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…

Tired of always picking the same template every time you open AutoCAD or start a new drawing? There is an easy way to set this: 1. Right-click on the cammand line and pick Options or Pick Tools->Options to get into AutoCAD's settings 2. Pick the Files Tab 3. Find Template Settings and expand that 4.…

If you have a large drawing, we have long recommended that you use System Boundaries to break up the drawing for processing. But what if the system to be calculated stretches across other systems? You can still use boundaries, just use more of them, and make them isolate the main (more or less). See below:…

A tip from Joe O. at Troy Sprinkler: I just came across something really cool that I did now know and thought it might be a good one to pass along. I wanted to copy objects and then rotate the objects.  Essentially having the same group of objects but rotated at a different angle.  It’s…

A customer asked if there was a way to change the color of HydraPipes to red for the Navis coordination drawing. There are two ways to do this: Option 1: After you go to 3D, select everything in your model (yes, everything) and right-click and pick Properties. Then, pick the top drop down list and…