Create flexible pipeline plan and profile drawings - suggested method?

[Anonymous]

Hi all, 

Just wondering if anyone can recommend a method for creating pipeline drawings (plan and profile sheets)?  I have ver 2017 (metric).

I have more of a 12d background, but am reasonably comfortable with working in C3D.  I'm happy to use alignment and profile, or featurelines, or pressure networks (except I have no flexible parts catalogue)...   Just looking for a good work flow to achieve these drawings.

Key wish list:

 - Profile view symbols and labels should automatically update

 - Profile view should be able to show pipe crossings or featureline crossings (symbol/label is fine) (such as services/utilities)

 - I'd like to be able to have hydrants and valve symbols show up in the profile view (located from the plan placement)

 - It would be nice to be able to drape/offset the profile from the ex. surface and then edit with grades

Any recommendations or tips that might help in this?

Thanks, Carey

[Jerry_Barnes]

You can accomplish each item on your wish list with existing tools in C3D, tools we all use everyday. I might recommend going through the tutorials to get a basic education in profiles, profile views, pipe networks in profile views, and labeling pipe parts in profile view. After doing that, and working with these tools in daily production, you will have more specific questions which the forum can address quickly and to your satisfaction.

[Anonymous]

Hi, thanks for response. I'm probably actually an intermediate level C3D user - pretty familiar with profiles, profile views, pipe networks, etc (not pressure networks). Completed many tutorials.

I guess I'm really looking for what method people find effective, despite the limitations of the software, to do actual projects... (it's great for some tasks, needs work-arounds for others)

e.g. - Pipe networks don't appear to do curved profiles (which I need)
- Crossing service pipes are displayed easily by creating individual pipes for each crossing (I haven't figured out how to align a symbol with the main pipeline yet)
- etc

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I am currently working on a project where I need to have vertical curves in the pipe and I have found that pressure pipes allow for vertical curves. I believe that as long as you enter the bending radius in the part properties, in profile you are able to select the middle of the pipe and drag to the desired elevation to create a bend. I am not sure of any other way to specify the bending of the pipe in the vertical direction.

If you also need horizontal curves, I know that pipes for gravity pipe networks are able to have horizontal curves if you create the network from an object with curves (alignment, feature line, polyline, etc.). However, I do not think you can include a vertical curve for these pipes. 

I am currently deciding on which of the networks is best for my project since we need vertical curves but also need the pipe to connect to vault structures. C3D, understandably, does not include appurtenances for pressure networks that could act as vaults so I am considering trying to create a pressure network part that would act like a vault and show up in profile like one. This is just something to consider when deciding between networks for your project.

[jmayo-EE]

I make the alignment appear on plan as the pipe/cable or whatever utilty I am mapping.

I use a layout profile for either top or bottom of pipe

I use a corridor to automatically draft the bottom or top of pipe.

I use pipe networks (not pres nets) to depict structures along the utility for plan and profile

I mark intersections, other utility crossings etc. w/ cogo points and project them to profile to automatically label these items.

I have tried using gravity nets but it's too many parts to manage w/o serious performance hits.

I have not used pres nets.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all.  

John - I've adopted an approach very similar to what you've suggested but I have a couple of questions:

1)  What is the purpose of creating the corridor?  Do you run a very narrow assembly for the purpose of getting a surface at pipe invert?

2)  If you have multiple plan & profile sheets, is there a way to project the cogo points (or blocks) onto multiple profile views in one foul swoop?  Otherwise I find I may have 5-10 profile views created, each of which need the projections added, with corresponding labeling etc to associate...

Thanks,

Carey

[jmayo-EE]

1. The pipe lines need to be depicted in plan as a red cl with two offset parallel lines for the width. In profile I need top and bottom of pipe.

The cl is the alignment. I draw a layout profile for the top of pipe and the corridor will draw the offsets in plan and the bottom of pipe in profile.

2. Isolate the point layer(s), use quick select, select by point group or use select similar. Type PROJECTOBJECTSTOPROF into the command line and you can project mult points to a profile view. Simply hit enter and use a Previous selection set to repeat for another profile view.