Piping, Ducting and Cable Trays

This chapter describes the commands to create Piping (including Hangers), Ducting and Cable Trays. Then the commands to position, orientate and connect piping components are described.

The key element in these disciplines is the Branch. This is a two-ended entity that can be joined with other Branches to form a network. The network can finish where a Branch is connected to an Equipment Nozzle, reaches the site limits, or stops at a vent or drain valve. The Branch element owns Component elements drawn from the Catalog whose sequence and position define the centerline route. Straight variable lengths of Tube are automatically routed between adjacent Components and are therefore not individual Component elements themselves.

There are no special Design hierarchy elements for ducting and cable trays. They are routed as Branches, but with Components drawn from parts of the Catalog dedicated to the relevant discipline. It is convenient, therefore, to refer to pipes, ducting and cable trays collectively as ‘piping’, since AVEVA E3D Design treats them similarly. The principles applied to ‘routing’ two-ended pipe Hangers are also identical to those used for Branches. Where no distinction is made, the term ‘piping’ also applies to Hangers.