 4" up 12" back 4" and down to the next point.

Is there something to get this to work or am i going to have to measure out all the vertical distances and punch them in manually?

[cbenner]

I need to see at least a screen shot of what you're trying to do.... this seems like a different way of routing pipes than I have seen.

AutoCAD 2015; AuoCAD Electrical 2015; IV 2015 Professional: Tube and Pipe, Frame Generator, Content Center; Vault Professional 2015: Client, ECO

[lesmfunk]

I think the original developer was in the business of selling 90° elbow fittings or tube benders.

Seriously, I took cbenner's advice and always convert to sketch and draw my own straight line. I have no use for Autoroute.

Sorry, that doesn't answer your question.

[mslosar]

I finally got it to do a straight line. Not sure why it refused to work the first umpteen times, but finally it did.

I started trying to do manual routes, but it's being a royal pain as well. I've got elbows that need to rotate like 3.xxx degrees to get to their connection. You'd think there'd be away to angle the crosshair towards a point. I tried doing a 3D sketch for the route as well and not having tons of luck there either.

It's not a hard route. Point A, up 200(ish) feet, 90 degree elbow, rotate elbow 3.xx degrees towards next point, 12.5inches to next point, up 12 more inches. The End.

It's like it has a mental breakdown if EVERYTHING isn't 90 degrees to one another.

I shouldn't have to make 2-3 2D views on a sheet of paper and create sketches to figure the dimensions and angles to make it work perfectly.

[cbenner]

Again, I'd love to see some images or a video of what you are doing, because it sounds like you're just not doing something right.  Or attach a smple assembly here using Pack n go so I can analyze your routes...

[mslosar]

I'll see what happens this time.

I just had to scrap what I had because the connection points just rotated around 35 degrees.

I don't have the ability to do the video unless there's a capability in windows i'm unaware of. It's a proprietary deal so pack and go's out. I tried dumming up something similar, but it worked with autoroute..

Best I can figure, i'm having issue orienting the 3D ORTHOgonal route tool in the proper direction. Like i said, it need a specific angle in the 3-4 decimal point region and you just can't point it at a point or work point or axis. I'll try to dummy up something again when i have it ready for this go-round.

[mslosar]

I stripped the file down to the bare essentials.

I'm going from the visible point on the rectangular shape to the bottom of the coupling in this case. The point floating in the middle the lowest cl to get over a toeplate on a platform - it's there for reference.

I SHOULD be able to come straight off the point on the rectangle and kick straight over under the coupling and go straight up into it - 3 total pieces. It keeps forcing 5. I try and do it manually, but it seems to be near impossible to orient that ortho tool in the proper direction.

Pack and go attached.

Image of what it does for me. Another image of the axis tool that isn't easy to point.

[mslosar]

Oh my god....

It's that damned benT pipe the cplg attaches to. I measured it out to like 4 decimal places which was either too much or too little which apparently was jacking it up.

I really need to break something right now 🙂

@#$%@#$%@$#%%^#

Have a good weekend all 🙂

[lesmfunk]

The ortho tool is actually irrelevant when sketching manually in 3D. If you accept the Autoroute, convert it to sketch, delete two of the middle segments, delete all dimensions, constrain the two open end points. Dimension your line lengths as required. I know you wanted 90°, but I'll let you do that on your own.

[cbenner]

Also take a look at Point and Rotational snap in the Orthagonal Routing tool help section.  Normally you don't need to create a sketch outside of tube & pipe to use when creating a route.  I can see you don't have any equipment to use as a starting point, so maybe you do need at least one work point to get going.  The other one should not be necessary to route up to that coupling.  At the risk of blowing my own horn (I don't oretend to know it all on this subject,... i get just as lost and frustrated as the rest of us), go to the Autodesk University website and download the class handouts for MD-5386, my class on Tube & Pipe from this past years AU.... there are some halfway decent pointers, and lots of links to the appropriate help sections.