topic Re: Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM in AutoCAD Plant 3D Forum

Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM

_Jeff_Roy_ — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:58:21 GMT

We have several pipe specs for use with grooved pipe systems. Within these specs, we have multiple end prep options for ASME B16.49 bends (BV, GRV, and BV x GRV) so that we're able to locate welds and clamps where we want. We have the same three end prep options for pipe. Our long description style (family) is setup to exclude any information related to end prep to ensure the exact same description is generated for all three options. Our iso BOM is configured to group items based on the long description (family), such that items of the same description and size are grouped on one row of the BOM. With pipe, this works how we want, with all pipe of the same size being grouped on the same row of the BOM regardless of whether segments are BV, GRV, or BV x GRV.

However, the same does not hold true for our bends. We have them set up as TYPE=ELBOW as we've had issues in the past where P3D would separate two of the same bend onto different rows of the BOM if they were set up as TYPE=BEND. The situation I'm facing now is that two bends of the same angle and size, and with the same long description (family), are getting separated onto different rows of the BOM if the end preps are different (e.g. one GRV, and one BV x GRV). I'm trying to determine why this is happening and how to resolve it. The end prep should not matter since it is not included in the long description (family) which is supposed to be what the BOM is looking at to group items. And different end preps are not causing this BOM issue with pipe, only bends, so there must be another factor at play. If we have several bends of the same size and angle appearing on one iso, we want them grouped onto one row of the BOM regardless of whether they have different end preps.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to get our bends to group the way we want in the BOM (the way our pipe is behaving), it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Re: Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM

jabowabo — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:40:35 GMT

Can you provide a sample .pcf file and your isoconfig.xml file?

Re: Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM

_Jeff_Roy_ — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 20:55:54 GMT

@jabowabo Thanks for the reply. Here they are. I had to rename the extension to .txt for the .pcf, it wouldn't let me attach .pcf format.

Re: Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM

jabowabo — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 22:07:59 GMT

The reason your pipe is grouping as expected and the fittings are not, is due to the way your Data/AggregatedList code is set up. The 'Code' column in the Fittings portion guarantees that your bends will be separated because they have different Code values. You can modify this portion to mimic the way the pipe is grouped. Try the attached modified file and see if it works like you want.

Xml settings:

The .pcf info shows different code values:

Re: Elbows not Grouping Correctly in BOM

_Jeff_Roy_ — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:30:33 GMT

@jabowabo Thanks so much for the suggestion, I updated our other parts to replace "Code" with "Description" in the second category under Columns and this solved it. As soon as I read your message I remembered doing this a long time ago to resolve this same issue with pipes and had forgotten all about it. Much appreciated!