Hi,
I have a 3d sketch with all of the pipes and fitting required. My question is how do I dimension this to use standard length nipples. I can dimension the sketch but that results in odd dimension because I can only dimension the sketch segments not thactual length of pipe used. I am sure this is something simple I am overlooking but I have not been able to find any help or discussions on this. Maybe I am not calling it the right terms?
this shows the route sketch and a dimension, but it is not the length of the pipe nipple
Perhaps I don't understand the question fully but... have you tried to dimension from CP point of the one elbow to the CP point of the other?
Afterall if those CP points are localized there where the thread starts in the elbow one has full control over the exact length of any pipe or nipple between two fittings. No ?
thanks Peter, I think that is what I am missing. I have tried to dimension from CP to CP but I can't select these points when I am in dimension mode. I can only select the 3d sketch lines.
If one can't put a dim on CP points of two different entities than may I suggest to a reboot of the system and try again ?
As far as I know one should always beable to do that, as long as one is in the right mode (= edit route mode)
Thanks for the images, it looks like your elbow radius end point and Cpoint coincide with each other which would make the pipe length the same as the sketched line length. If you notice on my image the Cpoints do not fall on the end ponts of the sketch segment (tapered thread joint), therefore dimensioning the sketch segment is not an accurate length. I think I can change the elbow geometry to fix this, right now the ElbowArc matches the physical shape of the elbow, I guess it should really end at the Cpoint to have it work like you are showing.
Also if I have two Tees in a row, I can only dimension the sketch line which is the length from Rpoint to Rpoint which is the center of the Tee not the actual length of pipe needed to connect the two. How would you dimension in that situation?
ah... *nod*
I do have the CP points coinciding with sketch points. Even if there is a bit of a straight run past the actual arc, if one then have the CP points on sketch points, and therefor selectable, then one should be able to dimension the pipe between two adjacent elbows.
The 2 T's in a tow question.
I'm afraid to admit that so far I have done it in the round-about manner.
1. give dimension between the two brances (center of T's) leading of the main trunk
2. check how long the pipe between them is
3. adjust dimension of step one with the amount calculated due to step two
If someone has a better suggestion then I'm all ears.
thanks Peter, I am going to reconfigure the elbow part to fix the Cpoint problem. It also seems I can dimension from one Cpoint to the sketch but not between two Cpoints, I need to figure out a way to work with this as well.
Jeff
if u are trying to control where a dimension goes too, in 2011 in the routing options there is a option to select use lines i think, or pipe center lines. also u can click 2 points and then use the tab key to constrain in the xyz direction. Hope im understanding correctly.
thanks Tony, I am still in 2010 so I don't think that is affecting me. It is the selection of the connection points for a dimension which I am missing . You can see they are visible in the screenshot but when I mouse over them I can't select them.
Here's a post I found in the SolidWorks Knowledge Base:
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Solution Id: S-04102
Question:
When creating fabricated pipes is it possible to specify dimensions to define the length of the pipe directly rather than the length of the sketch segment between Route points (not always equal to pipe length)?
Answer:
This is a limitation of the dimensioning method used in Routing. However the length of the Pipes are presented in the Feature manager tree so that the user can easily see if a pipe is not the length that they expected it to be.
See SPR# 627371. It currently has an impact of "medium."
can u post a screen shot please. thanks!
Tony