Part Exchange - General (PE)

Plant Engineering > Part Tools > Exchange parts

This function offers a wide range of processing options for existing guidelines lines with parts:

Exchange one part by another
This option automatically deletes the pipe, cuts it to fit and reinserts it.

Insert part in a straight pipe
This option automatically deletes the existing pipe, and fills remaining gaps with pipe sections of a suitable length.

Remove part from pipeline
The part and attached straight pipe is removed and replaced by a straight pipe.

Replace with different type of representation

Move part on the same guideline

Please note:

Parts can only be exchanged if the Guideline mode is active. For this, the Work with guidelines checkbox in the Part insertion tab of the Plant Engineering Settings dialogue window needs to be activated.

The pipeline must be active when you invoke the function via Plant Engineering > Part Tools functions. You then need to select the component you want to exchange or process. This action is not required if the function is invoked from the part context menu (right-click the part). In this case HiCAD activates the pipeline and selects the part.

For interactive part insertion or exchange, the cursor is used to specify the insertion position of some part categories on guidelines. In these cases, the cursor can only be moved along the guideline, whereby HiCAD displays the z-coordinate of the cursor position in the lower bar of the window (X and Y are always on 0). The z-value only accepts multiples of an automatically detected grid value based on the edge length. The exact z-value is only shown for snap functions (e.g. M). Press the left mouse button to take over the position indicated by the z-value.

The options Ignore nominal diameter , AutoFlange and AutoReducer at the bottom of the dialogue window correspond to certain Plant Engineering settings. Activating or deactivating these options in the dialogue window has only temporary effect. After execution of the function, the original Plant Engineering settings will apply again.

Necessary reducers will be automatically inserted into pipelines if the following conditions are met:

The AutoReducer option is activated.

A nominal diameter has been assigned to the active pipeline, or a nominal diameter has been defined for the guideline onto which the part is to be placed.

The Ignore nominal diameter option has been set.

An individual part (no straight pipe) the nominal diameter of which deviates from that of the pipeline (or the guideline) is inserted interactively.

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.: