The Slope Entire System command was added to the Piping toolbar (Define Pipe Elevation flyout) a while back, but many still do not know of its existence, or how to use it. With it, you are able to specify a slope for your mains and a (maybe different) slope for your lines and slope the…

HydraCAD V52.04/51.14 instituted a new way to locate flexible sprinkler heads and it couldn't get much easier. 1. Simply insert a 'regular' sprinkler head using any of our sprinkler insertion tools2. Insert a flexible sprinkler on top of the regular sprinkler That's it! The regular sprinkler head will get erased when a flexible sprinkler is…

Need to line up your 3D model for coordination in Revit, Navis or something else? Use the Move Model command from the Collaborate toolbar: This is a two step process. Pick Denote Basepoint. Then, pick a window around the section to move and then locate the Match Point. This will become the new Base Point.…

If you are using Naviswork Manage to do clash detection, then we have the tool for you! HydraCAD has a tool that will put a yellow error circle at each location that a clash occurs. Use the Navisworks Toolkit button on the Collaborate toolbar (below) Then, export your piping to Navis and run a clash…

HydraCAD Version 52.2/51.12 added a new command to the Piping toolbar – Size Pipe by Schedule. This command will apply a sizing schedule to the line or main picked, along with all the lines or mains attached to it. – Icon for Size Pipe by Schedule This command s easy to use. Put your model…

What is LOD? It is 'Level of Development', a BIM pseudo-standard that specifies the level of completeness of a drawing/model. HydraCAD is capable of fulfilling all these levels, although most contracts (for now, at least) specify LOD 300 as the current goal. The following is from KalBlue: "BIM has been outlined into five levels.  These…

Since Autodesk no longer sends media when you buy a new product, or get an upgrade (note: you can still get a DVD with your order for $75), then how do you get the software? How do you get an older version? How do you get a DVD. You need to log into the Autodesk…

So, you've drawn dashed/dotted/hidden lines in Model Space and they look just great. But, you go to Paper Space and they are all solid. What is going on? The setvar PSLTSCALE is what is going on. It's default setting is 1, which means the linetype scale being applied is based on the scaling of the…

Yes, Autodesk now has a rental option for a number or products along with AutoCAD (kinda). Why? Well, some companies need an AutoCAD (or Revit) for only a few months, as they pick up a project but do not know if they need it after the project shuts down. Or, they get it for a…