This topic is intended for users that wish to add or modify PADL-driven assets or wish to modify the catalog. There are some customization requirements in order to export to PCF.

In general, PCF requires that the following things are described for each component:

  • Component connect point positions
  • Component center position (if applicable)
  • Component branch point positions (if applicable)
  • Nominal diameter at each of the component connect points
  • Connection type (e.g. ‘Flanged’ or ‘Screwed’) at each of the component connect points
  • Component type.

The following diagram explains where the PCF interface retrieves this information:

V-Suite CORE provides a variety of default piping assets and ANSI catalog information. If you need additional asset types, refer to PADL for how to define a piping asset and its connect points, and to the V-Suite CORE Catalog for how to set asset physical attributes and connect point attributes from a catalog.

The following describes specific requirements related to the PCF export.

Connection Point and Branch Point Positions (PADL)

PCF may require connection point branch positions. The V-Suite CORE PADL schema does not distinguish between branch connection points and ordinary connection points. The PCF interface will determine which connection points are branch points based on the following rules as illustrated in picture below:

  • Branch points will only be assigned if the asset contains more than two connections points
  • Connection points where the direction or normal is not aligned to the direction of the asset are considered branch points.

Note that branch points are only assigned if required by PCF; no branch connect point will be assigned to, for instance, a 3-way valve.

PCF may require the piping component center position. The V-Suite CORE PADL schema requires the definition of a ‘position’ (origin) but does not require the definition of a center point. The PCF interface determines the center of an asset based on the rules as illustrated in pictures below:

Some asset types have only one connection point in PADL (for example BLIND FLANGE). PCF however requires two end points (also see Interface Supported PCF Types). To specify the end point of these types of assets your PADL definition must include a position physical attribute called “ClosedEndPosition”.

Connect Point Properties (Catalog)

Connect point properties (nominal size and connection type) are defined in the Catalog. Go to the properties of the catalog item and click the Connection Points Tab to view or modify connection point properties:

The size lookup property refers to a catalog item property.