Tubing Specs

[Anonymous]

Are there Tubing Spec Catalogues, for items such as Swagelok Fittings, to be able to route tubing as you would Piping in AutoCAD Plant 3D?

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

Have you checked the App Store?

[Anonymous]

  Thank you, Tomislav.Golubovic… I did try the Autodesk App Store, but could not find any Tubing Catalogues...

            sincerely,

                              Patrick

[Tomislav.Golubovic]

You'll have to get data sheets from the vendor and then make your own catalog, or employ someone to make them for you

[Anonymous]

There are tubing catalogues available from the content store:

https://apps.autodesk.com/PLNT3D/en/Detail/Index?id=4047113657445692814&appLang=en&os=Win64

These are well equipped but don't include the swagelok compression fittings.

I had to build a custom catalog for the swagelok compression fittings, but this wasn't too taxing as Swagelok provide a wide range of 3d models on their website.

Cheers,

Rob.

[ZZikic]

Hi Pat,

Yes, the tubing content pack is a good place to start.  There are however, excellent 3D neutral files available on the Swagelok website.  You can download what you need and use the PLANTPARTCONVERT command to create your own Swagelok fitting template for use in Plant 3D Spec Editor to create a Swagelok catalog with fantastic results.

Best regards,

Zeke

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the message, Zeke... Sorry that I have taken so long to respond. I have been side tracked with other work, than AutoCAD Plant 3D... I will look into this more when our workload permits...

              Pat

[KSchieck]

Can you share your files?

Kevin

[ZZikic]

Hi Kevin,

 Sorry, unfortunately for legal reasons I'm unable share company content with any outside entity or non-partner.

However, I could point you in the right direction and answer any questions you may have.

Best regards,

Zeke

[tstorzuk]

@ZZikic 

I'm interested in how you made your Swagelok fittings for Plant 3D.

Do you have a step-by-step procedure that you used (that you can share)?

What type of ends did you use for the press-on (Swagelok Tube Fitting) type ends?

What did you use for bends? Custom diameters or standard ones?

[KSchieck]

I'm interested too, it's a time consuming procedure to download all the swagelok models!

[ZZikic]

I didn't find it terribly time consuming.  Swagelok is quick at sending your requested models from their 3D CAD site. 

I typically use STEP file format and import all the sizes I need.  I tend to stay to the more commonly available sizes.

For compression tube fitting ends I treat them as SW ends

1/8 (usually I omit this size)
1/4
3/8
1/2
5/8 (usually I omit this size)
3/4
1
1 1/4 (usually I omit this size)
1 1/2
2

1. Import the STEP models into a drawing session.  Explode them and recreate blocks for each size.  I recommend to use the part number.  (For example SS-810-9 for 1/2" union elbow)
2. Change to wireframe (it is easier to see and select the ports)
3. Run PLANTPARTCONVERT.  Select the block. Follow the prompts to select each port and it's direction. Clicking Accept each time.  When all ports are selected click Exit.
4. Save the drawing session as for example SwagelokCatalog.dwg
5. Start Spec Editor.  In your Swagelok catalog Create New Component using Custom - AutoCAD DWG Block based graphics.  For each new size created Select Model... and browse to the SwagelokCatalog.dwg and select the appropriate block. Click OK.  Fill in all other required field as you normally would.

Best of luck!

Zeke

[ZZikic]

Alternately,

I prefer for performance reasons to use Python scripted components whenever possible rather than converted blocks.  With a bit of Python knowledge one could implement custom Swagelok fittings like this.

[julie_havard]

Did you do it for all?

[ZZikic]

Only for the commonly used components in our company's SS tubing spec.  Couplings, elbows, tees, and a couple valves.

[julie_havard]

Can you send me what you did??

[ZZikic]

Hi Julie,

 Sorry, unfortunately for legal reasons I'm unable share company content with any outside entity or non-partner.

However, I could point you in the right direction and answer any questions you may have.

I outline in the above chat how these fittings can be added using the PLANTPARTCONVERT method.  For Python it is just using rectangles and cylinders to build each fitting.

Best regards,

Zeke

[tstorzuk]

---

@ZZikic wrote:

Swagelok is quick at sending your requested models from their 3D CAD site. 

---

I find that the downloads from the Swagelok site are stupid slow.

I requested a batch of 308 files this morning at 7:22am. It's now 10:43am and they still haven't shown up in my email. You must be lucky in your downloading times from Swagelok.

[ZZikic]

308!!!??? Perhaps try requesting smaller batches at a time?  There may be a size constraint.  I've always requested maximum 1 or 2 dozen at a time.

[tstorzuk]

Yes, 308. All of one category of items;

That's not a lot of items, compared to some of the categories. For example, the one below has 1316 items within this single category;

And that's still not the maximum number per category. You can download a maximum of 500 CAD files in one request. So 500 is the size constraint.

If I make smaller requests, it would take forever to download their entire CAD catalogue.