Duct and Pipe Fabrication Isometrics

[BigBadBIM]

Does anyone know how to do Duct and Pipe Isometrics? I have some training materials here that say it can be done. It says that the tool is available in the Metric (UK) Profile. I don't hav ethat available. I also don't see it in the Support folder under Profiles. Any ideas?

[BigBadBIM]

I can use this tool "Duct Fabrication Isometric" in the 08 version. I just have to set the "Global" profile current. It just isn't available in 09. The Help section (when searched) only brings up a page that talks about the "Fabrication Isomatric Dialog" and leads you to the "Using UK Profiles" page which doesn't talk about it at all.

[pipedream345]

I think I can help greatly regarding this. I use the piping applications all day. I just want to be sure what you are talking about. You can draw a schematic 2d diagram of your 3d model to create construction documents, this would be the old way. The Wat I prefer to do it is display my model in a 3d view and plan view. This way when you change an item in one view it also changes in another view. (this is sometimes a mixed blessing). Let me know what your intentions are and I can walk you through a few different ways.

[BigBadBIM]

I think I can help greatly regarding this. I use the piping applications all day. I just want to be sure what you are talking about. You can draw a schematic 2d diagram of your 3d model to create construction documents, this would be the old way. The Wat I prefer to do it is display my model in a 3d view and plan view. This way when you change an item in one view it also changes in another view. (this is sometimes a mixed blessing). Let me know what your intentions are and I can walk you through a few different ways.

Thanks, I'm aware of using the model itself for ISOs. The 08 version of ACAD MEP had a tool called "fabrication Isometric" and created a "xref" like image that was tagged. When you made changes in the model the "FAB ISO" would update as well. I'm wondering if ANYONE ever used this feature and maybe that's why it seem sto be no more.

Thanks for the offer to help though.

[pipedream345]

Was this command for the piping application or the plumbing lines or is this part of a third party add on?

[david_peterson]

I'm not sure this is what you are looking for since it only creates a block, but it makes it quick.
Have you tried the "createhlr" command? Makes quick work of taking a 3d view and turning it into a dumb 2d block that takes up very little data.
Just a thought.

[pipedream345]

I never new such a command existed it works pretty good!

[david_peterson]

Depending on how complex the model is, you do start to get some missing lines once in a while. Curved surfaces aren't always complete. You may also needs to play with the isolines setting to reduce the number of surface lines it creates.
Again, the only issue is that you can't just update it. One thing you could try (I haven't tried this yet, but I just thought about it) set up a new UCS in plane looking at the target and try to create an elevation. If it works, you should have a 2d drawing that you can update. Just another thought.

[pipedream345]

If you are using Project Navigator The method I found best is to set your view in model space to the physical view you want to see on paper, change your ucs to "view", right click and add a new model space view and use the pick box to select the area you want to see. After you create the vnew model space view drag it onto a sheet and the setttings should come onto the sheet as they appered in your view drawing. This way when you update your model it automatically updates all your associated views. One hiccup can be the annotating. I found it easiest to lable the objects in paper space on my isometric views, however when you move something in model space you consequentally have to move the annotations in paper space. If you dont use project navigator and set up many sheet tabs with different viewports the performance will be greatly impacted and you sometime have some strange graphical problems. Even though you might have a particular layer off to make a certian "system" visible the objects will still show breaks when using the MEP Schematic display representation.

[BigBadBIM]

I'm not sure this is what you are looking for since it only creates a block, but it makes it quick.
Have you tried the "createhlr" command? Makes quick work of taking a 3d view and turning it into a dumb 2d block that takes up very little data.
Just a thought.

That command (createhlr) is SO close. The fabrication iso command creates a 2d block like that, but it also tags the duct and it is update-able (like an elevation.)

I've never heard of the command, but it was in the 08 Essentials HVAC AOTC courseware. I tried it in the 08 version and it works fine. It's just not available in 09. I think that some of the other methods of displaying ISO mentioned on this forum probably work fine. I just wanted to see if anyone used that function.