Drawing Isometric Piping page 1

Even before the days of computers, creating

piping drawings has presented challenges.
Besides being able to plot where the pipe went
and how it bent you had to draw parallel lines to
represent the outside of the pipe. No easy task!
Using CorelDRAW it is actually, very easy if
you employ the correct tool. In my experience
that is the Contour function.
Note: Due to the amount of work covered this
month there will be no rendering exercises.

Engineering drawing of a U shaped pipe

Create a 2 inch square by choosing the Rectangle Tool (F6)

and constraining it (Ctrl) while drawing and watching the
status line. Apply a 0.25 inch radius to the corners with the
Node Edit (F10) tool. Next convert it to curves (Crtl+Q) and
use the Node Edit Tool (F10) and the Node Edit Roll-Up
(Ctrl+F10) to break the nodes highlighted in black.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 2

Break apart (Ctrl+K) the object and delete the small section.
Copy (Ctrl+C) the remaining shape for use in the next
exercise. Convert this shape into a front view isometric by
applying the following from the Transform Roll-Up:
Horizontal Scale 86.6%, Vertical Skew -30 degrees.

Apply a Contour from the Effects Roll-Up with the

following settings: Outside, Offset 0.1 inch, Steps 1. Pretty
good so far but now we need to do a little fix-up. Separate
the Contour Group from the Arrange Menu and delete the
inner line.

Un-Group the outside shape and use the Node Edit Tool
(F10) to delete one-at-a-time the nodes indicated in black.
The result will be flat lines across the ends of the pipe.
Deleting the extra nodes all at once produces curved lines
that will require even more work to correct.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 3

In the close-up, notice that the flat line across the end has
been selected (black circle) with the Node Edit Tool (F10)
change this line to a curve using the Node Edit Roll-Up
(Ctrl+F10). Then marquee select the nodes and smooth them
using the Node Edit Roll-Up (Ctrl+F10). Bingo. But what
would happen it the pipe went in the other direction and we
had to see the pipe opening?

First lets create the same pipe but going in a direction where
we will see the ends. Get the copy (Ctrl+V) from step 3 and
use the Transform Roll-Up to apply a Horizontal Mirror.
Then repeat the pervious steps needed to complete the pipe.

Create a perfect circle using the Ellipse Tool (F7) and the
constrain key (Ctrl). Duplicate (Ctrl+D) the circle and
reduce it as shown by dragging the corner handles. Align
(Ctrl+A) the two circles horizontally and vertically centered.
Convert to an isometric ellipse by using the Transform RollUp to apply a 57.4 percent vertical scale. Now combine
(Ctrl+L) the ellipses and apply a -120 degree rotation from
the Transform Roll-Up. Fill with white and save this object
for future use.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 4

Manually move, size, and position the elliptical hole over the
end of your pipe until you achieve the proper result.

Engineering Drawing of a z-bend pipe

Note: In this exercise you will draw directly in isometric.

Check your Preferences (Crtl+J) and make sure that the

constrain angle is set to 15 degrees. Choose the straight line
pencil tool. Draw straight line segment 1 while holding the
constrain (Ctrl) key to 30 degrees. Connect segment 2 at - 30
degrees to about the proportions shown. Add segment 3 at 90 degrees. Segment 4 at -30 degrees and complete the
primitive with segment 5 at 30 degrees.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 5

Use the Node Edit Tool (F10) to select in turn segments 2
and 4 and change them to curves with the Node Edit Roll-Up
(Ctrl+F10). Then marquee select all of the nodes and smooth
them using the Node Edit Roll-Up (Ctrl+F10). Apply a
contour from the Effects Roll-Up with the following
settings: Outside, Offset 0.1 inch, Steps 1. The thickness of
your pipe may differ from that shown. This is due to the
scale of the drawings. Simply re-size your drawing until the
results look the same, or adjust the offset dimension.

Separate the Contour Group from the Arrange Menu and

delete the inner line. Un-Group the outside shape and use the
node edit tool to delete one at a time the extra nodes. The
result will be flat lines across the ends of the pipe.

Use the Node Edit Tool (F10) to select the flat ends and
change them to curves with the Node Edit Roll-Up
(Ctrl+F10). Then select the effected nodes and smooth them.
Add the end hole shape that you saved earlier and apply a
horizontal mirror. Manually move, size, and position the
elliptical hole over the end of your pipe until you achieve the
proper result.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 6

Engineering Drawing of a complex pipe.

Note: again in this exercise you will draw directly in
isometric.

Choose the straight line pencil tool and connect the

following line segments constrained as noted:
Segment 1 = 30 degrees. Segment 2 = -30 degrees. Segment
3 = -90 degrees. Segment 4 = -60 degrees. Segment 5 = -30
degrees. Segment 6 = -60 degrees. Segment 7 = -90 degrees.
Segment 8 = -30 degrees. Segment 9 = 30 degrees. Try to
proportion your drawing as shown.

Use the Node Edit Tool (F10) to select in turn segments 2, 4,

6 and 8 and change them to curves with the Node Edit RollUp (Ctrl+F10). Then marquee select all of the nodes and
smooth them.

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 7

Apply a contour from the Effects Roll-Up with the following

settings: Outside, Offset 0.1 inch, Steps 1. The thickness of
your pipe may differ from that shown. This is due to the
scale of the drawings. Simply re-size your drawing until the
results look the same, or adjust the offset dimension

Separate the Contour Group from the Arrange Menu and

delete the inner line. Un-Group the outside shape and use the
Node Edit Tool (F10) to delete one-at-a-time the extra
nodes. The result will be flat lines across the ends of the
pipe.

Use the Node Edit Tool (F10) to select the flat ends and
change them to curves with the Node Edit Roll-Up
(Ctrl+F10). Then select the effected nodes and smooth them
with the Node Edit Roll-Up (Ctrl+F10).

Drawing Isometric Piping - page 8

Complete this pipe by adding a horizontal mirror of the end

hole shape that you saved earlier.
Next month we will apply some of these techniques to
creating isometric hoses.

Your new challenge is to find the most

expensive method of producing isometric piping
drawings from paper engineering data.
Provide enough information to verify your find.
Snail mail your submission to Invotech, PO
Box 952, Miller Place, NY 11764.

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illustrators who have purchased our Tech
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