Content Center - Flange

[sultan_mustun]

Hello,

I want to have a reference plane in my content center flanges to indicate the start of a pipe.

For example in a Weld Neck it will be at the top of the flange and for a Slip On, it will be X amount from the raised face.

The idea is to have this common plane of reference where by if I change from a Slip On to a Weld Neck, the pipe constraint changes accordingly.

The plane of reference is called "PIPE CONNECTION" here:

Unfortunately, when doing the trial in an Assembly and trying the "Replace from Content Center" option, it does not work.

See here pipe constraint gives errors as it lost the plane:

One way that I thought of doing this, was setting this reference plane at the Origin. But it's not acceptable as we need our origin at the raised face, since we use this for everything after.

Any help or ways that someone managed to do this would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

[thomasendersonofficiall]

You’re running into a common Content Center limitation: “Replace from Content Center” doesn’t automatically remap user-created reference planes, which is why your pipe constraint fails. Here’s a concise approach to solve it:

Use a Work Plane within the Flange Family

Instead of creating a reference plane only in the assembly, create it inside the flange family template itself.

Name it consistently (e.g., PIPE_CONNECTION) across all flange types (Weld Neck, Slip-On, etc.).

Constrain the Plane Relative to the Flange Geometry

For Weld Neck: top of the flange.

For Slip-On: X distance from the raised face.

This ensures that the plane moves with the flange features, not the assembly origin.

Update the Pipe Constraint

In the assembly, constrain the pipe to the PIPE_CONNECTION plane inside the flange.

Now, when you use Replace from Content Center, Inventor will find the plane in the new flange and the pipe constraint should stay intact.

Check Family Parameters

Make sure all flange types share a parameter-driven offset for the reference plane if distances vary.

This avoids manual adjustments every time you swap flange types.

💡 Key Tip: Always embed the reference plane in the Content Center family, rather than the assembly. That’s what allows “Replace from Content Center” to map it correctly.

[sultan_mustun]

@thomasendersonofficiall thank you for your reply.

This is exactly what I did, I added the "PIPE CONNECTION" plane in the Flange itself. You can see in the first 2 pictures above.

I thought it was the naming "PIPE CONNECTION" being the issue, so I tried without any space, but with an underscore "PIPE_CONNECTION"

And then I did a "Replace Family Template" in the Content Center Editor, for both the Slip On and Weld Neck.

But same issue.

Then I tried with the inventor default content center.

I constrained it to the default "Work Point2" present in all the default flanges.

I replaced with the same flange type, but just a class above (from #150 to #300).

Same issue.

As you can see here, it lost the reference again

[CGBenner]

@sultan_mustun 

Hello, have you considered looking into the Tube & Pipe module for your piping?  All fittings in the Content Center already have the piping connections defined, and you can add your own custom fittings with that connection distance set in the Authoring.

[sultan_mustun]

@CGBenner , thank you for your input.

Unfortunately using Tube & Pipe module does not work well with our workflow.

If anyone can suggest a way to have this done in the content center would be very much appreciated.

[sultan_mustun]

Hello,

@CGBenner , @ChrisMitchell01 , @johnsonshiue, @kacper.suchomski, @SBix26

Sorry to add everyone I could find in the forums, I just really need help on this right now. 😥

Thank you for any help 😀

[CGBenner]

@sultan_mustun 

Let me ask a question:  In the assembly when these are used, are you relying on adaptivity to cause the pipe segment to "grow" between the flange and whatever fitting is on the other end?

If so, you may get one flange to work, but as soon as you change or replace it, the reference needed for that adaptivity will be lost.  Is that what is failing for you?

If I may ask further, what sort of workflow do you have that doesn't work with T&P, I'm just curious. (I'm the tube & pipe guy.... I have to ask.  LOL)

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Please share Inventor files that illustrate the behavior. I would like to understand the request better.

Many thanks!

[sultan_mustun]

@CGBenner  thank you for your reply, see my response below.

Let me ask a question:  In the assembly when these are used, are you relying on adaptivity to cause the pipe segment to "grow" between the flange and whatever fitting is on the other end?

Yes exactly, if I have a Socket Weld flange and change it to a Welding Neck, the pipe will adaptively change to become shorter.

If so, you may get one flange to work, but as soon as you change or replace it, the reference needed for that adaptivity will be lost.  Is that what is failing for you?

That's exactly what is happening, changing type I lose the reference.

If I may ask further, what sort of workflow do you have that doesn't work with T&P, I'm just curious. (I'm the tube & pipe guy.... I have to ask.  LOL)

I deal mainly with pressure vessels, so I have only flanges on the outside on the vessel with a pipe going adaptively towards the vessel. (Only 1 flange and 1 piece of pipe)

But we keep on modifying the flange size and type during the design process. This is why I what a reference plane similar to all types of flanges so that my pipe changes as the design evolves.

[sultan_mustun]

@johnsonshiue  thank you for your response.

I have done a Pack and Go of the Test Assembly with the Content center flanges.

I used the original Inventor ASME flanges and just added the plane "FLANGE_CONNECTION" and then did a "Replace Family Template" in the content center.

[CGBenner]

@sultan_mustun 

Thank you for the detailed answer, I think I understand the issue more now.

I designed tanks occasionally in my previous role, but not pressure vessels.  We did not require a BOM of the pieces that went into making each nozzle, so we simply modeled the entire tank shell as one part.  That made it much easier as we didn't have to rely on any adaptivity if the nozzle flange style or size changed, or if the location or length of the stem changed.  They were simply a Revolve feature (flange) and an Extrude feature (stem) back to the tank wall.  Each was designed on a work plane set at an angle from the origin, so changing the location simply meant changing the angle of the plane, and the height of the flange sketch.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I am sorry I am still trying to understand the request. Please bear with me. I think you are trying to replace a CC part, which participates in a constraint. More than likely, the constraint will fail unless the new CC part shares the same document ID as the old CC part. I suspect you want to look into iMate workflow. iMate can tolerate component swap better. As long as the same atomic iMate exists in the new CC part, the matching iMate will survive.

Many thanks!

[sultan_mustun]

@johnsonshiue as you can see here, the Slip On flange has the pipe inside of it, up to the plane "Flange_Connection" :

When I do "Replace from Content Center" and change it from Slip On flange to a Weld Neck flange. As shown here :

As you can see, the adaptive pipe in "green" does not move accordingly to the new position of the Flange_Connection flange. This is because the constrain looses the plane of reference.

*P.S. The "Flange_Connection" plane is defined in both content center part.

Is there a way to have a common plane called "Flange_Connection" in different content center parts, so that when I "Replace from Content Center" my constrain follows it?

Thank you.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! My prior reply still holds true. This will not work because the new flange part has a different document ID than the old flange part. After the swap, the constraint will fail.

If the constraint was established by iMate match, the workflow would work. However, these flange parts don't have iMates. Also the constraint is between the CC part and the top-level assembly YZ plane. iMate won't work as is either unfortunately.

Many thanks!