The ABC's of Piping: 5 Basic Pipe Fittings You Need to Know When Drawing A Piping Plan

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AutoCAD® Add-On reveals the five most common pipe symbols you will need to have when assembling a CAD Piping plan.

piping symbol showing pipe flange and valve assembly

A typical flange and valve assembly using a piping symbol within a library.

Using a good library or piping utility in combination with a good knowledge of what connections work best, the draftsperson can more easily design and draw the pipe system

With the age of CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), piping plans can be easily designed and drawn using pre-drawn piping symbols.

Today piping layouts are usually created using Piping Symbol Libraries. Alternatively other more advance piping programs are available that create these pipe fittings as needed using menu systems and dialogs. Many use the latest ANSI/AWWA or similar specifications so that they are drawn with accuracy.

Piping systems are typically used to transport fluids from one location to another. Pipe systems are used in various industries such as chemical, energy and food.

"In order to creating a piping layout, the CAD user will need a set of Piping Symbols drawn to manufacturers specifications" says Erik Zetterberg owner of SimpleCAD. "Using a good library or piping utility in combination with a good knowledge of what connections work best, the draftsperson can more easily design and draw the pipe system."

Here are the 6 basic pipe fittings you need to know while designing or drawing a pipe plan.

1- An elbow is a pipe fitting installed between two straight lengths of pipe that allow the pipe run to change in direction. A typical elbow usually is a 45 or 90 degrees but other angles include 11.25°, 22.5°and 30°for example.

2- A Tee or Wyes connection is a pipe fitting that it has one inlet and 2 outlets each at 90°or 45°. The outlets can either be the same size (equal/full-size) or a different size (unequal/reducing).

3- A cross fitting is similar to a T fitting, but provides one inlet and 3 outlets and forms the shape of a cross (also called a 4 way fitting). Like the Tee or Wyes fittings they are also available in different sizes.

4- Olets are special fittings that provide a reinforced connection between a run end and a outlet/branch end. Examples of three different type are Weldolets, Sockolets and Threadolets. The Weldolet and Sockolet are welded connections and the Threadolet is a threaded

5- Reducers allow you to connect two different sizes of pipe together. The are available as a concentric (aligns the center of each pipe) or eccentric connection (aligns the bottom of each pipe). If the 2 pipes being connected are the same size, the fitting is usually referred to as a coupler.

6- Flanges provide another method of connecting pipes together. Usually they used to attach a pipe to a valve, tank, pump and other equipment.Two flanges are are bolted together with a gasket seal between them, so if needed the connection can be undone to access and service the equipment or valve. Flanges can be ether welded or screwed to the adjoining pipe. At the end of a pipe run a blind flange (with a solid plate) can be used to terminate the system.

About SimpleCAD:

SimpleCAD also offers other various AutoCAD® symbols and utilities which are downloadable immediately after purchased. SimpleCAD has been actively serving the AutoCAD® industry for over 25 years and also offer complete CAD software solutions.

Phone 877-933-3929 or visit them online at for more.

Or email them at mail(at)simplecad(dot)com

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Erik Zetterberg
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