Modeling flex pipe workflow

[ari.monteiro]

How the best workflow for modeling flex pipes in vertical way?

I know I can not model these pipes in section views in Revit 2016, so I tried on 3D views, but I could not control the flex pipe direction.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ari Monteiro

[rudi.roux · Accepted solution]

Hi @ari.monteiro, 

Hope you are well. This is one of those tedious things regarding flex pipes or flex ducts...

One of the things which you could do is to use your Level Offset once you start drawing flex pipes in a plan view, have a pick point or place marker, then click to start drawing a flex pipe at a lower (or higher) offset, then click on the same marker location at a higher (or lower) level offset. 

I also found this which served useful for some other users: 

"This is a little tricky but is doable...I found a way of doing it, but is not really elegant...

I usually pick up the inline diffuser select connect into pick up the duct so I get the hard duct tap connection. After that, I have a temporary working section that I move around to help me with that task. What I do is after I create the section I use Modify/split and do split a little bit under the tap...after that you can select Home pick Convert to flex duct...select the diffuser and it will convert the hard connection to the split and make it flex....if you don't do the split you need to give the exact length of the flex if you let the default 5'(6') length stay it will still convert the duct to flex but it will move the connection on the top in attempt to create 5' flex."

Link to the original POST HERE

I hope this helps! 

[fabiosato]

Hello Ari,

Personally, I prefer to create a regular pipe and create a special bend, so the routing is faster and more controllable, specially bend radius, the only problem is that I need to add the bend lengths.

[ari.monteiro · Accepted solution]

Hi @fabiosato and @Anonymous!

Many thanks for the feedback!

I understand that using a regular pipe will be a workarround to this issue, but in this way the pipe system representation would not be correct in the BIM model.

If the BIM model proposes to be a construction prototype, using other kind of objects instead of outhers that are missing in Revit, in my opinion, does not make sense.

Autodesk could solve this issue by leveraging the technology it already has available in other tools.

For example, in Autodesk Inventor there is the cable and harness functionality that adapted to Revit would be an excellent solution for flex pipe and "flex" conduit rounting,
 
In addition, the idea of ​​integrating AutoCAD Electrical and Inventor with regard to the production of electrical diagrams could be leveraged in Revit.

See this video that shows the cabling layout in Inventor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R0b9_BEZ-I

A feature similar to the offset from solid faces displayed in this video, would be very useful in flex pipe and conduit commands in Revit!

[fabiosato]

Hello,

I totally agree with you, but we have to deliver the projects in a way that the components use reflects the real ones, for example, using a flex pipe which the minimum bend radius is 70mm, with the current tool is not achievable, since you can create any bend...

Another thing to take care is the time needed to perform the task, at the office, we can agree spending more time working with sloped pipes, since they are critical, but regarding to flex pipes, we understand that respecting the physical limitations of the component is more critical than its category, on the other hand, despite the category, all other information are consistent with the component.

Revit has many limitations, we are trying to extract most of it without compromising our cost, a plumbing design made in Revit takes more time than the conventional 2D drawing, the market is not accepting more, so we must be realistic and try to give the market a consistent information, than spending more time, doing something we can´t check if it is OK. We had a couple of projects were the bend radius were crucial for design decisions.

I have no idea how to check the bend radius of the curve pointed by the arrow, it is clear that it is not possible, but if we are talking about a small diference, let´s say 20 mm diference, how can we assure the radius respects the manufacturer instructions?