ISOGEN format

Centerline isometric drawings are often required to document straight pipe fittings for tube and pipe designs. With Autodesk Inventor Tube & Pipe, you can save your run as an ISOGEN .pcf file . The ISOGEN .pcf file is a text file that describes the tube and pipe components to process. With multiple runs selected, you can save each run to an individual file or combine them into a single file. By default, the .pcf file is saved to the current project workspace.

Use the .pcf file to transfer the pipe run content from Autodesk Inventor Tube & Pipe to applications with ISOGEN capabilities. The ISOGEN capable applications can automatically create isometric drawings that are used directly by manufacturing.

When a pipe run contains any routes that are set to defer updates, you cannot save the pipe run to an ISOGEN .pcf file. You must first disable the tube and pipe defer updates for the pipe run.

Note: If a flanged route is created, ensure that gaskets are used to seal the flanged connections. Otherwise, ISOGEN output may fail to use for drawing purpose.

How is the .pcf file named?

If the tube and pipe runs assembly is active when you click the ISOGEN Output command, the file is named <AssemblyName>.pcf, where <AssemblyName> is the name of the active runs assembly file. If an individual run is selected, the file name is <AssemblyName_Run>.pcf, where <AssemblyName is the name of the runs assembly and <_Run> is the browser name of the active run.

Optionally, you can rename the .pcf files using the Options command in the ISOGEN Output dialog box.

How are .pcf files updated?

Unlike other Autodesk Inventor files, .pcf files are not associative to the model data and do not automatically update when changes are made. You must save the model changes, and then use the ISOGEN Output command to save the data again.

How are ISOGEN properties added to custom and existing fittings?

The first time you output a run containing components from previous versions of tube and pipe to the ISOGEN format, a dialog box is displayed. This dialog box lists all tube and pipe components contained in the active run. The system automatically generates the ISOGEN Type and SKEY information for each fitting based on the part authoring. Use the dialog box to identify listed components in the graphics window and verify the system-generated ISOGEN information.

To add ISOGEN properties to custom tube and pipe fittings published to the Content Center, re-author and then republish them. Using the Tube & Pipe Authoring command, add the required ISOGEN Type and SKEY properties to each part connection; using the Publish to Content Center command, republish them.

Standard tube and pipe fittings in the Content Center include the required ISOGEN properties.