Settings: Part Placing on Branching Points (PE)

Plant Engineering > Settings > Plant Engineering Settings > Part placing on branching points

These settings are only available if the HELiOS database is used as part data source (Parts from...) and Standard Plant Engineering has been set as the Industry.

The purpose of presettings for the placing of parts on branching points becomes obvious when you take a look at the following example:

Given is a guideline for one main pipe from which several other guidelines are branching in a right angle:

On the branching points you have different options to realise the branching, e.g. by means of

• a T-piece in the main pipe,
• a part of the type "Saddle connection" attached to the main pipe, and
• a pipe directly attached to the main pipe.

Which of these possibilities can be applied depends on the nominal diameters involved. Usually, you would use the second and the third possibility, if the nominal diameter intended for the branching pipe section is significantly smaller than that of the main pipe.

An automatic placing of parts on the guidelines is only possible without any further data input, if you had previously

• assigned nominal diameters to the guidelines,
• defined for the corresponding nominal diameter mating which type of branching is to be used.

The settings on this tab have only effect on the automatic insertion of parts of the type Straight pipe.

The definition of branching points takes place on the Part placing on branching points tab of the Plant Engineering Settings dialogue.

(1) Matrix window

In this area, definitions for all combinations of the predefined nominal diameters in HiCAD are symbolized (nominal diameters are in mm, and the assigned values in inches are stored in the file aninchtablew.dat in the exe\system directory of the HiCAD installation). The first number stands for the nominal diameter of the main pipe, the second number for that one of the branching (Example: 40x20). If you switch the setting in mm or inches to only in inches on the Part insertion tab, nominal diameters will always be shown in inches. A column always contains the definitions for the same main pipe nominal diameter, a row always contains the definitions for the same branching nominal diameter. As the branching nominal diameter is always smaller than or equal to than the main pipe nominal diameter, the matrix will remain empty in the right area above the diagonal.

A matrix element can also be marked with a left-click or a right-click. If you right-click, a context menu opens (7). Use the <Ctrl> and <Shift> keys to mark other elements as well. Double-clicking an element opens an editing dialogue (see (7) Edit).

The abbreviations have the following meanings:

(2) Defining the range of displayed nominal diameters

Presettings always exist for the entire, predefined range of diameters. For the sake of a clearer representation and to avoid excessive scrolling, the range can be limited to the range that is actually of interest for the user.

(3) Settings file

The definitions shown in the matrix window (1) are loaded from the displayed settings file. They represent the currently valid, global pre-settings. In other areas, the name of the selected file (without extension) will serve as the name of these special definitions. It will be saved to the Plant Engineering settings.

(4) Load settings from / save settings to file

(5) Undo / Redo

(6) Use presettings for placing of parts on branching points

If this checkbox is active, the presettings for the placing of parts on branching points will be used. The activation refers both to the definitions in the files selected for the use of the global presettings, and to the definitions from other files that might have been assigned to pipelines.

(7) Context menu

If you right-click an element in the matrix window, a context menu with further function will be displayed. Which functions will be available depends on the status of the marked element(s) and from the actions performed before.

Please note:

• Specifications concerning the placing of parts on branchings can be assigned to a pipeline. This takes place via the name of the file containing the definitions. The assigning can be done with the functions
• Create pipeline and
• Assign pipe class and nominal diameter .

This takes place via the name of the file containing the definition. If a file has been assigned, the definitions in this file, and not those ones belonging to the file that is set as the global presetting in the Plant Engineering Settings. But the definitions in the assigned file, too, will only be used if the Use presettings for placing of parts on branching points checkbox has been activated.

The name of this assigned file will be saved, together with the other properties of the pipeline, when saving a configuration. If a pipe class has been assigned to the pipeline as well, the standard designations that may have been specified in the definitions will be ignored.

• Please also note the effects of these settings during part insertion using the functions:
• AutoPlace parts on guidelines ,
• Pipe parts and Exchange parts .
  

If the Use presettings for placing of parts on branching points checkbox on the Part placing on branching points tab of the Plant Engineering Settings dialogue is active, HiCAD will first ask for nominal diameters when you try to place a T-piece, a saddle connection or a straight pipe on a branching point, if these nominal diameters are not already given by the pipeline (or guideline). It will then be checked which definition applies to the current nominal diameter combination. If the part type selected for part insertion does not match the valid definition, a corresponding message will be displayed and the function will be cancelled. e.g.

• Change pipe class and/or nominal diameter of all parts
  The settings on the Part placing on branching points tab will not be considered here.

Link to P+ID (PE) • Plant Engineering Settings (PE) • Pipe Parts: Flange (PE)