1. Mastering Autodesk Revit MEP 2016 CHAPTER 11: Mechanical Piping

2. Mechanical Piping Pipe Settings Segments Size Catalog Fluids Table
Create pipe segments based on material performance and size
Size Catalog
Specific to the pipe segment
Fluids Table
Temperature, viscosity, and density settings for various fluids
Type Properties
Fittings loaded into a project and assigned to a pipe type
When setting up the mechanical piping to route, you need to apply the correct pipe material. The purpose of this is to provide a more accurate layout by showing the correct pipe sizes and fittings for that system. There are several areas you will have to adjust to set this up properly. These areas are system pipes, fittings, pipe material, pipe sizing tables, and fluids table. Once you set these areas, you can then concentrate on auto routing and/or manual routing of pipe.

3. Mechanical Piping Pipe Types
Custom types can be created by duplicating others
Parameters of the type can be adjusted for Material, Class, and Connection Type
Naming by material makes for easier takeoffs
Pipe types can be created by duplicating existing types and renaming them. It is a good idea to create pipe types for the materials you generally use.
Once they are created, you can assign specific fittings to be used by a pipe type. The fittings must be loaded into your project to be used by a pipe type.

4. Mechanical Piping System Pipe Fittings
Fittings can be set up to match with the pipe types and size they will be used in
Lookup table can be assigned for proper sizing
K Coefficient Table can be used, or a static value can be applied
Under the Fitting Parameters there are Elbow, Preferred Junction Type, Tee, Tap, Cross, Transition, Union, and Flange. Before you can adjust the rest of your system pipe type parameters, you need create the fittings that go with your system pipe types. You’ll want to select the fittings that will be required for your pipe type parameters, right-click each of the family fittings, and duplicate standard generic Elbow, Cross, Coupling, Tee, and Transition. After duplicating each one of these, you’ll want to rename them to the associated material of each pipe that you previously duplicated to create your pipe types.

5. Mechanical Piping Material and Sizing
Available materials and their sizes are defined in Mechanical Settings
New materials can be created based on others
Roughness, Connection type, and Schedule can be modified for new material
Sizes can be added or removed for availability in project
If you want to create a new pipe material, you can duplicate an existing pipe material and rename it to the new pipe material as required. You can change connection type and schedule of pipe. This is all done in the Mechanical Settings dialog box.

6. Mechanical Piping Fluids Table
Viscosity and Density settings for specific fluids at various temperatures
Custom fluid types can be created
Custom temperatures can be added
The Fluids Table in the Mechanical Settings dialog box determines the Viscosity and Density settings for fluids at specific temperatures. These settings are important for flow calculations.
New fluid types can be created as needed for your projects. You can also create new temperature values.

7. Mechanical Piping Automatic Routing Routing Solutions
Network – solutions with main running through center and branching off
Perimeter – solutions with main running around components and branching in
Intersections – pair of imaginary lines extending from each connector; perpendicular lines extend from connectors and intersections are potential junctions
Custom – becomes available when you begin to modify any other solution type
Slope value can be assigned prior to routing
There are a couple of routing options when you set out to design your piping model: the auto-route option and the manual routing option. The smaller a system, the more beneficial the auto-route feature. If you have a large system you are designing, then manual routing will benefit you more due to the nature of designs changing more often.

8. Mechanical Piping Manual Routing Pipe drawn at specified elevation
Slope value
Manual Routing
Pipe drawn at specified elevation
Justification settings – Top, Bottom, or Middle of pipe
Slope value for run applied if necessary
Pipe can be drawn from connection points on equipment or fixtures
Size acquired from connector data
Vertical runs can be drawn in section view or plan views (by changing offset during run)
Trim tool used for easy completion of runs
Slope direction toggle
Manual routing of pipe is similar to routing ductwork. You start by choosing a pipe type and size. You can then set the elevation of the pipe and the justification.
The main difference for pipe is that you have the ability to apply a slope if necessary.

9. Mechanical Piping Placing Fittings Fitting Functions
End Cap – placed at ends of pipe only
Tee, Tap, Wye, or Cross – placed anywhere in-line with pipe runs
Transitions, Couplings, or Unions – placed at pipe ends
Flange – placed at pipe ends or at face of another flange
Fittings will size according to pipe they are placed into
Many fittings have grips that allow for change in direction or type

10. Mechanical Piping Pipe Visibility Colors by System
Colors assigned to System for design visibility
Filters used for documentation views
Can be applied to whole systems
Pipe visibility can be controlled with view filters either by pipe type or by system. If your pipes have been modeled so that each run is connected at some point to a connector, a view filter by system is the easiest way to override the display of the run because it will include any fittings.
A view filter that is set up for pipe types is also easy to use but does not include the fittings in the runs. A separate filter for fittings is required when using this method.