AutoPIPE is available in the following editions: Standard, Advanced (PLUS), and Nuclear.
The following AutoPIPE help page provides a table which illustrates the different capabilities of these 3 AutoPIPE editions:
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Bentley AutoPIPE> Getting Started> AutoPIPE V8i Standard vs Advanced vs Nuclear.
Be sure to review the information links at the bottom of this page:
See Also:
Limits of Standard vs Advanced vs Nuclear
Piping Codes by Program Editions
Note:
1. If a model was created by an AutoPIPE edition (i.e. Nuclear) that used feature specific to that editions (i.e Piping code = ASME NB) and was later opened by a version that did not have the same capabilities. Some settings would be automatically changed and would need to be manually changed by the user. Review the following for a complete list of changes made by the program or required before analyzing the model:
1. systemname.CHK file - this file is automatically displayed by AutoPIPE Report viewer after the model has been opened. Or, see the current model folder location. This file that can be opened with any word editing software (i.e. MS Word, NotePAD, etc..)
2. Tools> Model Consistency Check report. reduce the number of errors and warnings to as few as possible.
3. Tools> Design Check, reduce the number of errors and warnings to as few as possible.
2. If a model was created in a lower edition (ex. Standard) and opened in a higher AutoPIPE edition (ex. Advanced). Nothing will changed in the model as each higher level of edition contains all the features of the lower level(s). Example, AutoPIPE Standard model with 5 Static earthquake cases was opened in AutoPIPE Advanced or Nuclear. No changes are made to the model as both Advanced and Nuclear edition supports up to 10 static earthquake cases. To reinforce Note #1, if an Advanced model with 10 static earthquake cases was opened in a AutoPIPE Standard, static earthquake cases 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10 would be automatically deleted from the model.
3. See WIKI here for a complete list of AutoPIPE versions released to the public:
Any version of AutoPIPE can and will open any DAT file created by the program. However, there are rules:
Only open a model DAT file created by the current version or higher
(Example: if a model DAT file was crated in AutoPIPE 2004 v. 8.6, that file can be safely opened in v8.6 or higher version number (ex. V9.4).
DO NOT open a model created by a newer version in an older version without using the File> Save AS command in the new version.
(Example: if using AutoPIPE V8i 9.4.1.5, and the model was save using the File> Save commend, DO NOT open it in any version of the program lower than v.9.4.1.5. The correct procedure; with the model open in the higher version, use File> Save As command> Select the version that will open the model i.e. 9.0; this will automatically append “_V90” to the file name alerting you to the fact the file was correctly saved from a newer release of the program to an older file structure.
Note: AutoPIPE is a unique application in that it is backwards compatible to all previous versions of the program. Another words, one can us the File>Save-as command to save a model generated by the newest version into each previous version file format. Thus making AutoPIPE truly a unique application, very few modern application can say the same.
If Rule #2 was broken, when opening a model created by a newer version (ex.v09.04) in an older version (ex. v09.00) the following will appear:
---------------------------
Confirm
---------------------------
Model was first created in : 09.00.00.05
Model was last modified in : 09.04.01.05
Current product version : 09.00.00.08
The model you are about to open was last modified in a newer version of the product and may not be compatible with the current version. You should contact Bentley`s technical support for compatibility information on this model before opening it. Saving or analyzing the model in the current version may result in the loss or corruption of the model data.
Do you want to continue with opening this model?
---------------------------
Yes No Cancel
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Note: AutoPIPE v.12.0 and higher no longer allows directly opening a file generated by a higher version. The Yes and No options mentioned in the message have been removed. See Options below for workaround.
Selecting “Yes”
button WILL corrupt the model the very moment the model is displayed on the screen. There is no fixing a corrupted model.
Selecting “No”
button will close the model without opening (recommend)
Selecting “Cancel”
button stops the open command.
Options: (choose an option below)
#1: Download and install the correct version of AutoPIPE required to open a given model as noted by message above (ex. 09.04.01.05 or higher).
#2: Some one with a version equal or higher than mentioned by message could open the model and use the File> Save As feature to save back to a version that you are able to open.
#3: Exception to Rule #3, typically model can be opened by same family versions, (i.e same first 2 numbers), but still recommend using the File> Save-as command from the higher version. (Example: model was created in 9.1.1.5, not recommended, but can open with 9.1.1.2. The warning above will still appear but is acceptable.
1. Once a file is corrupted, typically there is but one option to help repair it / recover as much information as possible, Round Trip the model using procedure here.
1. Read all PDF files located under: (see related version below):
***Some of the files mentioned in these PDF documents below are loaded with:
Note:
1. The aforementioned documents can be accessed from inside of AutoPIPE on the Help Ribbon
2. Some of the documents that were available in the previous versions been relocated to the Bentley Learn Server.
3. More PDF can only be accessed after AutoPIPE has been opened.
With AutoPIPE open, select Help> Contents> Contents Tab> Supplemental Documentation> select the document "Supplemental Documentation" scroll down the document to see a following list of PDF files available:
Note:
1. Some of the documents that were available in the previous versions been relocated to the Bentley Learn Server.
2. More PDF can only be accessed after AutoPIPE has been opened.
With AutoPIPE open, select Help> Contents> Contents Tab> Supplemental Documentation> select the document "Supplemental Documentation" scroll down the document to see a following list of PDF files available:
Added in V11.00.00.22:
a. AUTOPIPE NEW FEATURES & ENHANCEMENTS [V9.61 TO V6.20].pdf
b. AutoPIPE Quick Reference.pdf
c. AutoPIPE_ASME_NB_Example.pdf
d. AUTOPIPE_CAESAR_Benchmarka.pdf
e. AutoPIPE_MSRS_Example1.pdf
f. Autopipe_new_user_tips_12.pdf
g. AutoPIPE_Tutorial.pdf
h. C2_AP_settings.pdf
i. Caesar_autopipe_Translation_5.pdf
j. Hot_Clash_tutorial.pdf
k. Hydrotest Tutorial_rev_6.pdf
m. Non_Linear_Load_Sequencing.pdf
n. PIPELINK_tutorial.pdf
o. ProjectWise Integration.pdf
p. Quickstart_AutoPIPE.pdf
q. StressISO_Troubleshooting.pdf
r. Tutorial - Import Coordinates from Excel to AutoPIPE.pdf
s. Tutorial - ISO 14692 FRP.pdf
t. Tutorial - Ring Main Wizard.pdf
u. Tutorial - Soil Overburden and Seismic Wave Propagation in AutoPIPE.pdf
v. Tutorial-ASME_B311_With_HDPE.pdf
w. Tutorial-ASME_ND_With_HDPE.pdf
x. Tutorial-DNV-OS-F101-2012.pdf
a. apdoc.pdf - AutoPIPE manual,
b. Load_Sequencing.pdf- Understanding how combinations are combined
c. ProjectWise Integration.pdf
d. AutoPIPE Quick Reference.pdf - 1 page cheat sheet
e. Quickstart_AutoPIPE.pdf - how to download and install the application
f. StressISO_Troubleshooting.pdf
2. See typical modeling approaches; Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Modeling Approaches> Modeling Approaches>
3. Example systems:
a. Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Modeling Approaches> Example Systems>
The Example Systems provided in this chapter include the following:
Pipe-Soil Interaction: Transition Example
Water Hammer Example
Steam Relief Example
Harmonic Analysis Example
b. Additional examples:
AutoPIPE CONNECT 10.00.xx.xx and higher - C:\ProgramData\Bentley\AutoPIPE CONNECT\Examples\
AutoPIPE V8i 09.06.xx.xx - C:\Bentley\AutoPIPE V8i SELECTseries\Example\
AutoPIPE V8i 09.05.xx.xx and lower - C:\Bentley\AutoPIPE V8i SELECTseries\example
4. Review each option under menu option Help:
a. Help Desk - help manual
b. Toolbar - info on AutoPIPE toolbars
c. Tutorial - How to videos
d. Work book - modeling approaches and example systems
e. AutoPIPE News - RSS news feed about AutoPIPE release dates and free classes
f. On-line Resources - Various web links related to AutoPIPE.
e. About - Application version
5. AutoPIPE FAQ
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Bentley AutoPIPE> Frequently Asked Questions> FAQ document>
6. Search the Bentley Be communities:
See the following Bentley Communities web page here:
Place your cursor in the Search Field and type "AutoPIPE (additional catch words) ", and press enter to see a list of entries that match your search criteria. Filter the results to just those items of interest, (i.e. forums, WIKI, etc..)
7. Bentley Learn server here for both live and on-demand learning opportunities for the following learning paths:
Note: When launching an OnDemand Lecture, API not set! Error pops up, click here to fix.
1. Open the model in AutoPIPE and run Coincident node (suggest tolerance = .25 inches), see AutoPIPE help for details.
2. Run AutoPIPE command "Model Consistency" Check. In a moment a report will appear, try and reduce the number of warnings to 0. The goal is to see the following message when using this command:
---------------------------
Note
---------------------------
N723-25: No error detected during consistency check
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
However there are some modeling situations that will always display a warning. Again, try and keep these warnings to the bare minimum.
Note: See WIKI here to known warning meaning and fixes.
3. Run AutoPIPE command "Design Check". In just a moment a report will appear, try and reduce the number of warnings to 0. The goal is to see the following message when using this command:
---------------------------
Note
---------------------------
N2182-22: No errors detected during design check.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
However there are some modeling situations that will always display a warning. Again, try and keep these warnings to the bare minimum.
4. Use the power of the Input grids to review the model
a. With AutoPIPE open, at any time select Tools> Settings> Grids> suggest that "Show input grid tabs with no data" be disabled (unchecked).
b. Open a model, and make the model input grids visible
c. Select the left most tab (i.e. Press/Temp/PipeID)
d. Just scan the data looking for inconsistencies
e. Move to the next tab on the right, Pipe Properties, and perform the same function of scanning the data. If you had taken the training class you would already know that any column can be reordered by increasing/decreasing values by double clicking on the column header. Spot check the pipe id in the model by selecting a Pipe property row. This will highlight only this PipeID in the model Red, clearly showing where it is being used. Be sure all of the pipe properties are correctly configured
f. Continue with each tab in the input grid that has data, just scan the information looking for similarities or inconsistencies. Fix issues as needed.
5. Use the View> Show command
Under View> Show there are a variety of commands to display model data in different ways. Recommend reviewing all, but at a minimum use:
6. Confirm segments are connected together.
AutoPIPE 9.4 and higher has a command to select connected groups of pipe segments (Select> Connected segments>). This is a great tool to confirm if all segments are connected or if a model has a separate piping system / group when everything was thought to be connected.
7. Check to see if unintentional items are hidden from view.
a. View> Hide components
b. Segment tab of the input grid, confirm all segments have "Show" checked ON (unless intentionally hiding a segment)
c. May need to change from Solid model View to Wire Frame or Single line mode to see if an item was hidden.
8. Before performing an analysis, delete all unused items:
Select Delete>
9. Before performing an analysis, review all model settings, typically :
10. Static Analysis sets:
Open Static Analysis Sets> review each analysis set is correctly set up. Remove analysis set with no load cases configured.
11. Dynamic Analysis:
Open Dynamic Analysis> review each tab to be sure each is correctly configured.
12. Analyze the model: use "Analyze All" command.
13. Review combinations: use "Combination" command check both code and non-code combinations. In addition, review Combination Option settings.
14. Review the data:
A. Generate a complete Model input listing report (all sub reports moved to right column or checked ON).
b. Generate a complete Results output report (all sub reports moved to right column or checked ON). Including Model Listing checked ON.
Scan the output report looking for points that have failed code stress requirements (marked with a "**" at the end of the row). In addition, pay special attention to reviewing the following section in greater detail:
i. Model listing
ii. Stress Summary
iii. Result summary
iv. Analysis summary
15. Using the powerful features of the Results grids to interpret the data.
Example:
A. On the Code stress tab, with all combinations turned on, review the Ratio column (double left mouse click the word "Ratio" to put the column in order of increasing value, repeat the double click to put the column in order of descending values. Evaluate your company's project specifications to know what ratio of allowable values are deemed over stress. Typically anything higher that ration = 1.00 would be considered over stress. Some companies have standards in places that anything over 0.75% is considered unacceptable.
If some node point(s) are over stress, you as the Pipe Stress Engineer must determine the corrective course of action to lower the stress below company established acceptable values. Due to liability lawsuits Bentley Technical Support are not able to make design decisions.
Suggestions for corrective actions:
i. Install / Remove anchor(s)
ii. Install / Remove support(s) (i.e. Rigid or Spring)
iii. Material Properties
iv. Modifications to General Model Options, Results Model Options, and / or Edit Model Option.
v. Install / remove expansion loops / flexible joints
vi. Change Anchor / Support settings.
vii. Contract a Professional Pipe Stress Engineering company to conduct a review of your model and results.
viii. etc...
B. On the Code stress tab, shut off all combinations except for a selected combination, thus seeing how each combination has stressed the model in a color plot of Stress per combination.
C. If a specific combination is causing a model to fail at a point, review each individual load case of the combination to see what is the major contributing factor (caution: the model may have concentrated forces associated with a specific load case causing the failure, review the entire model construction to understand how this may affect your results).
16. Animate load cases
In order to understand stresses in a piping system, it is beneficial to understand how the system is responding to different loading conditions. Using AutoPIPE, the user can actually watch an overly exaggerated animation of the system's displacements per load case thus helping to understand why a particular section of a seemingly symmetrical model is under more stress than another part of the piping system. Command: Results> Displacements or Mode Shapes> Enable "Animate load case " option.
17. At the end before closing the model
a. Compact the model, Tools> Model compaction
b. Archive the model, File> Model Management> Save Archive
If all the steps above are completed, AutoPIPE will analyze the system with the appropriate calculations based on the model settings, applied load, and piping arrangement per the Code / Non-code combinations created within the model.
AutoPIPE's output reports includes but are not limited to the following:
Pipe displacements
Pipe forces and moments
Beam displacements
Beam forces and moments
Anchor forces
Support forces
Note: See the following AutoPIPE Help location to explains how to interpret these results. (eg, +/- Force, local pipe direction, etc..)
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Reference Information> Results Interpretations> select document, (ex: Pipe Forces and Moments)
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help ribbon> Contents button> Contents Tab> Reference Information> review all sub sections
Examples:
What materials are in ASME B31.3 2018 code?
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help ribbon> Contents button> Contents Tab> Reference Information> Libraries> Code Dependent Pipe Materials> B313-2018
How are code calculations performed?
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help ribbon> Contents button> Contents Tab> Reference Information> Code Compliance Calculations>
Understanding Results reports
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help ribbon> Contents button> Contents Tab> Reference Information> Results Interpretation>
etc...
No results in output report (blank)
Please follow these instructions:
1. Start AutoPIPE.
2. Open a model
3. Analyze the model
4. Select Results> output report>UNCHECK (turn off) both:
____"Limit results to highlighted points"
____"Apply Filter Criteria (Result/Filter)"
Check ON: all options but above 2 items.
Press OK button.
5. Report should be displayed for review.
If report is still blank, select Loads> Static Analysis sets> confirm 1 or more analysis sets are set to be analyzed with at least one load case in each set enabled (checked ON). In addition, under Tools> Combinations> code & non-code comb. tab, confirm load case combinations are being generated and have "Print" option enabled (checked ON). Repeat above steps 1-5.
For additional information, see WIKI here.
A number of permanent and temporary files may be produced while working in AutoPIPE. All file names conform to Windows file naming convention. These files are created both in the current working and the program directory. This section lists each of these files (sorted by file name, and file extension), and gives a brief description of their purpose. The name used for most of the database related files is the model’s file name, with an unique file extension dependent on the purpose of that file. All files can be grouped into two general categories: formatted, and unformatted. This distinction is described below.
Please see the following AutoPIPE help section:
Help > Contents> Contents Tab> Bentley AutoPIPE> File Reference> File Management Overview
Select additional document in this section for details on the files described above.
Piping and Vessel Design and Analysis Software Product Page
New feature for AutoPIPE, see Release notes and Readme Files
Available upcoming training schedule (LEARNserver - Training Programs and Communities)