Changing iproperties of fittings in tube and pipe

[Anonymous]

Hi team,

I am currently looking into tube and pipe and am trying to work out how I can change iproperties of fittings (elbows, Tee's, flanges etc). I want to add the estimated cost so this comes out in a BOM but I am only able to do this to the lengths of pipe created not the fittings. I was under the impression if I set content center location to the workgroup it would allow this? Or is there another way to do this? Generally when inserting content center components you can 'save as copy' in order to allow changes but I can't work out how to do this with tube and pipe. 

Any help greatly appreciated.  

[A.Acheson]

@Anonymous 

iProperties belonging to content center read only files need to be modified from the content center library. This excel style table is located inside the part family and you need to have the part moved to a custom library also called My Library.

The below  link shows this workflow.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/cadtipstricks.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/populating-autodesk-inventor-ipro...

The reason why you are able to modify the pipe iproperties is because these are placed as custom parts by default and are writeable.  The content Center  files are read only and stored in a separate location than your active assembly. 

If you have already placed fittings and they have been saved to your content center files folder it can be difficult to update these iproperties. Try the refresh from content center button. 

Hope this helps

Alan

[gcoombridge]

To add to what Alan said, if you need a quick work-around you can set tube and pipe to save fittings as custom by checking this box (under the tube and pipe settings found by right-clicking the master run).

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies,  just to clarify, if I modify settings o I am prompted for a file name (insert content as custom), does this mean a new file name will be created for every elbow etc? Or will Inventor know to reuse? 

Also, is it still a limitation that tube and pipe does not do branch connections? 

Thanks so much for the help. Any links to good tutorials or resources for tube and pipe would be very much appreciated. 

[A.Acheson · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous 

Custom Content Center File:

Yes if your are placing the file as custom you will be prompted to save the file in a location (could be the project folder or elsewhere). If you want to reuse this fitting you could select Place and this will  navigate to windows location and select the file or just copy on screen to reuse although  there is a bug in doing that so use Place as default. 

Standard Content Center File:

If you choose to place a fitting as standard (i.e )you want to use this in multiple projects, only one copy is ever created and is stored in the content center files folder think of it as a (central location). To reuse this simply select Place from Content Center, navigate to fitting family and it's member then  the system will look towards the content center files folder realize there is  a file created and insert this file to the assembly . 

Single User Original location:

Content Center used for for standard items, nuts, bolts, washers and fitings ( flanges, elbows, tees etc) read only files, Modify from Content Center Editor Only.

File Location:
Content Center Files location for read only files
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Inventor\Content Center Files\R2020

Content Center Library (.idcl File)  is a zip file that contains the data whose contents  can only be accessed through Content Center Editor.
Library Location:
C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Inventor 2020\Content Center\Libraries

Route Branches:

Branch fittings like threadolets and weldolets work fine.

Yes branches cannot be created directly in routes. However the workaround is shown in the link below and works well enough. Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. 

Steps: I wrote down from the video. 

Create multiple route nodes, make route in the middle perpendicular to route plane, measure engagement length of tee and trim extend route, coincident constraint between node of free route to run route, then branch node on run to route line .

Add coupling to style and change to a tee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxWIJ8E_55o

Tutorials:

Adrian Salariu has some really good stuff. 

http://blog.ads-sol.com/2015/03/inventor-pipe-clips.html

Here is the rest of the tutorials I have:

Copying T&P assemblies	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/copying-pipe-amp-tube-assemblies/td-p/5744411
Copying T&P assemblies	[  ]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DZpopVKXVT...
Tutorial PDF of tips and tricks	https://forums.autodesk.com/autodesk/attachments/autodesk/510/5859/1/aead9123-9340-4d88-b64b-64e3679...
Tutorial PDF of tips and tricks	https://forums.autodesk.com/autodesk/attachments/autodesk/78/559957/1/MD-5386%20Going%20With%20The%2...
PDF tips and tricks	https://www.augi.com/articles/detail/my-top-five-tips-for-inventor-tube-pipe
Video	https://vimeo.com/223283534
PDF Using T&P	http://2011www.widom-assoc.com/AU-MA34-2.pdf
PDF Using T&P	https://forums.autodesk.com/autodesk/attachments/autodesk/78/430748/1/TP%20Tips_NG.pdf
If you take a weldoled from CC or my clip and strip down the weldolet and reuse the file one node authoring works	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/t-amp-p-author-pipe-clip-doesn-t-work/td-p/5741423
Pipe Style Creation and saving	https://www.mgfx.co.za/blog/engineering-manufacturing-design/creating-custom-tube-pipe-styles-in-you...
Custom tube and pipe styles	https://blogs.rand.com/manufacturing/2016/03/custom-tube-pipe-styles-creating-a-custom-tube-pipe-sty...
Drawing
Tube and pipe authoring	https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Inve...
A derived part that has been published from an I factory and has been authored!! can be placed into tube and pipe Assy	https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/vhelp/help-dev-autodesk-com/v/Inventor/enu/2011/He...
Tube and pipe constraints/Problem solving	https://www.cad-notes.com/using-constraints-work-features-in-inventor-tube-pipe/
	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/tube-and-pipe-update-failures/td-p/3400205
Construction lines	http://blog.ads-sol.com/2015/04/tube-and-pipe-construction-lines.html?m=1
Problem solving	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/tube-amp-pipe-anyone-see-any-issues-with-this-workflow...
Problem solving	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/tube-and-pipe-connect-fitting-doesn-t-follow-tube/td-p...
Problem solving	https://www.academia.edu/5111862/Autodesk_Inventor_Routed_Systems_2010_Getting_Started
Problem solving	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/tube-and-pipe-overhaul/idi-p/5518269/page/3#comments
I Assemblies	https://blogs.rand.com/manufacturing/2012/10/autodesk-inventor-tube-and-pipe-configurations.html
T&P I ASSEMBLIES	http://blog.ads-sol.com/2015/07/documenting-tube-and-pipe-spools.html
Tube and pipe I assemblies	https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/Inve...
tube and pipe branch copes style	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/tube-and-pipe/td-p/3139306
Modify T&P Template File	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHAKzBMDwU
Tube and pipe guidelines,Set up for tube and pipe skeletal model inventor	https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/attn-tube-amp-pipe-genius-cbenner-are-you-out-there/td...
Skelton modelling part 1 all parts are referenced to base part.	https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/video/youtube/watch-v-KsZA79Oaazc...

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the incredibly detailed reply! This is very much appreciated. 

I understand how 'place from content center' and 'place from other location' work, I am more referring to how inventor 'populates route' in a pipe run. It appears there is no way to make inventor select say a Tee that you have saved as custom and added details like a weblink or price etc? One reply on here was to use a custom library but I was unable to work out how to do this based on the link included.

I guess the other option would  be to save a copy of the fitting locally and use replace component once the route is populated. Seems like a lengthy process having to double handle everything though. 

Thanks again for your help with this. 

[A.Acheson]

@Anonymous 

Custom CC Library is required to do what you want. See below links and attached picture.

Short Video will get the library created

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2uCNrJyFPY

Long Video, this explains in detail about creating library and copying data  across.

https://resources.imaginit.com/videos-webcasts/autodesk-inventor-custom-library-creation

Adding Family to Custom CC Library

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-sG_NggcbQ

Difference between Save Copy as and Copy to

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2020/ENU/Inve...

Modifying Custom Content Center adding columns etc.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9gM1Q1_Ss