How do I edit Pipe Lengths in the 3D model?

[robmcdonnell]

Hi to all,

I'm only getting started with this program (am not a total novice with CAD having used vanilla for 19yrs), so please forgive the simple question, but how do I edit the length of a pipe once it has already been routed in the 3D model? I've been messing around with it for ages but to no avail. Have trawled the web & Autodesk help files but can't find the answer, which I'm sure is fairly straightforward when you know how.

Here's the gist of the issue. I have roughly routed some pipes & one of the lengths of pipe ends up, say, 3.274m long & there is a 90deg bend on either end. If I then want to edit that Pipe length to a more tidy 3m length, what do I do?

I've tried this by selecting the pipe by clicking on it & then when I rest the cursor on either of the 'Move Part' end grips or similarly click on either of these grips, the length of the pipe (3.274) appears on screen, greyed out, seemingly ready to be edited to my new 3m value. Thats as far as I get as I cannot manage to highlight this length value in order to edit it, whether by pressing tab or the arrow keys.

I also tried using the Base point command that appears as an option after clicking Move part but this just seems to let me specifiy a distance to either add or subtract to the current length.

The best I can do at the moment is click & drag the pipe end until by trial & error I eventually get close to the length such as 3.0956m or something or else I use a calculator to determine the length I need to delete from the pipe & then use Base point for that.

Obviously both these methods are not practical from an accuracy & productivity point of view, & plant 3d doesn't intend me to edit pipe length this way. I just need to know the correct way Plant 3d accomodates this.

This 'problem' is currently preventing me from using this program in any productive way, so we are stuck to using 2D for the time being. Any advice would be appreciated. I hope I've explained clearly.

Thank You.

Bob

[jabowabo · Accepted solution]

Try using 'FROM' after selecting the move grip as shown below:

[jabowabo · Accepted solution]

You can also use construction lines:

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

We dont worry about pipe being exact lengths as long is its in the right place. But if I need to make a change as you mention I would click on the elbow and grab a grip point and then move it by a relative vector (@0.274,0,0)

[robmcdonnell]

@jabowabo & @Anonymous

Thanks for taking to time to reply lads - All 3 methods worked perfectly for me. Really appreciate you showing me how to do that.

Thanks again,

Bob

[Anonymous]

great reminder of the construction lines
thanks

[martin6TDY5]

I was looking for this too. Thank you for your solutions... On the other note, how easy it would be if we could just simply edit the cut length and type the length I need instead of eyeballing the length or creating construction lines... In Revit, this can be done easily, Plant 3D seems to try to reinvent the wheel...

[Anonymous]

Seems strange that a piping software cannot provide the option to set pipe cut length. Currently in evaluation of the software at the moment.