Custom valve iso symbol, orientation wrong

[Anonymous]

Hi everybody and @h_eger !

I've this two-way valve that i need correctly represent in the isometrics. It has the same behavior of an eccentric reducer, I mean, the valve's flow needs to be represented and also the orientation of course, because I need to inform which’s the hand operator orientation.

So I've created a custom 3D part and iso symbol which represent exactly what i need, and i mapped it with this type and skey:

SKEY=FVBV   TYPE=REDUCER-ECCENTRIC

As you can see I'm trying to tell to Plant 3D that work with the iso-symbol as it does with an eccentric reducer (flow dependence and orientation) Probably I'm wrong, because sometimes it works and some others it doesn't...

Does anybody could give me a tip for the symbol setup?? Or the best way to do something like this??

Thanks a lot!

Franco

PS. Check the attached images 

[h_eger]

A question :
valve body and hand wheel are separate or in one block

[Anonymous]

@h_eger valve body and hand wheel are in one block

[h_eger]

The error is now found.
This means that the actuator position cannot be read out during isometry generation and the associated ISO symbol can be correctly positioned on the ISO.
PS: Why did you enter "Reducer-Eccentric" in the Iso symbol type?

[Anonymous]

"PS: Why did you enter "Reducer-Eccentric" in the Iso symbol type?"

All I want is to use a single 3d block (body valve and operator in the same 3dblock) and after that create a custom symbol and make that Plant 3D knows if valve flow dependence is in one direction or another direction and also knows if the valve position is rotated or not.

I don't want to generate an operator because i think that is going to be a big deal, check the shape of the valve:

Imagine I first have to create the bodyvalve, and after that the operator with all that strange higher body, after that, to create two different symbols, to mapp them, to ask you why the operator 3d block doesn't fit correctlly over the bodyvalve 😞 It becomes completely exhaustive , and do you know what? It's just a single vlave, the project is huge. It seams I can't never move along, I've spend 5 hours today trying to do that a single valve for NH3 to imitate the same behavior that an eccentric reducer has in Plant 3D

Eccentric reducers have the same behavior I'm looking for my NH3 valve... If you want to change the flow direction, you simple do that in the model space and it's represented in the isometric, If you want to rotate the reduction, it also happens in the isometric... this makes the interface so easy to use, I don't know why is so hard with valves... 

Check this, one single 3d block, one single iso symbol, a great representation:

  

It doesn't matter which direction you give to it, it always goes well in the isometric... I really don't know why It has to be so hard with valves.

Please help me @h_eger  I don't know what else to do 😫

[h_eger · Accepted solution]

Dear @Anonymous ,

There are rules when configuring Plant 3D that must be followed otherwise the program will not work as it should.
Ecc reducers have 2 different nominal widths and are handled very differently than inclined seat valves when generating iso.
Your valve does not have 2 different nominal sizes so there is a problem with the alignment on the ISO.
It just works according to the specifications of Plant 3D and that's how I want to and won't change them.
The only way to achieve a meaningful solution to your problem is only by creating a block-based valve body and actuator.
Unfortunately I don't know of any other solution to solve such a task.

[SteveHartley]

Hi Did you ever solve this issue? 

I can confirm that @h_eger solution will work for you, all you need to do is add a custom operator that looks like your angled seat valve, when you add your custom valve blocks to the catalog you need to make sure its valve_body type not valve otherwise you cannot assign operators to the valves. 

To make the AutoCAD block based actuator, I just used a single line to trick the model into thinking it has an actuator, this allows orientation and rotation to be detected and transferred into the iso.  You can see a single line at the bottom of my valves (this is my dummy operator if you will). The operator task is not massive, once you make one you can bulk assign it to the valves you want in the catalog. Read below.

    

Steps: 

1. Add your valve operator and make sure its standing upright, eg aligned with Z axis when you use plant part  convert command, add your ports, first port is inlet, second port is outlet. Add this into the catalogue. 

2.  Draw a short line somewhere in the same file, or any file as long as you know where you saved it and turn it into a block with any name you want, make sure the block insertion point is at the end of the line (the line also needs to be drawn aligned with the z axis, this is important because now it means its algined with the z axis of your custom valve blocks too and when its rotated in the model it can flip the iso block. )You don't need to run plant part convert on these custom operators, just turn it into a block and remember where you saved it.  I found I had to draw my line downwards, and the insertion point is at the top of the line. 

 3. For your valve body iso symbol, you need to open Isometric folder in the project and open file called "isoSymbolStyles.dwg" type bedit command then find an existing straight valve block and save it as a new name you want, this symbol should be kept simple as a rectangle to represent a cylinder in the iso, or a straight line.  Mine is below for reference. Make sure you have the flip parameter and ensure your new geometry is selected for the flip parameter, the operator direction will also follow this I have found even though you don't need to set the operator block its self to flip. 

   

4. Make your operator symbol in this same file, once again find an existing one and save as then start editing it. Save it as a meaningful name. FYI you will need to use these names again in the XML file.  The middle of the block must be set at X0 ,Y0 same as the valve block so they align together in the iso. The middle is defined as the mid point between the two connection ports. 

   

5. XML - Open the file "IsoSkeyAcadBlockMap.xml" with an editor, find valves section, I added a new valve like this <SkeyMap SKEY="90??" AcadBlock="_ICF_SLANTED" /> The 90 doesn't mean anything I just gave it a unique number to help me, you can do what ever two letters you want as long as they arent already existing, make sure to add the ?? afterwards as this allows for different type of connections eg SW, BW, SC depending on the catalogue.  Notice how the Acad Block must be the exact same name as the valve block we created earlier. 

In this same file, you also need to create an operator,  mines like this <SkeyMap SKEY="20SP" AcadBlock="Operator_DanfossValveStation1" /> note the block name is again the same as the block name we created earlier. 

This part was what tripped me up, for it to work you also have to map the spindle key to the valve key for some reason, the catalog skey doesn't seem to do anything on the operator when assigning operators to valves.  Scroll a bit further down in the same XML and find  <!-- Begin: VALVE SKEY TO SPINDLE SKEY -->

I added this line for mine <ValveToSpindleSkeyMap ValveSKEY="90??" SpindleSKEY="20SP" /> You can see my valve skey is now mapped to operator / spindle skey. 

6. Catalog time.

Add your operator / actuator as a custom block, set up the naming etc,  mine looked like this, as you can see its the single line we made before. Note the SKEY

If you add a new valve you need to make sure its valve body type so you are able to assign operators. 

My valve looks like this, note the SKEY

On the valve, click general properties tab and click edit operator assignments, choose your valve from the list and add a new row, select the size range and apply the actuator you made. 

Save all and add valves to spec, add actuators to spec too. 

Should now get results like my iso at the start of this, I've tested it for flow direction, if I flip the model flow direction the operator also knows to flip with the valve.

Hopefully this helps, Cheers. 

[bagusvirdo]

Thanks @SteveHartley , that single line to replace actuator model is great idea for generic valve operator.