Pipes Modeling | SelfCAD

Welcome to the next SelfCAD instructable. In this project we will use profiles and the Follow Path tool to model pipes.

Launch SelfCAD editor and create a new project. Set the project's name, workspace size and segment size (grid). Remember that 1 SelfCAD's unit is equal to 1 mm.

You should know at least one dimension of the building (room), but I recommend to know two of them. I added two measurements to my drawing and uploaded the image to the project (View - Reference Image).

Add a cube to the scene and set its width and depth equal to the known dimensions. Match your reference image to the cube.

Delete the cube.

Use 3D Sketch, Line Sketch to draw a profile. First, open Precision Settings and turn on minimum step size 10. Draw the cold water pipes.

I want this profile to be an axis of my pipe, so it cannot lie on the grid. Let's say, that the floor would be 200 mm high and we want to place my profile 70mm below floor level. Move the profile to a height of 130 mm.

Use 3D Sketch again but this time set the offset to 800 because the water connections should be at the height of 600 mm. With the first profile still selected, draw new short segments. Connect these segments with the main profile.

Draw the rest of the cold water pipes.

Do the same with hot water pipes. Make sure your first profile is deselected. Note that the pipes cannot intersect. You can draw more edges in the profile and lift some of them above the cold water pipe, like in the pictures.

You can draw a vertical line by entering the coordinates of its end.

Make sure you have nothing selected and draw a circle, cross section of your pipes. My circle has a radius of 16 mm.

Select the circle and then one of the profiles. Use Follow Path (T+P) to create pipes. Do the same with the second profile

Now you can model a water heater. Add a cylinder to the scene and move it to its place

Now, when you know how to model pipes, you can add a sewage system and more details.