AutoPIPE

AutoPIPE Wiki 07. When importing a PCF file, all the pipe sizes are very large or small in AutoPIPE, why and how to resolve?

07. When importing a PCF file, all the pipe sizes are very large or small in AutoPIPE, why and how to resolve?

	Applies To
	Product(s):	AutoPIPE
	Version(s):	ALL
	Area:	Import
	Original Author:	Bentley Technical Support Group
	Date Logged & Current Version	April. 2015 09.06.01.11

Problem:

When importing a PCF file, the single line view looks ok, but actually all the pipe sizes are very large, how to resolve?

Imported file with Large pipe sizes:

Imported file with Small pipe sizes:

Solution:

The application use to create the PCF file did not write the correct information. As a clear indicator of an issue, look at a component like a valve. Notice that the valve length imported (ex. 242 inches long) was excessively large when compared to the pipe size (ex. 8 inches) :

Why?

Start by looking at the actual PCF file that was imported. To do this first find the AutoPIPE coordinates of the component node points of interest (ex. 218).

Next open the PCF file in any text editor (i.e. Notepad, UltraEdit, MS Word...)

Search for the coordinate location (note Endpoint line format is actually the 3 Coordinate locations (i.e. Dz, Dx, Dy) and Pipe size).

Once the component has been located in the PCF file, subtract the 2 end points coordinates to get a distance (ex. valve length = 242 in). Notice the pipe size at the end of each END-POINT line(ex. valve pipe size = 8 in).

See manufacture data on this component, which value was correct / incorrect; Valve Length or Valve Size? in this example, valve length was found to be incorrect, there are many 8 inch pipe valves manufactured, just not many valves are 17 feet long.

Use one or more of the following suggested avoidance:

Avoidance Option #1:

Open the original application used to create the PCF file and make the necessary adjustments to correctly export a files with BORE size and Coordinate location using the same unit system. Both Bore and Coordinates are exported as English or Metric Units.

Avoidance Option #2: Imported Model with Large pipe sizes

The application use to create the PCF file did not write the correct units. Example, open the PCF file in any text editor (i.e. Notepad, UltraEdit, ...). See the following component pipe size was found to be 25:

Note: Endpoint line format is actually the 3 coordinate locations (i.e. Dz, Dx, Dy) and pipe size. Units can only be mm or inches, but not both (i.e. coordinated and pipe size must be using the same form of units English or Metric not English coordinates and Metric Pipe).

The units are found at the beginning of the PCF file:

In this example, the units were found to be INCH. This created a pipe size 25.4x larger than the pipe should have been. To fix this issue, change "UNITS-BORE INCH" to "UNITS-BORE MM".

Avoidance Option #3: Imported Model with Small pipe sizes:

PCF Translator has the ability to handle Mix of Metric and English unit system provided that units are specified correctly in PCF Header. But in this example the PCF file, unit was not written correctly for coordinates.

Original PCF file with incorrect unit format:

As one can see, both units of BORE and CO-ORDS were set to INCH. recommend the following changes:

a. Open the PCF file in any text editor (ex. NotePad++, UltraEdit, MS Word).

b. Find and change "UNITS-CO-ORDS INCH" to "UNITS-CO-RDS MM", as shown below:

c. save the PCF to a new file name and now try an import it.

Now with the unit of CO-ORDS changed from INCH to MM the model would now be imported correctly, shown below:

Open the original application used to create the PCF file and make the necessary adjustments to correctly export a files with BORE size and Coordinate location using the same unit system. In this case, the entire model was scaled down by 25.4 thus producing the correct coordinates to be exported to the PCF file.