| Applies To | |
| Product(s): | AutoPIPE |
| Version(s): | ALL; |
| Area: | Export |
| Date Logged & Current Version |
Sept 2024 24.00.01.152 |
What are some of the reasons why an AutoPIPE imported / exported Pipelink model does not align correctly?
The problem is related to 1 of 2 possible user related mistakes:
1. Model was built correctly but its location / orientation to the origin point (0,0,0) is incorrect
or
2. The model was constructed starting at the right location; however, this is one or more components incorrectly located causing a trickledown effect.
Another words, the loads are being imported with the exact same coordinates defined in the AutoPIPE model itself. The fact that the loads are offset from the members in the STAAD.pro model indicates that the geometry has not been set up to properly conform to the location of the pipe supports as defined in AutoPIPE.
For example, two pipes on a pipe rack. In AutoPIPE these two pipes and their supports have certain positions relative to one another. This orientation is preserved when the piping data is brought into STAAD. It is observed that the loads are offset from the pipe rack, which indicates two-three possibilities:
ONE. All the loads from both pipes are equally offset from the nodes/member in the STAAD model by the same distance. In this scenario the overall geometry of the pipe rack is correct in STAAD, it's just that its position is shifted relative to the position defined in AutoPIPE. The fix, therefore, is straightforward—one needs only to edit the node coordinates in the STAAD model and shift them by the appropriate amount in the Y and Z directions.
TWO. The other possibility is that the loads from only one of the pipes are offset from the nodes/members in the STAAD model. This scenario is not as simple as the first one. We can't say that the pipe rack geometry is correct and just shifted slightly—the geometry itself doesn't correspond to the geometry in the AutoPIPE model. As pointed out, simply shifting the beams will eliminate the load offsets for one pipe, but introduce load offsets for the other pipe. This means that the pipe rack itself is not defined correctly. In addition to the overall position being shifted as described above, other irregularities exit. It could be that certain members are too long or too short, certain members are positioned incorrectly relative to one another, etc. Regardless, a more through modification of the geometry is needed to resolve the problem.
THREE, that a modification was made to the AutoPIPE model after the STAAD model was built. This modification was not carried through /communicated to the STAAD model / operator to make final adjustments.
In either of the above scenarios, one must consider the process used to generate the geometry of the STAAD model based on the AutoPIPE model as the cause of the problem. During this procedure, certain errors were introduced that result in the geometry of the STAAD model being incompatible with that of the AutoPIPE model. To fix the problem, the errors need to be identified and the geometry of the STAAD model edited to take care of them.
Regardless, there is no automated process to find / resolve the issue. Someone will need to perform a thorough investigation of one model to confirm it to be 100% correct or to make corrections where needed. Otherwise, adjust the other model to correct any misalignments.