Duct and pipe risers at skewed walls?

[j_menacker]

AcadMEP 2011 WinXP64

When creating duct or pipe risers, it seems that AutoCAD MEP will only create the riser with rotation set to zero in the WCS. If a UCS is created aligned with a skewed wall, MEP will still create a vertical duct aligned with the original WCS.

I found that it is possible to create a skewed riser this way:
1. Make a skewed UCS current
2. Rotate the UCS 90 degrees on the X axis
3. Draw the riser in what is now a horizontal orientation.

Can anyone please shed light on a simpler way to create skewed risers?

Thank you,

Joe Menacker

[stykface]

AcadMEP 2011 WinXP64

When creating duct or pipe risers, it seems that AutoCAD MEP will only create the riser with rotation set to zero in the WCS. If a UCS is created aligned with a skewed wall, MEP will still create a vertical duct aligned with the original WCS.

I found that it is possible to create a skewed riser this way:
1. Make a skewed UCS current
2. Rotate the UCS 90 degrees on the X axis
3. Draw the riser in what is now a horizontal orientation.

Can anyone please shed light on a simpler way to create skewed risers?

Thank you,

Joe Menacker

I could not recreate your problem with a UCS rotated slightly on the Z axis to match an unsymmetrical wall.

However, try this to see if it works, type

Command: PLAN
Enter an option [Current ucs/Ucs/World] <Current>: <Enter>

This will align the WCS to the current UCS which will allow you to continue working in an "normal" drawing environment. Hope it helps.

[j_menacker]

Tannar:

Thank you for the reply. I was laboring under a misconception despite being familiar with the PLAN command as well as the UCSFOLLOW variable. Riser orientation appears to be working fine -- the end and curve connectors are aligned with the skewed UCS. However, crosshairs for the riser centerlines are aligned with the WCS. I had assumed that duct and pipe connectors were tied to centerline crosshair orientation.

Regards,

Joe Menacker