Dear Rich and Dave,

Common practice in denoting a distance (e.g., X) on piping isometrics takes measure from the "face" of a flange to a certain point of interest. Hardly by itself is a pipe flange dimensioned. In contrast to stress analysis using CAESAR II program, one has to identify each and every flange individually on the input spreadsheet. The task could take three steps to complete:

(1) extract the flange length, Y, from the V/F database dialog,
(2) manually subtract the length Y from X on the piping isometric, and
(3) enter another node point and element with the X minus Y dimension to reach the point of interest.

If the flange instead is located at the end of an element, or a flanged spool piece, additional steps entail. Alas, in case of a skewed line CAESAR II input can really become geometry-challenged.

My estimate is, modeling an in-plant busy piping system via Customary Unit in fractions can consume up to 40% of the modeling time doing all this. Concern over errors in adding or subtracting fractions can further result in repeated checking and rechecking the mathematics. After a little while one's concentration just gets sapped out, exhausted.

But it wouldn't seem all this travail is inevitable. Maybe CAESAR II program can conjure up a simple routine to mitigate the stated hardship.

One ready option I can envision is adding a Check-box command, like "Hard Piping," to the Dimension Block. After one enters the length X and check the box, CAESAR II's F/V dialog--flange, rating, valve, etc.--will pop up, with another selection of FROM or TO or BOTH Check-box. Once properly picked, CAESAR II then automatically breaks up the dimension X into two or three elements--one RIGID Element followed by a Pipe or vice verse, etc.--with new intermediate node point(s) similar to the elbow element currently in effect.

No, I am not alone troubled. A number of CAESAR II seminar students have mentioned it to me, and suggested same.

Plese give this request an approxiate consideration. Thanks.