tube and pipe include geometry malfunction

[Anonymous]

Inventor 2013. I use user workplanes to define my piperuns. I set them up in the top level tube and pipe assy, include them in routes then constrain sketch geometry to them. I have done lots of this in my assembly and it has worked fine. They need to be visible and clicked on in the model window; for some reason you can't click on them in the browser. Now it won't include them in my routes. It thinks about it for half a second but does nothing. It will include planes from solid model geometry, origin planes, and user workplanes created in the run. Can anyone please help me or explain why this is not working, but worked before? I can't post the files online.

[Anonymous]

Inventor 2013. I use user workplanes to define my piperuns. I set them up in the top level tube and pipe assy, include them in routes then constrain sketch geometry to them. I have done lots of this in my assembly and it has worked fine. They need to be visible and clicked on in the model window; for some reason you can't click on them in the browser. Now it won't include them in my routes. It thinks about it for half a second but does nothing. It will include planes from solid model geometry, origin planes, and user workplanes created in the run. Can anyone please help me or explain why this is not working, but worked before? I can't post the files online.

[cbenner]

Without the files I can only take a guess as to why this isn't working.  I understand why you can't post them, a lot of stuff is proprietary.  My best guess based on what I've seen before is that you are trying to include a work plane from a different level of your assembly, outside of the pipe environment.  For example, our assemblies have a top level (of course), under that are an equipment sub-assembly and the main piping sub-assembly which includes all the routes.  If I try to use a work plane from the equipment sub, it won't work unless I go up to the main piping level and create a NEW work plane on top of that one.  Then I can include it in a route.  To avoid this I generally just use geometry work planes... usually off of my frame.

Without seeing what you are up against... that's my best guess. Hope it helps.

[cbenner]

Without the files I can only take a guess as to why this isn't working.  I understand why you can't post them, a lot of stuff is proprietary.  My best guess based on what I've seen before is that you are trying to include a work plane from a different level of your assembly, outside of the pipe environment.  For example, our assemblies have a top level (of course), under that are an equipment sub-assembly and the main piping sub-assembly which includes all the routes.  If I try to use a work plane from the equipment sub, it won't work unless I go up to the main piping level and create a NEW work plane on top of that one.  Then I can include it in a route.  To avoid this I generally just use geometry work planes... usually off of my frame.

Without seeing what you are up against... that's my best guess. Hope it helps.

[Cadmanto]

My experience has been that tube and pipe runs can be tempermental.

On top of what Chris said, I am wondering if there are multiple levels/layers of sub-assemblies that each have pipe runs in them.  Thus causing confusion in the model.  You would think it could sort it all out.

I have use the tube and pipe runs, but I have never had a case where I have a top level assembly with multiple sub-assemblies within it that each have their own pipe runs as well.  Is this the case?

Also, are you using a skeleton template to start with when you create these assemblies?  If not, it might be something to think about.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[Cadmanto]

My experience has been that tube and pipe runs can be tempermental.

On top of what Chris said, I am wondering if there are multiple levels/layers of sub-assemblies that each have pipe runs in them.  Thus causing confusion in the model.  You would think it could sort it all out.

I have use the tube and pipe runs, but I have never had a case where I have a top level assembly with multiple sub-assemblies within it that each have their own pipe runs as well.  Is this the case?

Also, are you using a skeleton template to start with when you create these assemblies?  If not, it might be something to think about.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[Anonymous]

I have the tube and pipe run assembly as a sub-assembly of the top level assembly, i.e. nothing unusual. My alignment workplanes are defined from the origin geometry of the t&p assy and are located within the top level of the t&p assy. I have been including them in pipe runs without any trouble until mid-morning today. I tried re-opening and rebooting to see if it was a temporary glitch. It is specific to this assembly and to this particular work feature.

[Anonymous]

I have the tube and pipe run assembly as a sub-assembly of the top level assembly, i.e. nothing unusual. My alignment workplanes are defined from the origin geometry of the t&p assy and are located within the top level of the t&p assy. I have been including them in pipe runs without any trouble until mid-morning today. I tried re-opening and rebooting to see if it was a temporary glitch. It is specific to this assembly and to this particular work feature.

[cbenner]

This is our basic tree for our main assemblies.

Under the Equipment Assembly is a sub-assembly that is the frame.  So, we built the frame first, insert that into the equipment sub-assembly, and then insert THAT into the top level assembly, and start building the piping from there.  No skeletel modeling... we do classic bottom up.

[cbenner]

This is our basic tree for our main assemblies.

Under the Equipment Assembly is a sub-assembly that is the frame.  So, we built the frame first, insert that into the equipment sub-assembly, and then insert THAT into the top level assembly, and start building the piping from there.  No skeletel modeling... we do classic bottom up.

[Cadmanto]

Well, if you have never had this issue prior to this morning, what is different about this assembly then the ones of the past?  Any imported parts?  Is it too out of the realm to recreate this assembly structure to see if it is repeatable?

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[Cadmanto]

Well, if you have never had this issue prior to this morning, what is different about this assembly then the ones of the past?  Any imported parts?  Is it too out of the realm to recreate this assembly structure to see if it is repeatable?

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[Anonymous]

I think the answer to my problem is to stop using assembly-level workplanes to define the piperuns and instead use a skeleton part with surface extrusions. If Inventor can pick up surfaces more reliably than planes then I can work with that, and I always prefer dimensioning work features off a sketch rather than in hidden plane dimensions. I'll just have to make sure the surfaces are turned off in drawing views.

[Anonymous]

I think the answer to my problem is to stop using assembly-level workplanes to define the piperuns and instead use a skeleton part with surface extrusions. If Inventor can pick up surfaces more reliably than planes then I can work with that, and I always prefer dimensioning work features off a sketch rather than in hidden plane dimensions. I'll just have to make sure the surfaces are turned off in drawing views.