Autodesk 235B1-05A761-1301 - AutoCAD MEP 2010, User Manual

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your company’s engineering designs. For more information, see Working with Tool Palettes on page 87 and
Customizing Tool Palettes on page 787.
RELATED See also Workspace Components on page 38.
Insertion Tools
You can use add grips ( ) along with the domain-specific palettes in AutoCAD MEP to add components
to your drawings. After adding a part from the tool palette, use add grips on a segment or object to route
the pipe, plumbing, electrical, schematic, or duct system to ensure connectivity along the run. You can draw
a run from one end of the part segment, from a midpoint of a part segment, from a multi-view part (called
an MvPart), or from a fitting, such as an elbow or a tee. For more information, see
Grips for Adding to a Pipe
Run on page 272.
AutoCAD MEP also lets you automatically insert fittings into a run. For example, AutoCAD MEP can identify
the type of elbow fitting to insert into a plumbing layout, based on the preferences defined for the plumbing
system. When drawing pipe runs, you can use different
routing preferences on page 250 that match your
pipe specifications to ensure that the proper fittings are inserted automatically. As you draw cable tray or
conduit in the Electrical workspace, the software adds fittings based on the defined preferences.
Layer Keying
As you add parts to your layouts, each object is automatically placed on the correct layer. With layer keying,
AutoCAD MEP automatically places an object on a predefined layer that conforms to a particular layer
standard. You can modify the layer standards to map to specific company standards. You can also turn layers
on or off for a particular system or use filters to disable objects on a particular layer. For more information,
see
AutoCAD MEP Layer Standards on page 132.
Modifying Building Systems
In AutoCAD, you modify the geometric elements, including lines, arcs, and circles, in your design projects.
You use common editing tools in the software, such as COPY, TRIM, and EXTEND. See the AutoCAD Help
for more information.
AutoCAD MEP helps you streamline the task of modifying building systems using techniques such as
associative movement, grips, and snaps.
Associative Movement
You can move, shrink, or stretch connected objects (such as part segments and fittings) to a new location
in a drawing without breaking the connection between parts or altering other portions of the run. For more
information, see
Associative Movement on page 248.
With associative movement, you use grips to move the connected parts as a single unit while other parts
remain in place in the same layout. The software identifies the parts that are connected and maintains their
connectivity. The following illustrations show the progression of the associative movement feature in the
Piping domain.
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