Add Laterals to a Pipe Network
I’ve been asked this question several times – the following is how I negotiate a lateral and/or a wye:
Draw the lateral TO the pipe, NOT AWAY from the pipe (it will most likely connect in space when you see it in profile – no worries, you can adjust it later – it’s connected to a part that doesn’t exist – confused yet? read on…) or the pipe end may not display properly in profile (if you’re drawing downhill, and drawing uphill may lead to unexpected results – of course that depends upon the service pack, the parts list, the version of the software you created your template in, the alignment of the stars and apparently your astrological sign).
Adding a lateral in this fashion will add a NULL Structure (drawing “Pipes Only” will insert a “null structure” when a pipe contacts another pipe), simply leave the structure (I’ve modified the style of the part shown in plan to display an “x” on a layer that doesn’t plot), and modified the label to reflect the addition of a WYE.
You can’t set the default style to be used for a NULL STRUCTURE, no such setting exists – instead, I’ve modified my “Structure Default Style” Feature Setting. It’s the style specified in that setting that displays an “x” in plan on a layer that doesn’t plot.
Go ahead, ask me – does that mean I ALWAYS draw pipes only? Yes it does. Why? Because you can always swap AWAY from a null structure, but you can never swap TO one… I draw Pipes Only – then I swap out my structures as needed…
Draw the network in profile as usual, you’ll find the laterals look like the rest of the pipes – no worries.
Review the name of the lateral as drawn (can be done with a right click – “Pipe Properties”); select the Profile View, Right Click, and Override the style being used to display the lateral.
Gotcha – you know that little triangle that shows up in the Toolspace when a style is being used? It doesn’t show up on Style Overrides…
Note: The flow line can be adjusted using normal means…
Modify the pipe sizes as needed, and add labels to finish it off:
Cheers!
By the way: I was kidding about the astrological sign…
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Nice post Scott. have you found a way to have the pipe trunk label “span” this null structure?
Kevin
ps-you guys use pipe lengths to the hundredths? Them are some good contractors you got there!
Chances are pretty good though that if you are a Taurus, it will work for you.
Kevin,
Nothing can be done that will span the pipes if you split them as Scott has described. In addition to labeling, you’re now also dealing with more pipes with independent slope controls, making it harder to maintain grades across a trunk line. For these reasons, I typically don’t have them be part of the same network, but merely show them and do a visual check before plotting. If you don’t have the labeling or other requirements though, this is good stuff.
This post was born out of an Implementation. The PE needed the labels to appear this way to match the spreadsheet he uses for calcs. He started receiving compliments on his plans from area contractors and a new style was born – with dimensions that don’t span the trunk. It didn’t particularly make sense to me either, but I can definitely see the benefits and you *at least* gotta love the flexibility in the label styles to allow something of this complexity – with a little ingenuity.