Pipe feature or featurescript

leecasey

Hi does anyone know of a point to point (mate connector to mate connector) pipe feature? I've seen some out there but they seem to offer very little more than a sweep function (you have to define the route). 

Thanks

eric_pesty

Not sure exactly what you are trying to do but you could the "3D lines" FS might help?
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/caa2280c222cedaa072e46a4/v/fcdb972ee7d4cf3e737197a3/e/fd8456441926342d6857b449

eric_pesty

Not sure exactly what you are trying to do but you could the "3D lines" FS might help?
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/caa2280c222cedaa072e46a4/v/fcdb972ee7d4cf3e737197a3/e/fd8456441926342d6857b449

leecasey

Hi Eric, 3D Lines is very close to what I'm after. You have to create the route yourself though. I want to select 2 points, start and end, and then the route to be created automatically, setting maximum bend radius etc. Like the piping functionality in Creo if you've ever used it. 

leecasey

Actually, Eric. I've just played around with 3D Lines a bit and noticed the mate connector button, I can zero in on those x,y.z co-ordinates and its almost as good. Certainly good enough! Thank you 

eric_pesty

@leecasey
Glad that helped! It's definitely not an "automated routing" sort of tool but is a quick enough way to generate a path as a series of segments.
It's not the most intuitive feature to use but it does come in handy once in a while. It defaults to X Y Z directions but you can set directions for individual segments (if you wanted to do a 45deg elbow for example).

I also forgot but the if you don't need the corner radius (if you are going to use "fittings" rather than bends), the freeform spline tool (not obvious I know...) has a "polyline" tool that would let you do something similar (although it doesn't "lock you in" to 90deg angles so might actually take more work depending what you want). There's also a 3D fillet tool you could use to add radii if you wanted to go that route.
Freeform spline is a great feature to if you haven't used it yet!