Pressure Pipe Fittings - As Blocks

[Anonymous]

C3D Win7

I have defined a bunch of our standard blocks to be used as fittings in a pressure network. The blocks are our standards. It doesn't matter what the system is designed in - 3D pipes, fittings & appurtenances are fine, but for plotting I use a special line ---16WM--- with simple blocks for fittings and appurtenances. The fittings are essentially the CL of the fitting, nothing special.

The problem is that they come in rotated wrong. A bend should be oriented to the two pipes that come in and out of it. To ensure that this happens I edited all my blocks and added Autodeskconnectionpoints where I want the pipes to connect.

As evidenced by the attached screen capture the bends are still rotated wrong. You can see the connection points, and you can see the grips that indicate where the block is actually connected - not the same as the connection points.

The system was designed using Standard styles for the pipes, fittings & appurtenances so that it is easy to visualize what is going on. Once the design was set the styles were changed to what we plot on plan sheets. I will experiment and try to use the plotted style first.

Does anyone know what I need to change to have the fittings orient themselves with the connected pipes?

THANKS

[jmayo-EE]

I don't think you need connection points in the blocks. I had to use trial and error to get my block to be rotated to match thae actualy part being used in the part list.

Make a test network using the OOTB fittings. FInd a fitting that isn't working in  you template and copy the style. Add the block as a plan sym. If it does not connect edit the block rotation so it does. I belive all should work after that.

[Anonymous]

I'll try. It seems like whatever the rotation of the block was when it was last saved is what is coming in. So if I interpret your statement correctly, if I get it to orient once by changing the rotation of the block to match the pipes in my experimental network, it will always orient to the pipes after that no matter which direction they go. Ex. a TEE will always orient to the pipes coming in/out of the TEE.

I'd just use CL to show the fittings, but part of our deal is that we have to share data with other agencies that all use Microstation with certain cells (blocks) for fittings, etc. The plan is to export to AutoCAD when it is done and have it translate into Microstation as painlessly as possible, so I need the uniquely named blocks at fitting locations.

Thanks for your help.

[jmayo-EE]

" if I get it to orient once by changing the rotation of the block to match the pipes in my experimental network, "

I belive so. I spent a lot of time setting up a bunch of part lists but we don't really use em.