AutoCAD Plant 3D (English)

In User Interface chapter you will know: how to start the software for the first time, recognize Plant 3D user interface, the different kinds of workspaces and how to select the appropriate one, tools at application menu, recognize the ribbon and how it changes according to the selected workspace, the properties palette and how can we use it to access to view, section, component and line data, data table which contains components and lines data and how we can manage them using data manager, the Spec Viewer that helps you place parts in a model, or build tool palettes from a particular spec.

After software installation, three icons will be created

First icon for AutoCAD Plant 3D, second one for Report Creator, the third for Spec Editor

Hit AutoCAD Plant 3D icon twice to open the software

Starting with user interface, there are three sections

Learn, Create and Get Started

Learn: Autodesk provides some tutorials for all AutoCAD apps and other articles on Autodesk community to get more knowledge about the software

Create is a tool to help you starting your own project from the beginning or continue working on a recent project as well

And there’s a Notifications regarding license issue and some Tips to help you proceed working on the project

Connect for work team, to participate and review projects after logging on Autodesk 360 cloud

Get Started: Tips for how you start your own project

Be aware that “connect, tutorials and notifications need Internet connection”

Let’s focus on project user interface

First I create new project

Workspace to select which Standard will be used in your project, you can select what you need while you installing the software. I chose [Pip/ Iso/ Isa/ Din/ JIS-ISO]

Also, we have default workspaces [3D Piping / Drafting & Annotation

3D Basics / 3D Modeling] 

There are tools and windows for each workspace which appear when you select it

Application Menu: which can be shown when you hit the application button at the left top portion with A icon 

The menu has the following commands  

New to create drawing, template, and standard in case you create a single one or the Project Manager wouldn’t be use 

Open to continue working on a recent drawing or sheet saved on your PC or uploaded on the Cloud  

Also, you can open one of the Sample files which can be installed or downloaded from Autodesk Site

To convert DWG drawing use DWG Convert tool

There are more commands appear when you activate a project 

Save and Save As to store the project on your PC or Cloud if you don’t use Project manager

If you need to open the drawing by a different software use Export command. The file can be exported with many extensions [DWF, PDF, Microstation DGN, FBX files for 3D Studio]

Publish to upload the project on Cloud

etransmit to compress your project to one file

If you need to send a copy to your co-worker use email

And for hard copy of a project use Print

Drawing Utilities to know more info about the project, such as: location, designer, units, scale and angles

Audit: review drawings to fix the errors

Purge: remove unused layers to decrease the project size

If you have experience an unexpected closing, you can recover the project using Drawing Recovery Manager

The Major tools of AutoCAD Plant 3D will be found on the Ribbon, at the upper portion which changes according to the selected workspace

Ribbon has several tabs, each tab has a different name and tools. You can show or hide tabs as needed or even change location to work on, then relocate the tab again on the Ribbon

3D Piping Home Tab for Pipes modeling which related to 3D Piping workspace

HOME tab consists Project panel regarding commands and tools to speed working on your own project

DATA MANAGER for Specs

And other design tools as [Part Insertion / Ortho Views / Elevation & Routing

Pipe Supports / Equipment] 

Visibility and View for visual configuration

Layers for drawing lines

Isos tab to create isometric

Structure Tab has tools for steel works

And all previous tools related to 3D Piping workspace

When you need a quick access to view, section, component and line data, use the properties palette. Selecting a pipe section in the drawing, we can know more about Color/ style/ and type of layers, diameter/ pressure class/ service of Pipe section, annotation and material, and all data associated with the pipe section

Also, you can change the data of this section such as a pipe specification, an insulation type or thickness, and so on

Selecting a Pump in the drawing, you can access to the Assign Tag dialog box

If you can’t find the Properties palette, type PROPERTIES [PR] in the Command prompt then hit enter, or Right-clicking an item in the drawing area and clicking Properties

Properties palette appears, if I hit the Auto-hide icon, Palette will be hidden

Hover the mouse over the palette to display

You can change location by right-clicking the title bar and selecting Right or Left

Also you can control palette transparency, by adjust the percentage and click OK

When you place components and lines in your P&ID drawings, each component contains data that links to the Data Manager.

The Project Manager provides access to the Data Manager

You use a tree in the Data Manager to filter and view data, and to generate reports.

You can export data and reports that contain P&ID and Plant 3D data, and export to Microsoft® Excel® or comma-separated value (CSV).

You can zoom directly to a plant object from its record in the Data Manager Data table.

While the Spec Editor is used to develop which parts are included in a specification, the Spec Viewer is a tool that helps you place parts in a model, or build tool palettes from a particular spec.

The Spec Viewer uses spec files to control part size, selection, and routing priorities.

Using the Spec Viewer to add parts to a drawing or build palettes is an easy way to get your most commonly used parts available for use

Make sure the 3D Piping workspace is set current.

From the ribbon, Home tab, Part Insertion panel, click Spec Viewer.

Dialog appears, with three sections, Spec List to open desired catalog, Spec Sheet to specify which part will be added, Part Sizes for adding parts to a 3D model, or build tool palettes.

In the Spec list, once you've picked CS300 spec file, you can view Spec Sheets, there are groups with size range and description for each part.

I select section Pipe with size range [min ½” to max 24”] diameter, for the part sizes, you'll see a list.

You can Scroll down and pick the desired size, then click Insert to Model if you want to add the part in the drawing, or select Add to Tool Palette if you want to include other parts from the spec. 

But if you want to keep this spec available at all times, use Create Tool Palette. 

In this chapter you will know: how to work on your project using the Project Manager which contains tools that help you to create, open and add drawings, and perform other tasks, add and control of the project using Project Setup, add extra details for drawing using File Name Format.

Working in a project environment ensures that you and co-workers are all working with the same drawing files and templates.

Once your project environment is set up, you can use the Project Manager to organize the drawings in your project.

You can open, add, and create drawings.

You also perform other tasks such as exporting and importing data, creating project reports, including referenced drawings (xrefs), and copying files to the project folders.

The Project Manager contains three tabs; the Source Files tab, the Orthographic DWG tab, and the Isometric DWG tab.

From the palette, select the Sample Project under the Current Project tool to set it as the current project. 

If you have a drawing open from another project, you may see a warning telling you to close the project. 

Select OK to continue. 

In the Project Manager, expand the P&ID drawings section until you see drawing 1-A1-1001. 

To open the file, double-click it. 

This opens the drawing immediately. 

Return to the Project Manager, and right-click the 1-PE-001 drawing in the Plant 3D drawing section. 

Two options appear: Open and Open - Read Only. 

If the Open option is available, that means that no one else is editing the drawing. 

Only one person at a time can be actively working in a drawing, and whoever opens it first has control over the file. 

If a file is already opened, you can select Open - Read Only. 

This lets you open the file, but not save any changes. 

Click the X in the upper right corner of the drawing window to close each file. 

To create a new project, from Project Manager, select the New Project under the Current Project.

The Project Setup Wizard window appears, enter project information and any extra description into the boxes.

Either select the default database, or select an SQL Express server database.

If you want the current project to have the same folder structure as an existing one, select the Copy Settings from existing Project check box and specify the location of the existing project. Click Next.

Specify whether the project is Imperial or Metric. Click Next.

Enter the path for P&ID drawings and select the standard for P&ID tool palette content. Click Next.

Enter the paths for Models, Spec sheets, Ortho, spreadsheets, and Word documents. Click Next.

Either select the default database, or select an SQL Express server database. Click Next.

If you want to change the default project settings, select the check box labeled Edit additional Project setting after creating project. Click Finish.

The project is created.

To Create a P&ID Drawing, In the Project Manager tree view, right-click the P&ID Drawings, click New Drawing. In the File Name box, enter a name. Also, you can change DWG template by clicking this button. Click OK.

The drawing is created.

When you need to add description and number for the project, find or change the file location paths, and select which tool will be displayed when the project is opened, use Project Setup under the Project Manager.

The Project Setup dialog appears, under General Settings, activate Project Details.

Notice that, project name can’t be edited, you can enter project description and number.

You can control prompting of work history.

Find or change file locations.

Enter properties for the selected category as project and client info. Press Add button to create Design Category, then hit Add Row to create three rows for [Name / Review Date / Area]. Use Delete button for removing unnecessary category or row.

To assign which tool palette will be displayed after opening the project in PID or P3D, use the dropdown menu for each.

To add specific details for a new drawing such as Area, Discipline, Number, and Equipment Type, use File Name Format.

From the Ribbon, Home tab, Project panel, Project Manager, Project Setup. Click File Name Format.

To start creating new fields, on the File Name Format pane, click Add button.

Under Name, enter Area. This name appears as the label for an entry box in the New DWG dialog box.

Under Type, click the drop-down list to select String indicated to text.

Under Length, click the drop-down list to select 3. This number means the required number of characters to be entered into the box.

Click Add again to create new format which will be Discipline

And one more time for Number.

For removing, use False Sign button.

When finished, click Apply.

From Project Manager, click New Drawing.

New DWG dialog appears with a new configuration.

If you need to use the default file name format, click the Override checkbox, the new properties will be disabled.

In this chapter you will know: more about P&ID Symbology, work on P&ID PIP workspace and tools to create P&ID drawings, access to the Color scheme, add equipment, what’s Schematic diagram and how to use AutoCAD plant 3d to draw it, access to the Schematic Line tool for connecting equipment with piping and instrumentation lines, control and change component type, add Valves, annotate equipment and lines.

In this chapter, we’re going to work on PLANT 3D – TRAINING project, which will be found in Downloadable Resources.

From the project list under Current Project, select the project.

Expand P&ID Drawings, right-clicking the AREA-A folder, to create New P&ID drawing. Enter drawing name, when finished, click OK.

Verify that you are using a P&ID PIP workspace by clicking Workspaces on the Quick Access toolbar and clicking a P&ID workspace, the tool palette will contain the symbols based on that standard, and The P&ID Home tab displays options for working with P&ID drawings.

Right-click the title bar of the palette, anchor palette to the right side of the drawing area, turn off Auto-Hide option, to make the palette opens.

Start adding components to a P&ID drawing. In the P&ID PIP tool palette, click the Equipment tab. Click the pump, move the cursor to the placement location in the drawing, click to place the pump, the Assign Tag dialog box appears, click Cancel.

To see the symbol more clearly, you may want to turn the grid off. 

To change the color of ribbon, palettes and overall program window, type OP in command line, Options window appears, on the Display tab. There are two options of Color scheme. The default is Dark, the second color is Light. Select the Color you want to apply, then click OK.

Be sure to select PLANT 3D – TRAINING project, and P&ID PIP workspace.

Tool palettes display standard and custom component and line symbols that you place to create your drawings. You can switch to another tool palette by right-clicking the tool palette title bar and selecting a tool palette. You can also create your own custom tool palette by right-clicking the title bar of the tool palette and clicking New Palette. You can then add tools to the palette.

To add pump, from Equipment tab, select the pump you want to add, move the cursor to the placement location in the drawing, and click to place the pump.

The Assign Tag dialog box appears, enter the number. Click the checkbox to activate annotation style, from dropdown list, select the annotation choice. Click Assign. Click in the drawing to place the annotation.

To duplicate the item, right-clicking a pump and clicking Copy Selection, click for the first point, then click to place the pump.

To change the number of the new pump, you can do it with the following methods:

Click the tag, right-clicking in the drawing area, clicking Edit. The Edit Annotation dialog appears, enter all available info that you have for this pump.

Or re-assign tag, click the pump, from the Ribbon, Home tab, P&ID panel, click Assign Tag, enter the new number, uncheck Annotation Style choices. Click Assign.

Make a third pump using copy command, type CO, then click enter, click the first point then the second one to place the pump.

Click the annotation, right-click in the drawing area. Click Properties. In the properties palette, at Attributes section, in the box labeled TargetObject.Tag, click the button, re-assign the tag.

Add tank, from Equipment tab, select the desired one, move the cursor to the placement location in the drawing, and click to place it.

Specify a scale factor, move the cursor vertically to increase or decrease the component height, then click to accept the value. Move the cursor horizontally to increase or decrease the component width, then click to accept the value.

The Assign Tag dialog box appears, enter the number, and select annotation style. Click Assign. Click in the drawing to place the annotation.

Add a blower, drag and place in the appropriate location, then Assign tag. Click to place blower tag. Drag the annotation to any location on the drawing using the Move grip.

Schematic diagram is a drawing that shows all of the components of the circuit, devices, and flow process.

Once you have equipment symbols added to your drawing, you add schematic lines to represent the pipe. 

The Schematic Line tool helps you create piping and instrumentation lines.

In the P&ID tool palette, click the Lines tab that contains Pipe and Instrument Lines.

Click the Primary Line Segment, without picking the discharge point on pump P-107, move your mouse over it. Pick the node on the connector for the pump. Draw the line segment straight up, and then to the right, stopping about halfway along the original pipe segment. After selecting this point, drop the line straight down and then to the right until a perpendicular snap appears on the left side for the tank, then click to complete the pipe segment.

You can have nozzles created automatically when you connect a line segment to an equipment item (such as a tank).

Click the nozzle, there are two grips: substitution and move, if you need to change nozzle type click substitution grip, 4 types are displayed, I am OK with double line nozzle, click cancel to clear the label.

Add new primary line segment for pump P-103, Pick the node on the connector for the pump. Draw the line segment straight up, then to the right, and then straight up until a perpendicular snap appears on the line segment, then click to complete the pipe segment.

Add new primary line segment for pump P-105, without picking the suction point, move your mouse over it. Pick the node on the connector for the pump. Draw the line segment to the left, until a perpendicular snap appears on the right side for the tank, then click to complete the pipe segment. A nozzle is created automatically.

We do need correct the flow direction, to be from tank outlet to pump suction, click the line segment, right-clicking in the drawing, select Schematic Line Edit, clicking Reverse Flow. Flow direction has corrected.

When you create the schematic line, you don’t have to define everything, because you can easily change any property.

In this video you will learn how to edit the pipeline to add tag, annotation and gap, making a link between two lines, apply a corner for specific line, and change equipment type.

Be sure to open the PLANT 3D – TRAINING project, create new Editing Schematic Line drawing and take a copy of components in the previous drawing. Remember to change tag number for the equipment. 

Select the line, look at the Ribbon, you can see that Layer properties shows as name, color, linetype, and lineweight.

To add line info, use Assign Tag from the ribbon, or right-clicking in the drawing, hit Assign Tag.

Assign tag dialog box appears.

To specify the size, click dropdown list, select the pipe diameter. Select the Spec from the list depends on material. Select the service for the pipeline group, you can find a great list to select from, I select process water, then enter line number.

Select rather you want to add tag on the line or will be separated, if you choose the last choice, click the checkbox and select the style, click Assign. Click to locate the tag.

Now all stakeholders can be engaged easily with this P&ID drawing, it’s easy now to know about the service which is Process Water [PW], pipeline diameter which is 12”, the pipe material which is Carbon Steel class 300, and the location of this line with number 204.

Repeat the last steps for the other line, recall the command by clicking Enter, select the line, and assign all info again. Move the annotation label using the grip.

To add a gap points, select the line, right-clicking, from the menu, choose Schematic Line Edit, and click Add Gap, Gap will be added using 2 points, on the line you want to add the gap, click the first point then click the second one, Gap is added.

To undo last step or to clear the gap, click the gap, right-clicking, from the menu, choose Schematic Line Edit, and click Remove Gap, select the line, the gap is removed.

To make a link between 2 lines, click the first line, right-clicking, from the menu, choose Schematic Line Edit, and click Link, click the second line to be linked, a question shows in the command line to confirm the linking process, all these question marks because I don’t add tag to the both lines yet, click Yes, the two lines has been linked. If you hover over one of them, the both lines will be highlighted because the program now recognizes that they’re working together.

What if I want to draw 3 lines without using trim and add new line?

Click the line, right-clicking, from the menu, choose Schematic Line Edit, and click Apply Corner, click the first point on the line, move the mouse straight up, click the second point which will be estimated as a height, move to the left, then click to end the command.

To change pump type, select the pump, click the substitution grip, in the substitution palette, hover over the icon to know more about each type with the helpful tip text panel, click the type you want. The pump is changed.

In this tutorial you do the followings:

• Add Gate and Control Valve.

• Edit the Annotation.

• Re-assign the actuator type.

• Change the color of the control valve.

• Create new drawing with title “Adding valves”, be sure that P&ID PIP workspace is active.

In the P&ID tool palette, click the Valves tab, under Valves, click a gate valve.

In the drawing area, click to place the gate valve. Valve size, code, and number set automatically which can be changed by selecting the valve, click Assign Tag from the Ribbon.

Change the code to be GV, click Assign to exit the window.

To add a control valve, In the P&ID tool palette, on the Valves tab, click a control valve, new command is displayed in the command line to pick insertion point but we do need to select the type first.

Click Change body or actuator to display the Control Valve Browser dialog box.

Select a control valve body and an actuator and click OK.

In the drawing area, click to place the control valve, click again to place the annotation. Assign tag window appears, click Assign.

Notice the layer name of the control valve which can be changed. 

To include an annotation, double-click inside the bubble. In the Edit Annotation dialog box, enter a number. Click OK.

Control valve body has two grips: substitution and move. Use move grip to change the location, and substitution grip to change the type of control valve body, click cancel.

To change actuator type, click the upper portion of the control valve, click the upper substitution grip, and in the substitution palette, click the Rotary Motor Actuator.

New actuator is displayed.

If you need to change the color, click the actuator, on the properties panel, click the dropdown list to select the color.

New color is applied.

Once you draw the P&ID diagram, you can build a 3D Model, then you can generate the Orthographic views which can be automatically created from the model itself. 

The big difference between Plain AutoCAD and AutoCAD Plant 3D is, when you change any item or update the model in AutoCAD Plant 3D, the sections, elevations or plans will be updated at once.

Use a sequence steps starting with placing components and connecting them with lines, generating a 3D model to produce orthographic views, all these advantages buy you time to be more creative and fast at the same time.

AutoCAD Plant 3D will share data between symbols in a diagram and 3D model elements, but first the desired P&ID objects should be mapped, to match properties when validating or placing P&ID objects into the 3D model.

Be sure to open 3D Model project, which can be found in downloadable materials, in the project folder tree, expand P&ID Drawings, and click Tagging Pumps drawing to open.

To map the equipment, from the Ribbon, Home tab, from Project Manager Dropdown menu, click Project Setup.

In the Project Setup tree view, expand Plant 3D DWG Settings, locate and click the P&ID Object Mapping.

From P&ID Classes section, expand Engineering Items, Equipment, Pumps until you locate Centrifugal Pump.

I start to map this pump to be linked between P&ID diagram and 3D Model.

At the upper portion, you can add, edit and remove a pump.

To modify the pump, click Edit button.

Select Plant 3D Class Mapping dialog appears, which has two sections, the left portion for different elements, and the right portion shows the different types of the pump.

Check Map to all subtypes of this class, if you want to link all pump types.

If not, uncheck to start select specific types from the below list, scroll down until you find the type you want, then click to check.

I select to map all these types, click OK to close and return to the setup project dialog.

You can select the properties as well, from Property Mapping table, which has three columns, left column for P&ID property, the middle one for 3D model property, the right column is the Validate column.

If you want to select all properties to be linked, from the Validate column, click select all, if you need to be more specific, find the property from the list, then click the check box to select it.

Click to check PnPGuid class.

If you need to change the class, use the properties list, and select the class you need to be linked.

Click apply then OK to exit the dialog.

When you need to control the display of edges, lighting, and shading, use The Visual Styles Manager.

Open SampleProject, expand until you find 6-B-1000_Piping drawing.

Active 3D Piping workspace.

Access to The Visual Styles Manager from the Ribbon, Home tab, View panel. Click to expand the drop-down list, you can see all predefined visual styles which are supplied with the program.

Select 2D Wireframe to display objects boundaries using lines and curves.

Also, you can access to the tool from the upper left corner of the drawing area, click Visual Style Controls to open the list, select Conceptual to display objects using smooth shading.

Hidden to display objects using wireframe representation and hide lines representing back faces.

Shades of Gray to display objects using smooth shading with a gray color.

AutoCAD Plant 3D gives a tool to create a structure model. In this chapter you going to know about structure and how it gives us an advantage to integrate structural and mechanical works. Creating grids to be used as snap points to help us modeling a structure model easily. Specify footing settings to determine the values for all new footings. Creating a structural members and specify its shape, material, and Code. Place platforms after setting its type, materials, placement, and shape options. Create stair and railing with desired dimensions. Create a ladder and rung shape with a specific geometry size and shape.

AutoCAD Plant 3D gives a tool to create a structure model. Using Structure tab to create a structural member, Grids, railing, stairs, platforms, footing, and ladders. And other tools in panels such as modify, cutting, control visibility, and layers.

When you put structural objects together with piping, and equipment, the structural tools can help you detect issues such as interference in your plant models.

Use the INTERFERE command to check for areas of interference within a set of 3D solid. You can compare two sets of objects or check all 3D solids in the drawing.

To make it easier to create a structural model, create Grids.

Open 3D Model Project, right-click Plant 3D Drawings, and create new drawing. Enter a name, click OK.

Be sure to active 3D Piping workspace.

On the ribbon, click Structure tab, Parts panel, click Grid.

Create Grid dialog box appears.

When you create a grid, you set values and labels for each coordinate axis. You can use the grid to snap to when adding structural components.

Enter a name of the grid.

Under Coordinate System, click UCS to set the coordinate system for creating the grid.

Specify the axis value, in the Axis Value box, enter 0,12’,24’,36’

Click the button to preview axis labels.

Specify the Row value, in the Axis Value box, enter 0,12’

Click the button to preview axis labels.

Specify the Platform value, in the Axis Value box, enter 0,2’,24’

Click the button to preview axis labels.

You can change label font size as needed.

If you need to assign values graphically, click these buttons to set axis values from specified points.

Click create to exit the dialog box.

Navigate objects to North West (NW) to see grids with the assigned values.

When you create a structural footing in your model, you can specify its length, width, and depth according to Standard and Code.

To create a footing, on the ribbon, click Structure tab, Parts panel, click Footing.

You can specify footing settings to determine the values for all new footings. Then you can customize the settings by editing individual footings as needed.

In the command line, click Settings or type S, then click enter.

Footing Settings dialog box appears.

Enter length, width and depth values.

Assign Standard and Code.

Click OK.

From the status bar, click Endpoint, Node, and Intersection snap points to be activated.

In the drawing area, hover over A point until the Endpoint snap appears, click to add a footing.

Click enter to re-call the last command, repeat the last step to add footings at B, C, and D points.

Select footings, right-click, click Copy Selection, click to pick the first point to copy, then click the second point to past, hit escape to end the command.

Continue creating a structural items, start adding members.

When you create a structural members in your model such as columns and beams, you can specify its shape, material, and Code.

Click Member in Parts panel.

First, assign member settings, type S to launch Member Settings dialog box.

Select shape standard from the list, and its type and size as well.

Then choose material and code.

If you need to rotate the member when inserting in the drawing area, enter the angle degree.

Assign the center point for the member as shown in figure, you can enter a desired values, to change point at X-axis, enter the new value in Horizontal textbox, to change point at Y-axis, enter the new value in Vertical textbox.

Click OK to apply the settings.

In the drawing area, click to specify the start point, then click one more time to specify the end point, continue to add new member, then third one, hit scape to end the command.

Take a copy of members using copy selection command, to add other members.

When you need to control the display of structural model representation, use Outline Model.

Navigate to North East (NE), from the ribbon, click Line Model drop-down.

Line model, objects are represented as lines.

Symbol Model, members are represented as wireframe.

Outline Model, for output files and measuring distances.

Shape Model, objects are represented at their original dimensions.

You can add plate to a structural model.

When you create a plate, you specify its type, materials, placement, and shape.

Create new drawing with name Plate, or continue working on the previous drawing.

Click Plate in Parts panel.

Create Plate/Grate dialog box appears.

At type selection, choose rather to create plate or grate.

Grating has the same options plus hatch setting.

Select Plate, select material standard and code, and enter thickness value.

Specify justification, and shape of the plate, then click create.

In the View panel, Navigate to top view.

In the drawing area, hover over right footing until the endpoint snap appears, click to specify the first corner of the plate, move the cursor to the upper left footing, and click to specify the second corner of the plate.

Navigate to South West (SW), the plate is created at the bottom.

Select the plate to adjust its height, from the properties palette, in the Geometry section, and enter Z value to be 2’ 4”

Press enter to apply the new height of the plate.

Change structural member presentation, to check the height again. The height is adjusted well.

Change structural member presentation to be outline model.

Copy another plate using copy selection command.

Navigate to left view, pick the base point, then pick the second point, press enter to apply the command.

Navigate to SW, and check the upper plate elevation, from the properties palette, apply the Z elevation value to be 24’ 4”

When you create a stair, you specify its width, shape standard, type and size, tread standard and shape, and maximum tread distance.

From View panel, navigate to top view.

Draw a polyline to be the start reference of the stair, type POLYLINE (PLINE) and hit enter, click to specify start point, then click again to specify the next point, then press Esc to end the command.

Navigate to SE, from Structure tab, press Stairs to be activated.

Press S to display the Stair Settings dialog box.

Enter stair width, which is number (1) as shown image.

Enter maximum tread distance, which is number (2) as shown image.

Click Step data button, assign the tread standard, and shape to select the size, then enter desired values for height, width and chamfer.

Click OK to return Stair Settings dialog box, click Stair shape button.

Select shape standard from the list, and its type and size as well.

Click Select, then OK to apply the stair settings.

From the status bar, object snap, activate only Midpoint snap point, and uncheck others.

Move the cursor over the polyline until the midpoint snap point appears, click to specify first point of stair, move the cursor over the bottom plate until the midpoint snap point appears, click to specify next point of stair, then press enter. The stair is created.

For safety, add a railing for the stair.

Click Railing from the ribbon, type S to show the setting dialog box.

Enter the different values as desired.

Also, you can uncheck Middle rail (continuous) if you don’t need repeating the height of the second mid rail and the kick plate (3&4) as shown image.

Click Handrail button to specify shape standard, type, and size, then click select.

And specify setting for 1st mid rail as well. Click OK to apply the settings.

Type object (O) then enter.

Click to select the stair.

Railing is added.

Press Esc to exit the command.

If you need to edit stair dimensions, click the stair, from the properties palette, Structural section, click type.

Edit Stair dialog box appears, change the value you need, click OK.

The stair has changed.

We can edit the railing as well, select the railing, from the properties palette, click type.

Edit railing dialog box appears, enter 8” in the First post textbox, enter 5” in the Second post textbox, and click OK.

Select the opposite railing, enter 10” in the Second post (6) textbox, and click OK.

When you create a ladder, you specify geometry size, ladder and rung shape.

Change structural presentation to line model.

Activate a Ladder tool, and display a settings dialog box by typing S then press enter.

Select type, and enter the description.

Press Ladder shape button to display Select Ladder Shape dialog box.

If you need to change the selected options, re-select type and size, press cancel.

You can do the same for the rung shape.

Click OK.

Turn on the Ortho Mode from the status bar.

Move the cursor over the beam until the midpoint snap point appears, click to specify the first point of the ladder, move the cursor vertically to the top plate, click the point on beam to specify the end point of the ladder, turn off the Ortho Mode, click to specify the directional distance point, then move the cursor short distance parallel to the Y-axis and click to place the ladder.

Change structural presentation to outline model.

If you need to change geometry size, click the ladder, from properties palette, in the Geometry section, enter the new End Z and press enter.

Hover over navigator cubic and click without releasing left button, move the mouse to navigate the model to the desired directional view.

AutoCAD Plant 3D gives a tool to create a mechanical model.

In this chapter you are going to know about create, place equipment in the model, and editing as well. Adding nozzles or modifying when it’s needed. What’s P&ID line list and how can use it to place and verify lines and components. Methods to use for routing pipe in the 3D model. Adding pipe support and control its height.

In AutoCAD Plant 3D, you can create equipment from parametric patterns or user-fabricated models, or add custom equipment to a drawing by converting a 3D DWG model from another program.

When modeling equipment, you define its physical dimensions, location, orientation, and other details. You can also create templates from equipment and add nozzles to connect pipes to equipment.

To create equipment from parametric patterns.

Open 3D Model project, and then open STRUCTURE-START drawing.

Active 3D Piping workspace.

From the ribbon, home tab, Equipment panel, click Create.

Create Equipment dialog box appears, to select the desired equipment, click drop-down list, click pump, a flyout menu appears.

If you need to use a template to create your pump from scratch, use New Horizontal Pump / New Vertical Pump.

Or you can select from the pre-defined types directly.

Select Centrifugal Pump.

As shown, there’s 2 tabs, one for Equipment, the other for Properties.

On the Equipment tab, under General, to assign a description for this pump, enter a description in the Long Description box.

To assign a tag to the equipment, click in the Tag box. In the Type box, enter P for Pump. In the Number box, enter 100, click Assign.

Under Dimensions which are displayed in the preview image, you can enter the desired values.

Click the Properties tab, in Nozzles section, there’s 2 nozzle, select the nozzle from Tag drop-down menu, and view its information such as Size, Pressure Class, Description, Nozzle Type and so on.

You can add Manufacturer, Material, Size, and Design data as well.

Click create to place the pump in the drawing area.

Navigate to Front view, click to place the equipment at the bottom plate, to orient the pump to the desired position, enter rotation value, click to accept the 0 degree angle.

Navigate to SE to see the created pump.

Navigate to NW to make a copy for this pump.

Select the pump, right-click, click copy selection command, click to specify the first point, click to specify the second point, press Esc to exit the command.

After placing your equipment in the drawing area, you may need to change parameter or edit its part.

From the ribbon, Home tab, in Equipment panel, press Modify Equipment.

Select the equipment you need to edit, Modify Equipment dialog box appears.

You can add or remove shape, re-assign tag, set Elevation, and Diameter.

Also, you can add Manufacturer, Material, Size, and Design data.

After creating the equipment, you can add/modify nozzles.

To edit the nozzle, select the equipment in the model and click the Edit Nozzle grip at the suction, in the dialog, the long description for the nozzle is displayed, click the drop-down list, N-1 for suction, and N-2 for discharge.

Click Tag icon to display the current tag, which can be edited, click close.

Change Type button to filter nozzle types and select from a list of appropriate nozzles, which is shown when the nozzle from this list is selected.

Size section to filter the nozzle list by size, use drop-down list to pick the desired size.

You can select end type, unit, and pressure class as well.

Also, select the desired nozzle from the list.

Click Change Location button, to set nozzle location which is displayed in the preview image.

Select the tank which has no nozzle yet, click Add Nozzle grip.

Current tag is displayed, which can be edited.

The major tank units, H is the vertical height from the bottom of the tank to the center of the nozzle.

L is the nozzle length.

A is the nozzle angle

There’s a list for each nozzle type which can be selected easily, we have here Straight, Bend, Vent nozzle, and Manway.

Select Straight nozzle, select the size, End type, unit, pressure class, and select the desired nozzle from the list.

Click Nozzle Location drop-down menu, set to Radial.

Enter height value, nozzle length, and nozzle angle.

Press close to see the modification.

The nozzle length is needed to change.

To edit the nozzle, hold down Ctrl and click Edit Nozzle grip.

Click Change Location button, enter 6” for the nozzle length, press close.

You can add more nozzles with the same previous steps.

To delete the nozzle, hold down Ctrl and click the nozzle then press Delete.

To change the nozzle size, hold down Ctrl and click Edit Nozzle grip.

Pick up the 6” size from the list.

Change the nozzle angle to 45 deg.

Press close.

You can assign a line number to fittings and group pipe segments in the 3D model. Line number can be assigned before or after routing pipe.

Select the pipe section, from properties palette, in Tag section, from Line number Tag list, if you need to add a pipe line, click New.

Click Show all line numbers, then select the desired line number.

Select another section, which is already assigned, its line number is 150

All the line numbers is grouped in P&ID line list.

The great advantage is, that you can use the P&ID Line List to create pipe using a line number and Place a P&ID object’s 3D equivalent in a Plant 3D model.

In Part Insertion panel, click P&ID Line List.

In the Drop-down list, by default, the last P&ID drawing you opened is displayed. If you need another P&ID drawing, select it from the list, then click Open.

Click Refresh to update the line list and line components of the selected P&ID drawing.

In the line list panel, you can see the lines and inline equipment available to be placed in a 3D model.

Expand the tree view, each node in the project tree represents a line segment in the P&ID drawing, we have 3 nodes, one of them has “?”, which means that the pipe line hasn’t assigned yet.

Expand “?” line number, select Check valve HA-109, click place.

Select Size and Spec dialog box appears.

Select the desired Spec, and Size, click Select.

In the drawing area, click to place the valve at the pipe section.

Select the valve, and check its line number tag, its 100, how so?

When I placed the valve at the pipe section has 100 as a line number, the valve got the same line number tag.

Place the Gate Valve HA-108, select Spec and Size, and then click Select.

Type _mid to place the valve at the pipe section middle, click to place the valve at the inlet pipe section which has 150 as a line number, type 0 to orient the valve to 0 deg angle in the model.

Use the move grip to move the valve to the desired location.

Select the gate valve and check its line number tag, which has the same pipe section line number.

When you are routing pipe and adding pipe fittings or valves to a model, you start with a pipe spec, size, and pipe line.

Click Line Number Selector.

To add new pipe segment with new line number, select Route New Number.

Check Show all line numbers, then select 150.

Click Spec Selector to specify which spec you want to use, select CS300.

Select the pipe diameter to be 6”.

Click Route Pipe to start.

Enable Center, Perpendicular, and Tangent snap points, hover over the suction side until the center snap point appears, click to specify first point, type 4’ as pipe segment length and press enter, then hit Esc to exit the command.

Select the pipe segment, and check its properties, in Plant 3D section, Class is Pipe, Spec is CS300, and Size is 6”.

In Tag section, Line Number Tag is 150.

Also, we can use an equipment nozzle for routing pipe.

Select the tank, click the Continuation grip, click to specify the next point of the pipe at the middle of the pipe segment which connected the two pumps.

Warning message appears, with two options, if you select the first method, it may have a disconnect areas, the second one to try route the pipe using tolerance.

Select the second method, I got 6 solutions, Accept [A] to apply the solution, Next [N] to see the next solution, Previous [P] to see the previous one, Undo to remove the applied solution.

Think of the best solution for your design and click A to apply it.

To connect the two pumps together, click the pump, click the Continuation grip, hover over the pipe until the node snap point appears, click to specify the next point of the pipe, the two suction sides of pumps has connected.

To convert the bend part to tee part, select it, click the Continuation grip, click to specify the next point of the pipe or type the value for pipe length then click Esc to end the command.

You can add pipe supports to the 3D model from the project pipe support spec, or you can create a custom pipe support.

Also, you can rather use the tool in ribbon, or the tool in the AutoCAD Plant 3D – Piping Components tool palette.

First, specify which Spec you gonna use.

Selected spec is shown in tool palette.

To add the hanger, use Pipe Supports Spec tab.

From the ribbon, in Pipe Supports panel, click Create.

Add Pipe Support Dialog Box appears.

In Graphics select a parametric shape for the pipe support from the list.

Or you simply type the name in the searching textbox, and it will be displayed.

Select the desired type, click OK.

Click to insert the pipe support at the middle of the pipe segment, press Esc to end the command.

To correct the hanger height, drag the Change Support Elevation grip, lower the elevation to increase the height of support, enable perpendicular snap point by typing _per, click to specify the point location of the support.

Once you created a 3D Model, isometric drawings will be generated.

AutoCAD Plant 3D is built tools to help you create iso drawings, reports including the Bill of Materials (BOM) and piping component file (PCF).

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

• Configure style for piping isometric and spool drawing, and set content destination for each.
• Control and specify how annotations, dimensions, symbol scale can be displayed in your Iso drawings.
• Specify formatting for sloped lines, including falls, 2D offsets, and 3D offsets.
• Define the title block for each isometric style.
• Create Quick Iso using two methods.
• Create production iso from line number or multiple including BOM, Weld and Cut Piece tables.

Before generating Isos, you may need to configure style for piping isometric and spool drawing, and set content destination for each.

By the end of this video, you’ll be able to:

• Assign the iso and spool drawing style.

• File naming convention.

• Overflow table behavior.

• Spool size, and file locations.

• Select Project Setup in Project Manager drop-down list.

In the tree view, expand Isometric DWG Settings, to locate the Iso Style Setup, click to open.

In the dialog, you may want to decide several options before start creating your own Iso drawing.

About creating a new Iso style, you can create a new one by clicking the plus button, or select one from Iso Style drop-down list.

Click the list, several styles appear, one of them for spool.

Select the desired style.

In Drawing format section, specify the maximum pipe length, check Place field welds at maximum pipe lengths, then enter the value in the Maximum pipe length textbox.

This option will be split the pipe into segments if it exceeded the maximum length, and field welds will be placed between them.

When field fit welds are encountered, check Add pipe makeup length to BOM for Field Fit Welds to add the desired length of pipe to the total pipe length in the BOM.

In table overflow section, specify whether or not to split the drawing if a BOM table becomes too long.

In File Naming section, specify how you would like to start drawing name, select desired prefix from Add property list.

If you look closer at the tree view, the prefix of Isos drawings by Line Number.

If I select Date, the drawing name will be started with line number, area and date.

Delete all properties in prefix textbox to select only one property as desired. If you can’t find the desired property, create it using Select Class Property, select the property and click OK to be added to Add property list.

Suffix will be selected between numeric and alphabetic.

You can notice your choice in Sample label.

For spool drawings, check Spool format to enable its options.

Notice a spool style is selected automatically.

The difference between Iso and Spool drawing is, if you need to optimize the pipe for manufacture or assemble, spool drawing will be a great choice.

In Drawing format section, do same step if you need to enter maximum pipe length.

Be aware that, when you create a spool drawing, welds will not be displayed, and you’ll get a single pipe.

Select spool naming from the list.

Select the desired Sizing Method from the drop-down list.

To specify spool sizing is automatic based on maximum size, enter the specific dimensions.

To specify spool sizing is on maximum weight, enter the specific weight.

Or you can specify that the spool number from the model be used.

And Set the location of the production and Quick iso output directories.

You can control and specify how annotations, dimensions, symbol scale can be displayed in your Iso drawings.

Open Project Setup dialog box, click Themes.

Iso themes are used to designate different behaviors for different kinds of piping.

In Themes list, select the default theme which affects the normal piping.

In Display section:

Annotations and dimensions are turned on, Bill of Materials Report is disabled, and there’s a symbol scale.

In dimension types section:

End to End (Overall) to measure piping segments endpoint-to-endpoint for the selected iso style.

String Type Dimensions to measure overall piping segments for the selected iso style, stopping at inline components, such as reducers, valves, and so on.

Locating Type Dimensions to measure from a common point, such as an elbow, to an object's location, such as a field weld or pipe support, and then stops.

You also can select to use a different theme style to assign different dimensioning behavior.

You can create annotated isometric drawings based on your 3D models.

By the end of this video, you’ll be able to:

• Specify how you want Iso objects to be annotated in the drawing.

Open Project Setup dialog box, expand Isometric DWG Settings, and click Iso Style Setup.

Select Check_ANSI-B style.

Open Annotations.

Under Bill of materials, select alphabetic or numeric, leader and enclosure shape you want.

Control the prefixes for Flanges, Gaskets, and Bolts.

Select the check box if you want to display annotations in an isometric plane drawing.

Under Spool section, select leader and enclosure shape you want.

Select the check box if you want to display annotations in an isometric plane drawing.

Same steps for Under Cut.

Enter height text value.

Under Valve tags section, select check boxes for those items you want annotated with tag numbers, and select the style of annotation you prefer from the drop-down lists.

Under Welds section, select the numbering style and enclosure shape you want, select Shop, Field or both. Select the check box if you want to use a leader line.

In Connection and Continuations section. You can annotate properties of connected objects that are not included in your Iso drawing or PCF. For example, you can include properties from an equipment nozzle, or from a different pipe line number.

Select the item you want to be annotated.

Modify the connection prefix as needed.

Specify connection text properties by placing them in angle brackets.

Select or clear the Display Coordinates check box.

Repeat these steps for each connection you want it to be annotated.

Modify the coordinate prefixes as needed.

Click Apply then OK.

In AutoCAD Plants 3D, you can specify what items you want to be dimensioned and where you want them dimensioned to.

Open Project Setup dialog box, click Dimensions.

Select the iso style for which you want to set dimensions.

In the valve table, for each valve type you can specify overall length or center as the dimension style.

And specify the text height of the text style used by dimensions.

Under Gasket, specify whether to dimension gaskets individually, not at all, or to include them with component dimensions.

Under Offsets, specify the distance from the pipe line to the closest dimension, and the distance between dimension rows.

Under Alternate Line Settings:

From the list, Small Bore Piping Up To and Including, pick up the desired size.

The option: Existing Piping Includes for phases to set an additional status criteria for displaying, which contains Demolition, and New.

Turn on this option to remove the last string dimension in a linear piping segment when used with end to end dimensions to avoid over constraining the dimensions.

In AutoCAD Plants 3D, you can specify formatting for sloped lines, including falls, 2D offsets, and 3D offsets.

Open Project Setup dialog box, click Sloped and Offset Piping.

Select an iso style, from the Iso Style list.

Under Slopped piping.

Select a falls behavior option from Show Falls as drop-down list.

In Show as fall up to enter a value to specify the maximum value at which falls display.

Under Offset Piping and Annotation Options.

Select or enter the percentage of the triangle to hatch.

Turn on or off the Display offset angle annotation checkbox, to control whether the angle annotation is displayed on the skew triangle.

In Offset Piping section.

Under Show 2D Vertical/Horizontal Offsets As, specify how simple (2D) offsets display in the isometric drawing.

Under Show Pipe With a 2D Horizontal Offset As, specify how horizontal (2D) offsets on sloped piping display.

Under Show 3D Skews as, set the type of visual indicator displayed in a drawing when 3D skews are present. Options are 3D Box and Two Skew Triangles.

You can define the title block for each isometric style.

Open Project Setup dialog box, click Title Block and Display.

Select the iso style.

You can see the selected title block in title block preview.

To display the title block setup toolbar, click Setup Title Block button.

The title block appears.

You can manipulate the title block drawing directly or you can use the tools in the contextual ribbon.

Click Area visibility to display the area inside the title block, you can do the same for BOM and Place North Arrow.

Click Return to project setup.

Set the location where the template and configuration files are stored. You can browse to select a different location.

Select between rounded and square elbows.

Select between rounded and square bends.

Specify whether insulation is displayed on iso drawings.

Specify whether pipe supports are displayed on iso drawings.

Quick Isos can be created from line numbers or by selecting objects in the 3D model. 

Open SampleProject, select 3D Piping workspace.

To create a quick iso, from ribbon, Isos tab, Iso Creation panel, click Quick Iso.

In a drawing area, select the objects you want to be included in the quick iso and hit enter.

Create Quick Iso dialog appears.

If you need to select different components, click Reselect button.

To change the iso style, select the desired one from the list.

Set the location where the files are stored. You can browse to select a different location.

Turn on Create DWF if you need one.

If you’ve created a quick iso by selecting same components, turn on Overwrite if existing to update the drawing.

Enter Revision number.

For extra options, click Advanced.

Turn on BOM to create data files from the tables that are created.

And set the format of the table data file.

Under Advanced settings & overrides.

Select whether the Isometric break points will be ignored and not split the Iso.

Select whether the isometric annotation is added in 3D model, will not displayed in created Iso.

Select whether the iso is being created in the opposite of the flow direction.

Select a different North Arrow direction in created iso.

Change sheets when any of the specified model property values change.

Add X and Y values to objects in the isometric drawing.

Rotate objects in the isometric drawing.

Click OK to apply options. Then click Create.

Iso creation is processing in the background.

After creation complete, a bubble displays, click the hyperlink to see the results.

You can see all available info including location of stored files.

Be aware that, quick iso files can’t be managed from project manager.

Click the first drawing to open.

To create quick iso from a specific line number, from project manager, click Isometric DWG tab, expand until you find Check_ANSI-B iso style, right-click 10004 line number, and click Quick Iso.

Set the options as needed.

Turn off Create split points automatically, Ignore annotation, set another north, click OK, and click Create.

After creation complete, you can open the folder in windows browser, we got two drawings for 10004 line number.

You can create production iso from line number or multiple including BOM, Weld and Cut Piece tables.

Open SampleProject, select 3D Piping workspace.

To create a production iso, from ribbon, Isos tab, Iso Creation panel, click Production Iso.

Create Production Iso dialog appears.

To change the iso style, select the desired one from the list.

Select line numbers.

To publish DWF files from the Iso drawings, select Create DWF.

For extra options, click Advanced.

Turn on BOM, Cut Piece, and Weld to create data files from the tables that are created.

Set the format of the table data file.

And select other options as needed.

Click OK to apply options. Then click Create.

The dialog closes and Isometric drawings are created in the background.

You can monitor Iso creation in the status bar.

After creation complete, a bubble displays, click the hyperlink to see the results.

Open 6-P-1002-1

You also can open drawings from project manager under the specific line number.

In title block, you can find the Production Iso, BOM, Weld and Cut Piece tables.

Once you built a 3D Model, you can generate the Orthographic views which can be automatically created from the model itself. 

Orthographic drawings are DWG files, and each one can contain multiple orthographic views with data extracted from Plant 3D models.

Orthographic drawings display views of piping, valves, equipment, and structural steel in Plant 3D models. The drawings can have annotations, dimensions, matchlines, pipe gaps, and can show or hide lines and objects.

In this chapter you will do the followings:

•           Configure the default settings for ortho template.
•           Configure the default settings for BOM tables for displaying on the Ortho Drawings.
•           Generate the Orthographic views from the model itself.
• Create Ortho views to an existing view.
• Annotate and dimension the ortho views.
• How to locate a components in 3D model and use pipe gap to display all component in the ortho view.

Before generating the Orthographic views, you may want to configure the default settings for ortho template.

Open project with title ‘Orthographic Views’.

Start by accessing the ‘Project Setup’ tool from the Project Manager. In the left pane, navigate the tree until you find ‘Title Block and Display’ under ‘Ortho DWG Settings’.

As in the opened window, there’re several options to assign: title block, Ortho drawing template folder, Ortho generation options, and Elbow Centerline.

Click on the Setup Title Block button under title block preview.

Click on ‘Ortho Settings’

In displayed dialog, you can specify the layer for ortho components using the below table.

You also can use the layer properties manager to configure layers or create new one.

If you want to use 3D model layers and ignore layers for ortho components, turn on this checkbox.

Small bore piping is often shown with a different style to large diameter pipe. Plant 3D Orthographics manage this by designating which pipe size is the largest of the small bore pipes.

Select the value from the list.

The default style section is where the styles to be used for dimensions, multi leader and text are specified.

Select the desired style from the list, or use style manager buttons to edit the individual annotations styles.

You can use Table Setup to configure the default settings for BOM tables for displaying on the Ortho Drawings.

Click on Table Setup, a dialog opens which has two tabs, Table Layout and Settings. These settings are default settings for new ortho drawings. They can be edited in individual drawings without affecting the project default settings.

From table type list, set the default type of table used, by selecting one of the three options.

Bill of Materials is the shortest list of items in a view, including pipes with total length, fittings, valves and so on.

You also can specify to include cut lists.

The Itemized BOM is the longest list that has each item on a separate line.

From BOM layout template list, specify one of three types of layout templates.

Simple BOM is the most compact BOM template. All items are detailed in a continuous summarized list.  

The second type if you need to generate a group for every component.

The third type to select different columns for specified.

Turn on this option to merge schedules and pressure class in only one column.

You also can add extra columns using this button, then choose class and property you want to add.

Under Settings tab, you can specify sort type by item size or description.

“Show Existing Piping” will add items that have been tagged in its properties as an existing item as well as those that are tagged as new.

Specify if you need to show Cutback elbows separately.

Select whether the text can be applied before or after the standard elbow item description.

The text “<cutbackangle>” will be replace by the cutback angle of the elbow in the BOM.

Fixed Length Pipes refers pipe in standard lengths and joiners are used for long runs. If a model contains fixed length pipes, it’s important to show them correctly in BOM.

Turn on this option if you want to show fixed length pipes as individual components.

Uncheck, items will be displayed as a total length of material required.

Select rather you want to use family or size description.

Or you can use your custom description as desired.

Click OK to apply the settings.

Click on Bill of Material, in drawing area, click to assign the first corner of the list, move the cursor to the right and click to assign the second corner of BOM list.

Use Move command to relocate the list to the right edge of the sheet.

Click on Return to Project Setup.

Save the changes.

Set the location of the orthographic template directory. You can browse to select another location or template.

Ortho generation options only has the choice between showing piping has hidden detail or ignore the hidden section completely.

Click Apply then OK to close the window.

Once you built a 3D Model, you can generate the Orthographic views which can be automatically created from the model itself. 

Open ‘Orthographic Views’ project, open ‘Orthographic Views-START’ drawing.

Activate 3D Piping workspace switching.

To create an Ortho view: from Home tab, click on ‘Create Ortho View’.

A dialog opens, if you’ve already generated ortho views, it will be displayed in this list.

Click on ‘Create New’.

New DWG dialog appears, enter a name.

You also can change the author name as desired.

And select another ortho template as needed.

Click OK.

Ortho Editor Tab shows which has several panels.

Ortho Cube, to specify the view by clicking the drop-down list.

In this tutorial, Top view will be generated.

In Output Appearance panel, select to display ‘All Hidden Lines’.

Check sheet size, by selecting ‘Paper Check’ in ‘Output Size’ panel.

Sheet shows with annotation (paper size and view scale), which can be changed using Viewport scale list and select the desired scale.

Click OK.

Click to specify the insertion point of viewport.

AutoCAD Plant 3D start generating ortho view.

Ortho plan view is generated, but I see only BOM table without any data.

From ‘Ortho View’, click on ‘Bill of Material’, a command prompts to select the viewport, select the ortho top view, and BOM will be updated.

To change table template individually, select ‘Table Setup’, and specify template as needed.

Be sure to update the table again.

You can create ortho views to an existing view using adjacent view tool.

From Ortho View tab, click on Adjacent View.

Select the top view, create an adjacent View dialog appears.

Select the standard view you want to create.

You can enter a different name as desired.

Click OK.

Click to insert the front view.

Front View will be generated.

Use the tool again to create isometric view

Select the top view again.

And select SW Isometric.

Click OK.

Click to insert the new view.

How it too easy and quick to show multiple views in a single sheet.

Orthographic drawings are DWG files, and each one can contain multiple orthographic views with data extracted from Plant 3D models.

Orthographic drawings display views of piping, valves, equipment, and structural steel in Plant 3D models. The drawings can have annotations, dimensions, matchlines, pipe gaps, and can show or hide lines and objects.

To annotate ortho view, use Annotation panel.

Click on Ortho Annotate.

Select the component, in the command line, there’s two options to use, rather to specify style or insert tag, press enter to accept the equipment annotation tag option, then click next to the pump to insert the tag.

Repeat same steps to tag the other pump.

Then click Esc to end the command.

To add text, click on Text list which has two options, single and Multiline.

Select the desired option.

In a drawing area, next to the tank, click to specify the first corner of the text box, then click again to specify the second corner.

And write ‘Storage Tank’.

Drag the left side of the text box to fit the text.

Click outside the box to end the command.

You also can dimension the view as needed.

Click on Dimension list, select Aligned.

And dimension the displacement between the two pumps from the first center to another.

Be sure you activate center snap point.

Move the cursor next to the pumps and click to insert the dimension.

You can do the same for front and isometric views.

If you need to check a component in a 3D Model by selecting it in ortho view, use Locate in 3D Model tool.

Accessing the tool in ‘Plant Object Tools’ panel.

Then select the component you need to locate in a 3D Model.

A 3D Model will be opened.

And a selected component is highlight.

You can check, resize, change, and scale the component as desired.

Return to ortho plan.

In this front view, I have MEP and Structural works. But I need to cut a small piece of this pipe to display the column.

AutoCAD Pant 3D provides a tool to do that without disconnecting the pipework. The tool is called ‘Pipe Gap Tool’.

You find it in the Ortho View tab, in ‘Plant Object Tools’ panel.

Select the pipe section, the pipe gap is displayed, drag the grip to move the gap to the desired location.

Press Esc to end the command.

To apply changes in the view use ‘Update View’.

Select the view.

And the software is re-generating the view.

The pipe gap is applied.

Once you finish your project, you may need to prepare your drawings to be published or plotted. AutoCAD Plant 3D provides tools to help making those documents to be able sending them to your team, consultant, or any one of the stakeholders. In this chapter you know how to:

• Access print / plot tool.

• Setup a PID drawing to be published

• Setup a 3D drawing to be plotted

Once you finish your project, you may need preparing it to be published or printed. In this tutorial, I am gonna publish a P&ID drawing as DWF file.

First of all, open the project “SampleProject”. 

In the Project Manager Tree view, right-click the desired drawing, then select Publish.

In the Publish dialog box, Sheet list contains all saved settings that used before. Publish to: has a list of all file types that can be exported, I will export the drawing as a DWF file, which is a common file type in all AutoCAD apps.

Start editing the settings by clicking on Publish Options button.

A Project Publish Options dialog box appears.

Under the P&ID DWF options, choose rather to include information in the published DWF file output or not. Select Include, then click on this small box.

A P&ID DWF Output Settings dialog box appears, where you can specify the information will be kept, or ignored.

As shown, the dialog contains two properties tabs, one for the placed objects in the drawing, and the second for the sheets.

On the left hand section at an Object properties tab, there’re the objects are placed in the drawing ordered by name.

Select the desired object, and from the right hand section, click to turn on all the information you want to keep, or turn off to ignore.

If you need to keep all information, click on ‘Select All’. On contrary, click on ‘Clear All’ to ignore them.

And do the same for the sheet properties.

When you are finished setting options, click OK to close the dialog box.

‘Filter Null Values’ controls the publishing of object or sheet properties that do not have specified values. Specify On or Off.

‘Granular Pipeline Output’ sets how segment lines behave when you view them in the DWF Viewer. If you select Off, the entire segment line is red when the cursor is placed over it. If you set the Granular Pipeline Output to On, each section of the segment line is highlighted as the cursor moves over it.

Do the same for Plant 3D DWF options.

For ‘General DWF options’:

Specify how many sheet will be exported, single or multi.

If you want the layers information to be included into the output file, or not.

Merge the same layers or not.

Also, you can see the default location of the output files, if you want change it, click in the text box, and browse to the new location.

About the output file naming, specify when you want to name the file, during the process by selecting the ‘Prompt for name’, or right away by selecting ‘Specify name’.

About the not available options, will be activated when we begin to print/publish the 3D drawings.

When you are finished setting options, click OK to close the dialog box.

I am gonna keep this settings for next printing, by clicking on Save button, in the Save In list, specify a location to save the file, then enter a name, then click Save.

The new drawing set description is listed in ‘Sheet List’, which can be used in the next time without passing through all previous steps.

Under Publish Output options:

Specify Precision from the list, or use Precision Presets Manager to create new, import or edit a copied one.

When you are finished setting options, click OK to close the dialog box.

Specify to include the plot stamp or not.

If you need to continue working on a project, you may need to turn on the ‘Publish in background’ option.

Open in viewer when done to display the output file after the publish process is complete.

Click Publish.

In the Specify DWF File dialog box, enter a suitable name In the File Name box.

Click Select.

A window pops up, indicating that publish is processing in the background.

Click to close the window.

After the process is complete, a notification bulb displays with a brief description about the process, but you can know more by clicking on the below hyper link.

Go to the output files location and open the exported file.

Notice the information which are included in the output file as specified.

AutoCAD Plant 3D provides a tools to print your documents. In this tutorial I am gonna open a 3D drawing as shown. Click on the application button to access Print list, then click Plot.

Or you can access the tool from the ribbon / Output tab / Plot panel / Plot.

The Plot dialog appears to start adjusting the options, click on that arrow to display the right hand section.

The Page setup is listed the previous saved settings, you can import another as well, if you don’t have any saved settings, use ‘Previous plot’, but I will setup the options from the scratch.

Printer/plotter is listed all the defined plotters.

PDF Options is activated, once I’ve selected the ‘DWG To PDF’. Click to specify the quality and others.

You can use Properties button to setup the plotter options as desired. This steps actually are a common in all AutoCAD apps.

Under Paper Size, select a paper size from the list.

Under Plot area, pick your choice from the list, when I select the Window, I return to the drawing area to define the area around the elements that I do need to be plotted, after complete, the plot dialog box shows again, to continue.

About Plot scale.

When you specify a scale to output your drawing, you can choose from a list of real-world scales, enter your own scale, or select Fit to Paper to fit onto the selected paper size.

Usually, you draw objects at their actual size. That is, you decide how to interpret the size of a unit (an inch, a millimeter, a meter) and draw on a 1:1 scale.

Most final drawings are plotted at a precise scale. The method used to set the plot scale depends on whether you plot model space or a layout.

From model space, you can establish the scale in the Plot dialog box. This scale represents a ratio of plotted units to the world-size units you used to draw the model.

About Plot offset.

The printable area of a drawing sheet is defined by the selected output device and is represented by the dashed line in a layout.

The plot offset specifies an offset of the plot area relative to the lower-left corner (the origin) of the printable area or the edge of the paper.

You can offset the geometry on the paper by entering a positive or negative value in the X and Y Offset boxes. However, this may result in the plot area being clipped.

If you choose to plot an area other than the entire layout, you can also center the plot on the sheet of paper.

Under Plot Style Table, select the suitable style depends on the model you want to plot, I select this style ‘PID.ctb’.

Click Yes to assign the style to all layouts, if you need this to be assigned only to this opened layout, click No.

And select the ‘Shade plot’ and ‘Quality’ as desired.

Decide if you need to make the plotting process in background or not.

If you need to keep the object lineweight, click to turn the option on.

If the model has a transparent objects, you may need to turn this option on.

To apply the selected style, turn on this option.

Under Drawing Orientation

If your drawing is horizontal, select Landscape.

If your drawing is vertical, select Portrait.

To rotate 180 degrees, select either Portrait or Landscape, and then select Plot Upside-Down.

Click Add to save the current settings, put a suitable name, and click OK. It is displayed in the page setup list.

Check the drawing before plotting, click Preview.

To start plotting, rather click Plot on the quick access toolbar, or return to the Plot dialog box and click OK.

Define the file location, and put a suitable name, then click Save.

Plot Job Progress

After the process is complete, a notification bulb displays with a brief description about the process, but you can know more by clicking on the below hyper link.

Click to view plot and publish details…

Go to the output files location and open the file.

You can send the file to your team, consultant, or any one of the stakeholders.