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Tutorial 1 — Your First Model (10 minutes)

We'll model an L-shaped line between two vessels, run it, and read the results: 10 m of DN100 pipe, a 90° elbow, 6 m to a second anchor, one resting support, operating at 85 °C and 1.0 MPa.

Step 1 — Design conditions​

  1. Open the Settings ⚙️ tab.
  2. Design Code: ASME B31.3 · Unit System: Metric.
  3. Internal Pressure: 1.0 MPa · Fluid Density: 1000 kg/m³.
  4. Temperatures: Install 21, Design Max 85, Design Min 21 °C.
  5. Leave Vertical Axis = Z.

Step 2 — Section & material​

  1. Open the Library tab.
  2. Under Pipe Sections, pick DN100 SCH 40 from the catalogue dropdown (OD 114.3, wall 6.02 auto-fill) and save it.
  3. Under Materials, pick a carbon steel (e.g. A106 Gr. B: E 200 000 MPa, Sh = Sc = 137.9 MPa, α 11.7) and save it.

Step 3 — Route the line​

Open the Route tab (Sequential Route mode).

Start node (anchor):

  1. Continue Route From shows -- Origin (0,0,0) -- on an empty model.
  2. Offsets 0,0,0 won't work for the first segment — instead switch to Manual Node, leave coordinates 0,0,0, set Boundary Restraint → Full Anchor (Fixed), + Save Node. Node 10 appears.

First run (+X, 10 m): 3. Back in Sequential Route, Continue From = 10. Offsets dX 10, dY 0, dZ 0, Component = Straight Pipe Element → + Route Component. Node 20 + element P-1 appear.

The elbow: we'll convert node 20 later — first route the second leg so the bend has two legs. 4. Offsets dX 0, dY 6, dZ 0 → + Route Component. Node 30 + P-2.

  1. Now click node 20 in the 3D view → the Inspector opens → it's a plain node. Switch to Route → Manual Node, click ✎ next to node 20, set Component Type → Elbow / Bend, pick your DN100 section as Reference (radius auto-fills; overwrite Bend Radius to 0.152 m for a long-radius DN100 elbow), leave Auto-calculate SIF on → Update.

End anchor: 6. Edit node 30 the same way: Boundary Restraint → Full Anchor → Update.

A resting support at mid-span: 7. Assign tab → Insert Support Along Element → element P-1, distance 5 m. In the restraint editor: type Directional Support, set Z = POS (one-way, pipe can lift off), Friction μ = 0.3 → Slice Pipe & Insert Support.

Step 4 — Check it​

Click ☑ Check Model (right panel). You should see "Model checks passed — ready to analyse" with 4 nodes / 3 elements / 2 anchors / 1 support. Try ⛓ Preview Analysis Mesh at the bottom of the viewer: the elbow has become an arc with tangent nodes 20_A/20_B.

Step 5 — Solve​

Click Run All Cases (3) ▶▶. Three solves run (SUS, EXP, OPE); the toast announces the governing case and the viewer switches to the coloured deformed shape. Drag the Scale slider to exaggerate the thermal bowing.

Step 6 — Read the results​

  • Pipe Stresses tab: each element's SE/SL vs. allowable and PASS/FAIL. The elbow row (Bend @ Node 20) carries the stress-intensified governing result.
  • Reactions: the two anchor loads and the support (its Fx is the friction drag).
  • All Cases ↔: the ratio matrix — see which case governs each element.
  • Switch the Load Case dropdown — results swap instantly between the stored cases.

Step 7 — Report​

Click Download Report (PDF): cover, inputs, full stress tables, the envelope page, reactions and the executive summary. Add your company details first under Settings → Report Header if you want them on the cover.

Where next: T2 covers every piping component; T3 does supports properly.