This class will cover the basic rule and principles that you will need to produce designs and layouts for plumbing and piping using AutoCAD MEP. Phil Nower has been using 3d modeling to solve design challenges from 1989 to present. He is the primary content builder for Hazen and Sawyer producing most of their parametric content.
This class will cover the basic rule and principles that you will need to produce designs and layouts for plumbing and piping using AutoCAD MEP. Phil Nower has been using 3d modeling to solve design challenges from 1989 to present. He is the primary content builder for Hazen and Sawyer producing most of their parametric content.
This class will cover the basic rule and principles that you will need to produce designs and layouts for plumbing and piping using AutoCAD MEP. Phil Nower has been using 3d modeling to solve design challenges from 1989 to present. He is the primary content builder for Hazen and Sawyer producing most of their parametric content.
Phil Nower, Hazen and Sawyer ME100-1This class will cover the basic rule and principles that you will need to produce designs and layouts for plumbing and piping using AutoCAD MEP. Instead of making 3d modeling more complicated than it already is, how about simplifying it a bit? Im going to cover what you need to be up and running with piping and plumbing.
About the Speaker: Phil Nower has been using 3d modeling to solve design challenges from 1989 to present. He started to produce parametric spread sheet driven 3d models with Mechanical Desktop R14 for the Petroleum and Chemical Industries. When he became employed at Hazen and Sawyer he had the opportunity to use AutoCAD MEP to build several large scale Water Treatment Plants as well as small scale pump stations. Phil is the primary content builder for Hazen and Sawyer producing most of their parametric content that is distributed thought out the company. pnower@hazenandsawyer.com
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Table of contents What is AutoCAD MEP software all about? .................................... page 4 Todays class . page 4 Our Goals .. page 4 KISS Connected Systems Contract Documents Class Agenda . page 5 The Beginners Guidelines for Plumbing and Piping Always start from the correct template file . page 6 Always start piping and plumbing from placed equipment . page 9 Check that the Compass is Enabled page 10 Make sure that the Ortho is turned off page 11 Make sure that the General Osnaps are turned Off .. page 12 Make sure that the MEP Osnaps are turned On .. page 12 Learn to Select any object and then Right Click . page 12 Conclusion .. page 13 List of Documents on Line -MEP Options -Layer Key Styles -Properties for Plumbing Dialog Box -Properties for Piping Dialog Box -Style Manager -Piping Objects Pipe Custom Fitting Styles Pipe Part Routing Preferences Pipe Rise Drop Styles Pipe System Definitions -Plumbing Objects Fixture Unit Table Definitions Plumbing Fitting Styles Plumbing Line Styles Plumbing Rise Drop Styles Plumbing System Definitions Sanitary Pipe Sizing Table Definitions Supply Pipe Sizing Table Definitions -Live sectioning for 3d Designing -Project Navigator -Constructs -View Drawings Plan and Section Views Display Issues Annotation -Sheets Adding Views to Sheets Review of drafting needs Importing 3d Images onto a Sheet -Template Files and Projects -3d Content Domains Pathing Editing Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 4
What is AutoCAD MEP software all about? AutoCAD MEP is a multi-discipline object oriented software platform. AutoCAD MEP brings in smart objects into a drawing file from all of the disciplines that are required in an MEP engineering firm. MEP does not use lines, arcs and circles to produce designs. For todays lecture we will be covering the basics in Plumbing and Piping. When a pipe is brought into a drawing file that pipe already has in it many properties attached to it like, elevation, system, connection styles, etc, etc, etc and it is these attached properties coupled with the ability that all of the following disciplines can operate from one software package that makes MEP a powerful tool. Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Todays Class I will be focusing on the basic principals in routing plumbing and piping using AutoCAD MEP that I have learned from using the program in several large projects and smaller ones. Our Goals -KISS: Its easy to make a difficult task into the gorilla that ate your lunch. Its harder to make something thats challenging into something thats simple and easy to understand. MEP is difficult to learn because right from the start you are activating and drawing data from several different sources at the same time. In order for plumbing or piping to work the definitions must be functioning, the routing or line styles must also be fully operational and correctly reading from the catalog content, the display manager as well as the cut planes and display configurations need to be correct as well. To help me out in getting you off the ground with MEP Ive labeled the primary aspects of MEP that you will encounter as soon as you start to work with plumbing or piping. Reviewing these guidelines brings into play every item that you will need to operate MEP. -Create Connected Systems from the Start: By following the guidelines for beginners below you will have the ability to create a connected system. Q: What does this offer you? The short answer. Almost everything Advanced Editing Capabilities: if you need to adjust the position of a pipe, the entire system adjusts accordingly, if you change the size, connection style or system that change is made throughout all of the connected items. Having a connected system will also bring you into the possibility of apply the many other features of MEP like; plumbing sizing tables, pipe and fitting schedules, etc, etc... -Contract Documents: To get you from an empty drawing file to a finished contract document. You might be surprised to find out what you can do with this program if you just follow some basic rules and guidelines. By adjusting a single pipe, everything that was connected to that pipe has also been adjusted, and if this assembly was linked to a pipe schedule all of the affected pipes, lengths and elevations would have been automatically updated. Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 5
Class Agenda Plumbing Basics Using a contract drawing of a Floor Plan for a Sanitary System as our guide, we are going to cover the basics in Plumbing by producing a similar sanitary floor drain system. We will review the advantages in MEP Plumbing, like sloped pipes and automated pipe sizing. Many of the basics in plumbing are the same for piping, so we will not need to review the same information twice. Piping Basics As with plumbing we will use a similar set of plans and sections based on contract documents for guides. We will be designing the Discharge and Suction lines from two pumps, then linking the suction and discharge lines up to two larger diameter pipes. In the process we will be reviewing the pluses and challenges of using piping.
Applying Plumbing and Piping to each other During the plumbing basics and piping basics sections we will review their individual strong points and their weakness. In this section we are going to examine some examples where the strong points of one can help solve design needs of the other.
Review of class material
Questions and Answers
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The Beginners MEP Guidelines for Plumbing and Piping 1 11 1) Always start from the correct template file, never from an old drawing file In order for MEP objects to act like they should, they need the supporting data that is found in the Style Manager and Display Manager. You can open up a 2d or an older AutoCAD drawing file using MEP, but if you do understand that it will have none of the support data found in the Style Manager and Display Manager. MEP Options and Primary Support Data for Piping and Plumbing MEP Options: Located on the pull-down menu Format Options, there are several additional tabs that deal with MEP object only. see MEP Options they handle some routing controls, drafting display, custom elevations and the pathing for the MEP Content Catalogs. see Content
Plumbing and Pipe System Definitions: System Definitions controls what layer the pipe is created on, what abbreviations are used for the labels, what rise drop styles are used for the pipe system, how the pipe is displayed as one line or two, etc, etc it does not control what fittings, connections and type of pipe are being used. These can be edited and new ones can be created see Style Manager Plumbing and Piping Objects
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Plumbing Line Styles and Pipe Part Routing Preferences Pipe Routing Preferences and Plumbing Line Styles directs MEP to look for specific fittings in the content Library, by establishing specific sizes that are attributed to a routing preference. You can use any Pipe Routing Preference with any Pipe System Definition and you can use any Plumbing Line Style with any Plumbing System Definition. see Style Manager Plumbing Line Styles and Pipe Part Routing Preferences
Pipe Routing Part Preferences Plumbing Line Styles
Properties Dialog Box for Plumbing and Piping When you activate either the Add Pipe or Add Plumbing a different Properties Dialog appears for Piping and Plumbing. See Page 8 and Properties Dialog Box for Plumbing and Piping
System Definitions Focuses on drafting standards, layers, etc, etc Line Styles Pipe & Routing Preferences Catalog Content Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 8
Reads the Pipe System Definitions, covered on page 6, also see Style Manager Pipe System Definitions Controls what fittings, pipes and connection types to look for in the catalog content see page 7 and Pipe Routing Preferences Self explanatory however the Elevation lock lets you run pipe from general osnaps without resetting the elevation. For example you can run pipe along a wall with a 6 selecting end points if you have the elevation locked first. Here is where you can set a slope for your pipe run. Heads Up! Some of the equipment that you will start from will have these items nested into the object. Reads the Plumbing System Definitions, covered on page 6, also see Style Manager Plumbing System Definitions Controls what fittings will be used in the plumbing line, however they are 2d not 3d, hence the name Line Styles. see page 7 and Plumbing Line Styles Slope calculator a very powerful tool in laying out any plumbing design. Dont write off Plumbing just because its 2d not 3d. The Slope Calculator and the other automated sizing charts that Plumbing can do are powerful stuff. Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 9
2) Always start piping and plumbing from placed equipment When you are beginning to use MEP it is very easy to miss one of the many dialog box items that you need to operate for plumbing and piping. However since MEP is an object oriented software if you always start piping or plumbing from placed objects equipment to placed equipment, you will maintain a connected system and thats where the time saving attributes of MEP are.
Start routing Piping and Plumbing By holding my mouse over the plus sign Grip I have enabled the Add Pipe command. Notice that the properties dialog box automatically appears. The properties dialog box for piping and plumbing have some minor differences however they each follow in same logic. Each item controls certain aspects of the pipe line. Each of these items are gone over in detail see Style Manager - Plumbing Objects and Piping Objects
Tip Pipe Routing Troubles If youre having difficulties in getting the pipes to work at this point, double check your pipe routing preferences they should all look like this. Pipe Routing Troubles If your pipe routing preferences look like this it means that your catalog content is not being read see Content and Pathing for more information. Look for the MEP Object Grips By selecting any MEP object you will see a different set of grips. If you hold your mouse over each one a text box appears telling you what it is for. In the screen capture below the mouse is held over the plus sign, when I selected it, the Add Pipe command was activated. Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 10
3) Check that the Compass is Enabled To double check if your compass is enabled go to the pull down menu
A: For beginners in MEP software the compass becomes an important key factor in establishing the link between the catalog content and your mouse when using the parametric routing application for plumbing and piping. From purely a beginners technical perspective when it comes to trouble shooting, having the compass enabled will automatically eliminate one of the first mistakes that people make. This is to unwhitingly attempt to force pipe fittings based on angles that are not supported by the catalog content. see 3d Content List of Documents on Line For example, instead of having 150 Ductile Iron Elbows being properly inserted into your pipe line, you might get a bunch of generic elbows populating your ductile iron piping layout all over the place. What happened? The short answer is that one or more of the values that control those specific fittings could not be applied to the routing that you attempted to do. If you did not have the compass enabled you night have mistakenly attempted to put a 42 degree elbow in a piping layout instead of a 45 degree elbow, because Ductile Iron Elbows do not contain 42 degree elbows MEP will give you the option to instead insert a generic elbow instead. From a personal learning view, always having the compass constantly enabled helps the beginner to develop a better understanding of where MEP is drawing the information from. A solid understanding of the functions of MEP will be required to perform the higher tasks in MEP, like producing parametric parts or developing template files and template projects. Acquiring a substantial knowledge base as soon as possible not only for performing more technically advanced tasks but for the day to day tweaking of designs and basic trouble shooting needs.
Check to see that the Enable Compass Box is checked Locate in the pull down menu View Compass Compass Settings Q: What Does the Compass do for me and why should I be concerned about it? Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 11
4) Make sure that the Ortho is turned off When you are routing either piping or plumbing youre drawing fittings from the content library.
Having the Ortho on will only allow you to see the 90 degree options on the compass Having the compass enabled and the ortho off you will be able to see all the options available to you when youre either piping or plumbing. For Piping only! The compass serves as tool to route pipe in the Z Coordinate. Type P in the command prompt and the compass will change orientation. Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 12
5) Make sure that the General Osnaps are turned off When you begin to use MEP you do not want to mistakenly run pipe or plumbing from end point of an object to an end point of another object, or from the center of an object to an end point or center of another object. This will cancel out developing the ability to establish a connected system.
6) Make sure that the MEP Osnaps are turned on Get in the habit early to run pipe and plumbing only from pipe end connector and pipe curve connector MEP Osnaps. This will enable you to create connected systems and allow you to apply the many other features of MEP.
7) Take your time to always look for the MEP Osnaps The MEP Osnaps do not appear quickly, you have to wait and look for them. If you dont you have a greater potential not to properly connect to another MEP object. Remember that piping and plumbing read the same MEP Osnaps.
8) Learn to select any object and then Right Click A large amount of the commands that you can do to any MEP object can be accessed just by selecting that object and Right Clicking it. From walls, slabs, mass elements, pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing lines, MvParts, etc, etc, etc if the object was made using MEP software, you can right click that object and find out what you can and cant do with it. For the example to the right, Ive selected a pipe. Then I right click on it, and all of the commands that are applicable to that object appear. All of the MEP objects have this ability in them. You can right click and see what commands are available for that specific object, from plumbing and pipe fittings to concrete slabs and structural steel members. Piping and Plumbing - All About the Basics in AutoCAD MEP 13
Conclusion AutoCAD MEP software has served Hazen and Sawyer well to help us make the transition from a 2d CAD environment to a 3d Object orientated environment. This transition was not easy and it was not without challenges that we had to face and over come. What this course attempts to do is to summarize and organize the basics of piping and plumbing into clear cut guidelines that are based entirely upon the lessons that were learned from making that transition from a 2d environment to a 3d environment. Relaying on work-around-s dont get projects done. The majority of the modeling effort for any of the 3d projects did not relay on work-around-s. The majority of the modeling relayed on the ability to apply the basics. Gaining a thorough understanding of the basics in MEP, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of piping and plumbing gave us the ability to disseminate the required knowledge base to use MEP quickly to the project team members. Including the larger 3d projects where the team members for those projects were spread out in different offices along the east coast. I hope that this class with the handout and the documents will provide you and your company with the same capabilities that AutoCAD MEP has done for us.
Special thanks to everyone that helped me out in making this class a reality. Sincerely, Phil Nower