Analysis Tools
Flange Context Details and Configuration Controls
The sidebar menu displays detailed context metrics and adjustment settings for each component selected in the visual report.
Bolted up
automet® FAB automatically assigns the Bolted up condition when the calculated distance between the diameter-point plane (D) and the stop point (S) matches a two-flange joint thickness. Operators can manually uncheck this setting if a single heavy flange is misidentified.
Diameter, stop, and workpoint indicators
- D (Diameter plane) and S (Stop point): Circled interface markers indicating physical point locations recorded during field capture.
- Tie-in and design spool: Refers to the nominal pipe spool design loaded at project start.
- Gap and thickness overrides: Field-measured flange thicknesses and gasket gap values can be typed directly into the input fields, overriding default database values.
Ignore length
Enabling Ignore length removes the axial length vector from best-fit mathematical constraints:
- Open pipe ends: By default, open pipe ends are set to ignore length, allowing for excess material without distorting overall spool alignment.
- Custom configuration: Any flange can be configured to ignore length, or open pipe ends configured to enforce length, depending on site requirements.
Fit preference
The Fit preference slider controls the mathematical weighting applied during best-fit routines:
- Position: Prioritises reducing vector location errors (black arrows).
- Alignment: Prioritises reducing flange face angular touchpoint errors (gold values).
- Reset to defaults: Pressing Reset to defaults restores original parameters without risk of data corruption. Refer to fit preference slider analysis for further details.
Individual bolt hole observations
The lower table lists recorded bolt hole observations for the selected flange:
- Pitch and radius errors: Displays angular pitch error (degrees) and radial distance variance relative to nominal pitch circle diameter (PCD) dimensions.
- Excluding bad observations: Unchecking the Fit box for an individual bolt hole removes an outlier measurement from PCD calculations without deleting raw survey data.
- Pipe end radius: When evaluating open pipe ends, radial errors represent individual diameter observations.
Touchpoint at OD
By default, face gap calculations display clearance at the flange raised face. Selecting Touchpoint at OD projects gap dimensions to the outer diameter of the flange.
Vector and touchpoint display scale
The visual scale of vector error arrows and touchpoint leader lines can be resized independently for each flange or pipe end to clean up visual report graphics.
Fit and Show Control Options
The primary controls panel manages component inclusion across the best-fit algorithm and graphical display layers:
- Fit checkbox: Controls whether a flange, hub, or pipe end is included in the mathematical best-fit alignment. Unchecking an item excludes it from alignment calculations while retaining its measured variance values in report tables.
- Show checkbox: Toggles the visibility of specific elements (such as circle-fit centerlines) on visual reports.
Zeroing a Flange to Isolate Gross Errors
By default, automet® FAB uses a least-squares averaging algorithm that distributes measurement variance across all flanges. While optimal for compliant spools, this averaging method can mask localized fabrication errors.
Selecting the Zero checkbox on a specific flange anchors the coordinate origin directly to that component, transferring all relative variance onto remaining spools.
Selecting Zero at Flange 01 translates coordinates along grid lines to align design and survey origins precisely at Flange 01:
Translating the origin reveals gross fabrication errors located elsewhere on the spool, such as excessive vector displacement or face gaps at secondary flanges:
Dropping a Flange From the Fit
Unchecking the Fit checkbox for a specific component removes its data points from the mathematical fit.
When surveying a two-flange spool, dropping Flange 02 forces the alignment model entirely onto Flange 01. Flange 01 displays zero position, orientation, and face error, while Flange 02 displays the true unadjusted error relative to Flange 01.
On multi-flange spools (three or more connections), dropping a single flange fits the remaining components via least-squares averaging, isolating specific branch fabrication errors (such as an incorrect pipe leg length):
Manual Spool Alignment Tools (Transform)
Operators can manually rotate, translate, or align survey data relative to design coordinates using the Transform toolset:
Aligning to grid axes
Aligns designated workpoints or circle-fit centerlines along primary coordinate axes (X, Y, Z).
| 🎬 | Video tutorial: Aligning survey workpoints and circle fits to grid axes: (3:35 mins) |
Manual rotation
Rotates survey dataset geometry around a chosen origin point across X, Y, or Z axes in defined angular increments.
| 🎬 | Video tutorial: Rotating survey datasets around selected component origins: (2:11 mins) |
Manual translation
Translates (nudges) the complete survey model along East/West, North/South, or Up/Down axes to balance position errors across open ends.
| 🎬 | Video tutorial: Translating survey models along grid axes: (2:11 mins) |
Graphical Display Controls
The graphical controls panel offers options for adjusting visual density, labels, and tolerance color highlighting:
- Tolerance thresholding: Setting a specific tolerance (e.g. 1.5 mm) highlights all vector variances exceeding that value in red text on the report.
- Point display mode (P button): Activating the **P** button displays individual observation point locations, revealing targeted flange faces, survey adapter device types, and circumferential coverage spread.
PDF Preview, Transform, and Open Tie-In Interfaces
Isometric View Navigation Controls
| 🎬 | Video tutorial: Navigating, rotating, panning, and adjusting element scaling in isometric view: (2:41 mins) |
 North compass orientation button
Aligns the visual view's North (+Y) direction to the top-left corner.
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 B button (back vector toggle)
Displays flange weld face vector errors and back vectors.
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 P button (observed points toggle)
Shows exact surveyed point locations of the prism ball.
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 Full shrink view toggle
Compresses long pipe runs to emphasize flange orientation.
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 Full size view toggle
Restores true proportional pipe spool lengths in 3D view.
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 Free rotate vs turntable toggle
Toggles between turntable axis rotation and free 3D rotation.
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