For any given piping element, you have a set of end forces and moments i.e. the free body diagram. Now these forces and moments can be aligned with the local coordinate system of the element or the global coordinate system of the model. The forces and moments acting on the element are the same, but the difference is in how you identify the values.
There is a big write up on this topic in the Technical Reference Manual.
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Regards,
Richard Ay - Consultant