SWBPIPEDevelopment atlas

Piping design & stress analysis / In development

Development atlas.

Reviewed 17 October 2026 · Model format 0.5.0

Code snapshot 8212c765ec ↗

Capability map

Choose a station for its scope, limits and sources.

Main desktop workflow
Model authoringAvailable in workbench

Build a piping model from structured geometry and engineering inputs.

What exists today

Geometry tools create and edit current-format models; proposed edits are presented for review before they change the model.

Still missing or limited

Older model files must be rebuilt in the current format. A drawn fitting supplies mechanics only when its solver representation is supported.

Modelling guide Model format
Pipe & bend mechanicsAvailable in workbench

Solve the piping centerline as an assembled 3D structural model.

What exists today

Straight pipes and explicitly represented curved bends reach the solver. The pressure-capable route defaults to straight-pipe elements that include shear deformation (Timoshenko).

Still missing or limited

Curved elements still exclude shear deformation (Euler–Bernoulli). General rigid fitting elements and flexible branch connections remain unavailable.

Beam model Shear model
Numerical error checksPartial support

Show whether calculated quantities satisfy their declared numerical checks.

What exists today

Integrity and member-recovery checks are implemented. Supported converged nonlinear cases can pass a separate confirmation of the support state and recovered quantities.

Still missing or limited

A stricter path recalculates forces and stresses from captured solver inputs, but covers fewer models and excludes the default Timoshenko pipes. Numerical checks do not verify the entered physical model.

Numerical recovery Source-recovery subset
Results & reviewAvailable in workbench

Inspect displacements, forces, moments, stresses and support reactions.

What exists today

Supported result rows identify coordinate frames and signs. Pressure-capable results also distinguish nominal and reduced section bases.

Still missing or limited

Governing bend stress maxima and incomplete stress summaries remain withheld. The application does not calculate code stress ranges.

Result quantities Coverage limits
Exports & reportsPartial support

Pass a traceable model basis to another engineering workflow.

What exists today

Several export formats have partial implementations. The pressure-capable desktop path displays results but cannot yet export them.

Still missing or limited

Fresh desktop report packages and a complete, faithful model handoff to a receiving program remain unfinished.

Export today Desktop output limits
Supporting features
Materials & private dataPartial support

Supply the material, section and project data used in a calculation.

What exists today

Material and section values can be entered or imported with units and source records. The pressure-capable route distinguishes nominal wall, reduced wall and pressure bore.

Still missing or limited

Importing a library does not apply engineering values automatically. Code-specific data and project criteria still come from the user.

Sections & allowances Libraries
Supports & load casesPartial support

Describe how the line is restrained and loaded.

What exists today

Linear supports, selected nonlinear support laws, specified rigid movements and thermal/fit reference states have supported calculation paths.

Still missing or limited

Hanger preload and complete installation/contact history are missing. Nonlinear iteration is limited to four passes; the pressure-capable route refuses nonlinear supports.

Support limits Reference states
Projects & comparisonPartial support

Save work locally and examine changes between results.

What exists today

Projects save and reopen locally. Comparison views show differences between explicitly matched result rows.

Still missing or limited

Saved results need the current model binding and required numerical checks. Subtracting two solved states is not a new equilibrium solve.

Save and reopen Comparison source
Pressure & expansion jointsPartial support

Represent pressure and how its loads transfer through the line.

What exists today

Explicit pressure regions, terminal load-transfer conditions and a restricted constant-effective-area law for untied expansion joints are implemented.

Still missing or limited

Joint geometry is restricted. Elastic tie rods, hydrostatic head and pressure-dependent bend flexibility remain outside this implementation.

Pressure scope Expansion joints
High-precision recoveryDevelopment only

Calculate member forces and stresses with additional numerical precision.

What exists today

A separate retained-precision result path and its readers exist in development and test code.

Still missing or limited

This path is not enabled in the normal desktop solve. Extensions for Timoshenko elements, section allowances and more model cases remain.

Present limits Recorded work sequence
User rule checksPartial support

Check admitted results against rules and engineering criteria you supply.

What exists today

A rule framework evaluates supported quantities and user formulas, including interval bounds.

Still missing or limited

There is no built-in code-stress calculation or standards table. Rule-check output for the pressure-capable desktop route remains unavailable.

Code and rule scope Output policy
Design research agentNot integrated yet

Use engineering references to prepare model changes for review.

What exists today

The piping reference Reader is published. Local proposal previews and proposals imported from elsewhere can be reviewed separately.

Still missing or limited

Live research through the Reader and preparation of the user’s own source documents are not integrated with the product.

Agent and Reader Published Reader
Main line: the pressure-capable desktop workflow. Branches: related features. Result review works; export is not yet available on this path.
Engineering work remainingRecorded sequence and open connections

02 / Remaining scope

Work remaining.

Planned engineering sequence

01

Next model format

Bend results & elastic tie rods

Extend reported bend quantities and add elastic rods across expansion joints.

Technical design
02

Recovery scope

Recovery for shear-flexible pipes

Extend higher-precision recovery to Timoshenko pipes and sections with corrosion allowance or mill tolerance.

Technical design
03

Coverage repair

More models through recovery

Repair refusals caused by section size or rounding, keeping the existing numerical checks.

Technical design

This order comes from the development plan. Delivery dates are not set.

Other open work

Not placed in this sequence

Desktop output & reports

Enable exports from the pressure-capable desktop path and produce fresh calculation report packages.

Output limits ↗

Live research

Connect the engineering Reader and prepared user documents to the agent’s research and model-proposal workflow.

Agent scope ↗

Whole-line tests & model transfer

Test representative piping systems and check that exported models preserve their meaning in the receiving program.

Verification plan ↗

Further limits

Hanger preload & sizing ↗Branches & nozzles ↗Code stresses ↗Hydrotest states ↗

Evidence & product scope

Detailed limits ↗Recorded cases ↗Product scope ↗

Describes the dated code snapshot above.