Note: detailed informtion about AutoPIPE's interface can be found in the following file installed with AutoPIPE: C:\ Bentley\ AutoPIPE V8i SELECTseries\ apdoc.pdf

INTERFACE:

The AutoPIPE interface is designed to simplify the task of creating, modifying, and reviewing models

of any complexity.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with AutoPIPE’s interface by examining the areas of the screen

annotated below.

Note: the units for any dialog field entry is always located in the lower right hand corner of the application screen, as shown above. If this field is blank, the unit value is dimensionless. The displayed units are dependant upon the specified library located underTools> Model Options> General> Units file name - Input: / Output.

ENTERING DATA INTO DIALOG SCREENS:

One of the main interfaces in AutoPIPE is by entering data into many of the programs dialog screens. These dialog screens are dynamically interactive; meaning that there is a specific order in which the dialog expects data to be entered, this sequence of data / options selected / check boxes may convert subsequent dependent fields to be Greyed-out / Close or become Un-greyed / Open to allow a user to enter data.

The best method for interfacing with any of AutoPIPE's dialog screens is by using the Keyboard "Tab" key.  When a dialog screen appears, press TAB key to progress through the pre-determined sequence of field selection; when on a specific field, enter data as required. This will ensure that the program is getting the correct information in an order to dynamically adjust the dialog based on the selection / check boxes  / data entered.

If you encounter a problem on a dialog, please log a service request using the following procedure.

KEYBOARD EQUIVALENTS:

As you begin creating a model, you’ll soon become familiar with AutoPIPE’s use of dialogs to gather
information from the user. Although the mouse can be used to navigate through the fields of a dialog,
many users prefer the keyboard alternatives. Refer to the table below.

UNDERSTANDING THE ACTIVE POINT:

After defining and inserting a segment, you’ll notice that a small crosshair appears in the drawing area.
This crosshair represents the currently active point. The active point is also displayed in the status area
immediately below the drawing area (see image above).

When placing components, you should remain aware of the active point. After selecting a component
type for insertion, AutoPIPE will automatically assume that you want the starting point of the
component to be inserted at the active point. By default, AutoPIPE will increment the point to the next
value and concatenate this with the letter that defines the current segment. For example, if you are
inserting a run point on Segment A that contains nothing but an anchor point, the Run Point dialog
will contain the value A01 in the Name of Point field.

MODIFICATION OF PIPING GEOMETRY:

It is not necessary for a piping system to be defined completely in a single AutoPIPE session, because
AutoPIPE allows a wide variety of additions, deletions, and changes to be made. In particular:

1. New segments can be added at any time.
2. Previously defined segments can be extended at any time.
3. Existing segments can be modified, or can be deleted and replaced.
4. A complete system, or sections of a system, can be copied within the same job or between
separate jobs with automatic renumbering.
5. Components can be inserted, deleted, or modified at any time.

EXECUTING A COMMAND:

Commands can be executed in one of three ways:

1. .. Click on one of the buttons in a toolbar.

2. .. Select a command from the menu system

3. .. Key-in the command. The hotkey for each command is underlined in the menu system. As an
   example, to insert a bend, simply type I to go into insert mode, then B. The key-in command
   option requires memorization of certain hotkeys, but is an extremely efficient method of input.

See Apdoc.PDF indicated above for more valuable information.

Segments:

The model is divided into Segments which is helpful to identify and select different parts of the model. Typically, a new segment means a new branch. Segments have a direction - learn this. It is critical for insertion of points, and for interpretation of output results. Also, using View/Segment menu, users can turn on and off segments for viewing and making changes to the model. Using the Select Segment icon, users can select by segment.

Segment modeling tips to minimize the total number of segments and facilitate making modifications later.

NOTE: A header, where possible should be coded as one segment.

All branches should be separate unique continuous segments and avoid coding the same segment through the header to the branch or vice-versa.

Unique segments should be coded from Tee to Tee or Equipment anchor to Tee or Anchor to Anchor or Manifold header Start to End.

Avoid junction points i.e. 2 connecting segments in a straight pipe run.

Pipe Identifiers:

A segment can be made up of multiple pipe identifiers where a pipe identifier contains all the properties of the pipe for example; pipe size, schedule, insulation, material etc. Therefore to change a property like pipe material use Modify > properties of pipe identifier. To define completely different properties of a section of the model like new pipe size, use Select > Range (selected points = highlighted RED) then use Modify > Pipe Properties Over Range..., an existing pipe identifier can be selected from the drop-down list or ENTER a new 8 character name.

Inserting An Intermediate Point Or Multiple Points Between Existing Points:

1. Click once on the point either before or after where you want to insert. TC

2. Click the "Pipe Run" icon.

NOTES:

• The Pipe run icon has a field for "Generate Points" (see below). Type the number of intermediate points and length (a default length will be shown e.g. 1 point = midpoint between 2 existing run points) between them if more than 1.
• You can add a single point or multiple points either After (After is default) or Before an existing point. Before and After refers to the segment direction which the model is built.

HINT: Very useful for quickly creating equally spanned support points on a pipe rack.

Changing Offset Lengths:

If you check the box "Apply offset to all following points", it will do exactly that.

For example; if change the offset from 3 to 10 then all downstream points move the same change in offset = 7. If you don't check this option, it "slides" the point without changing the overall length of the system. Try clicking on a run point and changing offsets both ways to see for yourself. See screen below:

HINT: This function is also available from the right click menu in the Point Input grid.

Zoom:

The fastest way to zoom is to create a box window by holding down left mouse key and dragging over the area to be zoomed, then right mouse click once to zoom. This is way faster than having to click on the zoom icon each time.

NOTES:

• Use dynamic zoom by right mouse click once to change the cursor from Pan (hand) to Zoom (magnifying glass) to Rotate. Also use the mouse scroll wheel for fast dynamic zoom on the mouse cursor.
• Also Zoom topic above. Like CAD - 4 or 2 or 1 viewport can have different zoom settings which are saved when the model is closed. So when model is opened again - screen settings are at the same location as when the session was closed.

Navigating:

For navigating on the graphics model itself to go from point to point, use mouse clicks or use the arrow keys to navigate through the model. Arrow keys are often faster than mouse clicking. For dialog screens, use the tab key to progress to the next field, Shift Tab to go back to a previous field, or mouse click to go to any desired field. To close a dialog, it's usually faster to press the Enter key instead of mouse clicking the OK box.

To Check Model Connectivity:

Use the left and right keyboard arrow keys to move the cursor along the pipe from point to point. If the cursor stops but looks like more piping then use the up/down arrow keys to ‘jump' to the next segment (segment name changes at bottom right corner) while the point name stays the same. If the cursor does not jump to the next segment then this point is a ‘free' end point and disconnected from the remaining model. At a tee point use the up/down arrow keys to ‘jump' to the branch or header segment - the tee arrows will highlight red to indicate whether the cursor is on the branch or header side.

NOTE: A tee point may have 2 or 3 segments intersecting it.

HINT: Use AutoPIPE's V8i new Connectivity Checker, which will scan the model and check for points within a node tolerance that are not connected along a segment.

In addtion, AutoPIPE V8i 9.4 and higher added a new feature under Select> Connected Segments

See Online help for details on this feature.

Selection Sets:

Not available in other Pipe Stress programs. Just as with Microsoft Word or other windows applications, you first ‘select' what needs to be modified, then they modify it. Modifications are the same in AutoPIPE. With AutoPIPE, there a number of ways to select ranges: click on one end, then hold shift key down and click on the other end.

• The Select Segment tool allows you to select by segment
• The Select menu allows you to select by component (for example, select only flange points, or flex joints).
• Select single points using the Ctrl key.

Selection sets can also be used for inserting or deleting across ranges of points or components.

Examples:

Paste across ranges, insert or delete supports across range, insert User SIF for all bends or Tees, Insert soil or distributed loads across range or modify temperature & pressure for range. Selection sets are very important in using AutoPIPE.

HINT: If you don't understand selection sets, you're not efficiently using AutoPIPE.

• Use the Shift key to select multiple, continous points.

• Use the CTRL key to select multiple, non-continous points:

• AutoPIPE allows you to select Ranges or Component Groups and apply Loads, Supports, Soil, and many kinds of data to those selections, instead of having to simply modify one element at a time.

View Color Plot or Other Information on the Model Graphics....

AutoPIPE V8i 9.4 and Lower:

AutoPIPE enables users to graphically view the model by Pipe diameter, schedule, wall thickness, pipe material, Pipe identifier, etc. There is also the option to filter using Boolean logic (e.g view all 6" and schedule 40 pipe in the model). Check this feature out as it is very useful for checking and verifying input.

1. Select View > Show > Pipe Properites ...
2. Specify the pipe criteria.
3. The viewport is given a legend with the pipes displayed.

AutoPIPE V8i 9.5 and higher

The new feature enables the user view a color plot or pop-up information in a multitude of different styles:

Properties:Point Names, Beam Names, Point Symbol, Length, Support Tag

Components:Valve, Flange, Tee

Xtra Data:Weight, Concentrated Forces, Imposed Displacements, Thermal Anchor Movements, Joint Type, User Weld Efficiency Factor, Point Static Earth Quake Factor, Reference Point, Gross Discontinuity [available ASME NB code only]

Color Plot:Design Temperature [available ASME NB/NC/ND codes only], Design Pressure [available ASME NB/NC/ND codes only], Operating Temperature, Operating Pressure, Delta T1 [available ASME NB code only], Delta T2 [available ASME NB code only], Hydrodynamic Data, Member Static Earth Quake Factor, Pipes with Rigid Options, Soil Properties, Pipe Insulation, Center of Gravity, Segments

Pipe Properties:Pipe Identifier, Material, Schedule, Nominal Diameter, Actual OD, Thickness, Corrosion, Insulation Thickness, Clad Thickness, Filter Pipe Properties

Show Connected Segments:Select this TAB to toggle on/off the display of all or individual segment groups.

Attention: see online help for details on this feature.

Point Properties/Global Coordinates Tool:

1. Select any point of interest.
2. Click the View> Point Properites> Global Coordinates tool (Shortcut Key: F3)
3. The Point Properites dialog appears. This dialog is dyanamically updated if a different point is selected in the main window.

Try it, it's useful to check pipe properties, temperatures/pressures, and global coordinates on a given point. By clicking on different points, this screen stays up, and users can quickly check their model.

 Keyboard Hot Keys - Very Useful & FAST!!!

AutoPIPE's menus have one letter underlined. The Insert menu, for example is probably, the most useful. By typing I then R you insert a run, I > B = insert bend, I > V = insert valve. After inputting your data, it's always faster pressing the Enter key instead of clicking OK.

Another useful hot key is Ctrl T to graphically view temperatures.

Modifying A Point Where There Exists Multiple Components

Even a support point has both a run point and a support at the same point. First, left mouse click once on the point you want to modify to make it the ‘active' point. Next, right mouse click on the toolbar icon button of the component you wish to modify. For example, if you want to modify run point location to "slide" the support location, right mouse click over pipe run toolbar icon to change offsets. To modify a support, right mouse click over the toolbar support icon. Alternatively, to modify supports, double-click on the end of the support symbol itself on the graphics model.

NOTES:

• If 2 or more supports at one point then if it is difficult to double click on the support then click on the point then use Ctrl + Q (clear all selected points), use modify/support and a drop down list will appear with all the supports at the current point. Alternatively modify the support using the support grid.
• Similarly to delete a component, click on it to highlight RED then press the Delete key or click on the delete toolbar icon

Save And Reuse Common Piping And Support Configurations Between Jobs

Use AutoPIPE's graphical copy/paste capabilities to store commonly used pipe configurations (pump stations for different services, for example, or common vessel configurations) or complicated expansion joints or commonly used support structures using AutoPIPE's beam/frame elements. Just copy & paste from one job to another.

NOTE: The models must be in the same directory. Open 2 side by side sessions of AutoPIPE then copy/paste from one model to the other OR into the same model.

This is one of the most powerful features in AutoPIPE.

Define all the pipe identifiers for a project for the different pipe sizes, insulation, corrosion and material in one template model then use this to start a new model using already the already pre-defined pipe properties. Do not have to redefine these pipe properties again saving time and mistakes.

Using Copy/paste + Move command are powerful tools to template and recreate similar identical plant configurations from one project to the next.

Working on Large Models - Filter nodes for viewing

Avoid time in finding and scrolling through lots of data for large models. Use the View > Segment command (Pre V8i) to select and isolate a few segments to work on, troubleshoot and/or display results for.

NOTE: View > Segments or View > Show all components will display all segments again

Isolate and Show On-screen results for Segment B only

V8i Edition or later use new one-click toolbar icons to show/hide selected or unselected Segment Grids. Isolate segments for editing and viewing results in large models.

Use Tee Grid as SIF Calculator

What Tee types will give a satisfactory stress? - Use Tee Grid as SIF calculator to make a quick check.

Renumbering of Point Names

Renumber either by Segment or across the complete model using following menu (Toolbar icon also available):

1. Select Edit > Renumber > Segment... to renumber a single Segment

   or

   Edit > Renumber > All Points to renumber the entire model

2. If Segments was selected, a dialog appears for selecting which segment to be renumbered.
3. Enter a pre-defined segment and then click Select.
4. Click Finish

To change the point numbering options:

1. Select Tools > Model Options > Edit. The Edit Model Options dialog appears.

2. For the Default point name format, select either Alphanumeric or Numeric.

   NOTE: Alphanumeric is automatically by segment name (e.g. A00, A01, etc. for Segment A). This can be easier to identify different parts of the model later.

3. Select the Replace all point names on renumber option if you want manually entered point names (e.g. PS01) to be renumbered as well.
4. Click OK

HINT: Use renumbering when lots of intermediate points are inserted into the model so numbering becomes sequential again.

See Also

Bentley AutoPIPE

External Links

Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase

Bentley LEARN Server

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