TRIFLEX® Windows - Features [ Pipe Stress Analysis, Modelling, Underground Soil, etc ]

Fully Integrated HELP system and Electronic Manuals will assist the user when needed. Any Information is at most three clicks of a mouse (or keystroke away).

Graphics and Modeling

Advanced coding features for faster model input:

Automatic handling of skewed piping with restraints
Automatic handling of mitered elbows
Code to midpoint of valves & flanges
Multiple restraint directions can be entered on the same data screen as geometry & physical properties
Multiple in-line pumps

Modeling of Jacketed Piping

Anchor element allows different stiffness in all directions on one screen with option to automatically calculate anchor displacement

Built-in buoyancy with offshore riser design code

ASME Section III analysis for calculation of nozzle & branch connection stress & flexibility

Stress Intensification Factor (SIF) & Flexibility Factor equations included in analysis

Filters allow for effective sorting of Output Data. Sorting accomplished by double-clicking on the column headers that the user wishes to sort.

Nozzle release option at equipment connection for spring hanger sizing

Tilt Option - allows for skewing of Directional restraints, limit stops, and friction

Calculate the distance between any two nodes

Input

Input is accomplished through an Input Dialog screen. The Input Dialog screen is designed to contain all the necessary input items for that particular piping system component. Each component will automatically acquire the previous properties until the user changes it. For instance, if Pipe size, schedule, material, insulation, temperature, pressure, etc., are the same then the user only has to enter it once and the entire piping system will have these same properties until the user changes that particular property.

TRIFLEX® Windows Data Input Screens puts the Engineer in control, one screen dialog captures all necessary piping information: coordinates all weight (pipe, contents, valves, insulation), geometry, restraints, wind loads, soil input parameters, modulus and expansion coefficient for review or instant modification.

Insert, Append and Replace components

Identify pipe runs, control points or tag number with ease

For the user's convenience a previous sections of the piping system can be added, inserted or replaced, copied and pasted into the same or another piping system. This can be accomplished graphically and/or through a spreadsheet.

Unlike other piping programs, TRIFLEX® Windows lets the user easily change the properties of any portion of the piping system. New properties can be introduced from any node point to any node point or though out the entire piping model.

The user can view an input spreadsheet while the model is being built or upon competition of the model. The user can split the screen and view both the Input spreadsheet as well as the graphic model. The user can use either or both the input spreadsheet and the graphics window to identify, add, edit, or replace any component in the model.

View orientation can be set and recalled at will. The user can view the piping model in Perspective, Orthographic or in ISO mode or any viewing angle, with or without coordinate (x, y, z) axis imposed in the model. The piping model can be viewed in 3D rendered mode or line mode. The user has the ability to control all colors of components, including the background and text in the model. Node numbers can be turned on or removed with a click of an icon.

TRIFLEX® Windows 2.2.0 and later allows the user to model large systems in a much easier fashion by allowing him or her to Cut/Copy, Paste large areas of the piping system. In addition to these features the user can Flip portions of the piping system about any of the axes and (or) renumber them. Starting from the same version, the number of "undo/redo" steps has been increased to 32, allowing the user a greater freedom of control over the modeling.

Components may be selected/deselected individually by using CTRL-Left Click when the select cursor (arrow) is on the component in graphics mode, or when the focus is on the component in the input spreadsheet.

The underlying structure of a TRIFLEX^®Windows piping model is the Component List as shown in order in the input spreadsheet. Occasionally, in order to correct connectivity errors more easily, do custom renumbering, or simply to arrange the components into a more organized listing, it is convenient to be able to reorder the component sequence in this list. This version of the program allows the list to be modified, using the Main Menu/Edit/Rearrange Component List command. To use the command first, Select the components to be grouped together and moved, and then fix the current component. When the command is given, the Selected components will be moved in the list such that they immediately follow the current component.

Graphical Visualization

Capability of displaying any combination of Input or Output Reports & Graphics

Review Output in final Report format, spreadsheet format or in color 3D Stress ISO

Find any node in the spreadsheet or graphically at the same time

Identify Maximum & Minimum Stresses and Sort Output spreadsheets with the click of a mouse

ISO views for both input and stress graphics

Dynamic Analysis includes animation for Mode Shapes & Frequencies

Database Compatibility

Built-in Databases with user definable options for non-standard materials and vendor specific valves and flange weights.

The Graphics Database interactively reacts to changes in the Input Spreadsheet and vice-versa. The current component and current selections are displayed in both the Graphics Database and the Input Spreadsheet.

All data on spreadsheets (including input spreadsheet, output spreadsheet, code compliance) can be copied & pasted in any other application.

All spreadsheets can export their data to Excel (XLS files), .TXT (tab-delimited files that can be read by all major database applications, including Access, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server), HTML files that can be used to share information over the web with your co-workers.

Spreadsheet data in the output spreadsheets and code compliance spreadsheets can be sorted easily just by double-clicking on the column title.

Option to use operating temperature modulus of elasticity for analysis of high temperature systems

TRIFLEX® Windows can generate the following Rotating Equipment Compliance Reports:

Filters allow for effective sorting of Output Data. Sorting accomplished with the click of a mouse.

Poster-printing. You can print a picture of your piping system as a poster (expanded over multiple pages) so you can make a wall mural. This feature allows people who do not have large printers (such as A3-A2) to be able to have large pictures of their piping system.

Code Compliance Reports provides minimum wall thickness with user defined mill tolerance as well as percentage of stress allowable. All Output & Reports can be sorted ascending or descending by column.

All Output Reports can be exported to HTML so that result sharing becomes much easier. Also Output reports can be exported directly to XLS (Excel files) so that you can use your favorite spreadsheet editor to organize the results in your own report format.

TRIFLEX® Windows displays its graphics by using OpenGL®. This means that if you have an OpenGL® compatible accelerator card, TRIFLEX® Windows will take advantage of it to make the graphics display faster. TRIFLEX® Windows also makes use of your graphics card T&L (Transform & Lighting) abilities in order to free the CPU from performing graphics display calculations. If you do not possess a graphics accelerator card, TRIFLEX® Windows will use the CPU to draw the piping system, hence a fast system is recommended in this situation.

TRIFLEX® Windows, starting with version 2.1.0 has the ability perform analyses based on defined vibration spectra, adding the loading so induced into the occasional load considered for one or more case definitions. As a by-product of this addition, the ability to store, recall, and edit specific spectral definitions was included, as well as the ability to view the spectrum graphically.

TRIFLEX® Windows dynamic capability has been enhanced with the ability to specify user defined or preprogrammed time dependent forcing or displacement functions at selected nodes of the piping system. The effect of the time variant function on the displacement of the system may then be shown graphically in an animation sequence. The loading so imposed has an effect on the system displacement, forces, moments, and stresses, which may be viewed on a spreadsheet at each time increment. The maximum of these system effects can be added onto the occasional loading for one or more case definitions.

Water hammer analysis has been added to TRIFLEX® Windows, automatically calculating the system response to rapidly changing incompressible fluid flow conditions. Working through the Time History mechanism, this feature calculates the forcing functions at the piping system nodes along with their time of arrival, allowing the user to simulate a water hammer event

TRIFLEX® Windows has input interfaces to Intergraph PDS, CADcentre PDMS, Calma Dimension III and CADPIPE plant design system for geometry and physical properties transfer.

TRIFLEX® Windows can export to tab-delimited TXT files as well. This allows database applications such as Access or ORACLE to import the results directly from TRIFLEX® Windows into their proprietary format (column header names are also exported).

TRIFLEX® Windows can import and export old TRIFLEX® DOS keyword and job files.

Graphics can be exported to high-quality image files in the JPEG, BMP and PS (PostScript) format. The resolution can be set dynamically so that the files may be used for poster printing.

Since TRIFLEX® Windows version 2.3.1 it is now possible to directly import PCF files as produced by Alias Ltd’s I-Sketch isometric drawing program. Piping systems entered using Alias’s tools including field data entered on PDA using I-Sketch Field, may be directly imported and analyzed with TRIFLEX®Windows.

3D DXF export is now available. TRIFLEX® Windows can export the 3D model of your piping system to any program that can read the DXF format.