topic Re: Tube and pipe - join section in Inventor Forum

Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 13:55:15 GMT

Hello again

I've managed to create a pipe route, but rather than showing it as a continuous bent pipe, it's got joins (welds) in it due to the sketch I used to create it.

Is there a "Join Sections" or "Merge Sections" type command that will let me get rid of the node cirlced in red in the screen print, and therefore get rid of the weld circled in red?

Many thanks again

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Mark.Lancaster — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 14:19:06 GMT

Not knowing your route styles rule (min and max values).. But did you edit the route and right mouse click on the node and select delete?

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 14:41:12 GMT

No, I'm not able to delete nodes. This is an issue @salariua is going to look at when I send him a pack and go of my assembly. Should be able to do that this afternoon.

For now though, the screencast below shows I have no option for deleting the node...

Thanks for the reply.

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

salariua — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 14:49:16 GMT

Seems like the same problem as previous post and since you have cleared out the min max settings on the style I wonder if you are using a custom family member in CC (content center) and somehow you manage to lock the length. Not sure how you would do that, maybe like not using PL as your extrusion distance?

Haven't had this before so can't comment untill you share the files.

Mark, here is the original post: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-general-discussion/help-with-tube-and-pipe/m-p/6000643#M577627

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:25:03 GMT

A link to the zip file of the pack and go is here:

http://we.tl/ZbuR8mFiHA

The video below shows some strange behavior which might help identify the issue.

It seems that the line on one side of the node has an "end", as it is populated with a flange when a flanged style is selected. The end of the other bit of pipe doesn't get a flange.

When I go back to my welded style, the welding gap has disappeared (this happened after I deleted the constraints associated with the node).

Thanks a lot for looking at this.

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

salariua — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:29:35 GMT

I will take a look at it when I get home I am not in front of my computer by the way you are not using auto route, are you?

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Mark.Lancaster — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:36:42 GMT

@Anonymous

For the future.. I would suggest using your AutoCAD A360 account/drive to post your zip file or model. Certain people like myself will not click on links that we don't know..

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:37:29 GMT

Thanks a lot, appreciate that.

I've messed around with this sketch a lot and may have used autoroute at one point, but converted it to a sketch immediately (one of the first things I learnt from this forum). I started this route off using the "Route" command at each end, then joined them using a 3D sketch (see screenshot).

I don't think any of the sketch from the original autoroute remains, but it's a possibility. There is definately no autoroute left that hasn't been converted to a sketch.

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:45:18 GMT

Fair point, here it is:

http://a360.co/1PtB1jk

Thanks

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

salariua — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:20:29 GMT

bit of a mess here. You can't delete it because it's a route end point. Your lines are overlapping and you need to add coincident constraint to connect the lines.

I will do a screencast later.

Re: Tube and pipe - join section

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 19:59:36 GMT

Thanks for having a look at it.

Ha ha, bit of a mess! Actually since posting the pack and go I had realised it was a bit of a mess, so I deleted it and started again. The new version seems much better. I've got a continuous pipe with no nodes at the joins.

I hadn't realised though that I had overlapping lines, and that the node I was trying to delete was an end point. That's really handy to know.

I was finding custom bends tricky to use so instead I started with a line from each end (equipment attachment) point (using "Route"), then did an autoroute between the new end points to complete the route. I then converted the autoroute to a sketch, and used the "Bend" command in the 3D sketch to change the 90 deg angles to my custom bends.