Generate Isometric drawings directly in Inventor

[thomasseguin]

Today the piping module permit to do a lot of things but to create isometric drawings the only solution is to export as PCF export file with all the limitations that we can imagine and to create/generate the isometrics files in another dedicated software.

It would be great to develop an isometric drawing generation directly in the drawing module (IDW) as for the usual 3D models.

[LT.Rusty]

Why does Inventor include these wonderful tools for creating piping ... and then not have any system available for documenting them in an industry standard way?  I know I can export them as a .PCF ... but unfortunately Plant 3D doesn't import .PCF, and the tech preview that would do it has expired.

Meanwhile ... my client wants P&ID's & piping isos, and that means that I can't use Inventor, and have to look for a different package to spend more money on.

[Anonymous]

I totally agree Rusty. It is kind of shocking that there is an Autodesk Plant design suite with piping ISO's and P&ID software but this is left out of Inventor Pro.

We are currently looking at the same issue. The last thing we want is to have to buy another software license or introduce all our CAD users to another piece of software. Piping ISO's are a must in any complete piping package.

[cbenner]

There is an idea in the Product Design Suite idea Station:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Product-Design-Suite-IdeaStation/Product-Design-Suite-Addition/idi-p/3...

It addresses exactly this.  We need Autocad P&ID added to Product Design Suite so it completes the package.  People that do machine piping, generally use Inventor, Electrical & P&ID.  Product Design Suite is lacking P&ID... Plant Design is lacking Electrical.  I'm gonna keep trying to sell this.

[LT.Rusty]

It's more than just a need for AutoCAD P&ID in the Product Design Suite.  There needs to be a link between Inventor and ACAD P&ID, so that I can create piping in Inventor and then zip over to P&ID and boom, generate an ISO and a P&ID from my Inventor pipe routes.

AutoCAD P&ID would be almost pointless in the Product Design Suite without that capability.

[FProcp]

I need a way to add isometric dimensions from the elbow below? 

This is how standard piping isometric drawings are done, no need for a front view, top view, etc.

Just all dimensions on one isometric view.

I am creating piping drawings for Power Station and want to dimension from the intersection of the centrelines of all the elbows on the pipe run (just like dimension 300 and 1282 in the picture below).

I've been able to add dim 300 & 1282 by using "Include Route Centerlines" BUT if there's piping created without a piping route this cannot be done.

I don't understand why I cannot get dimension A & B from the standard work features on the elbow or dimension between two elbows just using these work features?

I need to do piping Isometric drawings urgently, Please...

[salariua]

Totally agree that there needs to be a both-way link between Inventor and Acad P&I D; and if I was to do any change in Acad P&ID it should at least warn me of wha'ts changed and where.

[Ruffy85]

There is an option to export pcf files, but there is no option to generate isometrics. Plant 3D has the pnpiso Modul. Please also implement this in inventor and upgrade the authoring tool to create full pipespecs

[dgorsman]

Given the drawing production (and now 3D PDF) capabilities of Inventor, I question the need for using it to create the traditional single-line piping isometrics.  I suspect if such a thing *is* added, it will be done using a derivative of  what is now Project Calgary from the Labs.

I also think that implementing full-on "pipe specs" in Inventor might be getting a little far afield from the intended use.  While there is a large and vocal campaign for a do-over for the Tube & Pipe module, in this context a spec-driven system would only be so far as something similar to existing spool design and construction software such as SPOOLGEN and ACORN.  Spec-driven, plant-level design would be handled on the Plant3D side (or maybe Revit, depending on application).

[milan_trnka]