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AutoCAD P&ID 2010 – Creating a new symbol

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Creating new symbols in AutoCAD P&ID can be done in one of two ways. You can modify an existing symbol, or create a new custom symbol from scratch. The first section of this document will show you the steps of creating a new symbol from an

existing P&ID symbol. In this example we’ll be creating a new valve class and base if off an existing hand valve type. Note: This example is based off a project using the PIP standard with Imperial units.

Create a valve from an existing valve

1. If the Project Manager is not already displayed, make sure the “Home” tab is selected and click Project Manager on the ribbon bar.

2. If the PIP Tool Palette is not already displayed, set your workspace to “P&ID PIP”

3. Make sure the Valves tab is selected on the tool palette.

4. Right click on your project name in Project Manager, and select Properties. Or, use the command line (command line: projectsetup)

5. In the Project Setup, click the plus sign ( ) next to “P&ID

DWG Settings” to expand the list. Click the plus sign next to “P&ID Class Definitions”, click the plus sign next to “Engineering Items”, then click the plus sign next to “Inline Assets” to expand the list. Your Project Window setup should now look like the image to the right:

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6. If you expand the Hand Valves class, you’ll see there are many types of valves already in P&ID. We are going to create a new valve class and then choose an existing valve type to base it off of.

7. Right click the Hand Valves class and select “New”

8. The Create Class window will appear. Give the new valve class

a name. For this example we’ll use “RootValve” for the class name and “Root Valve” for the display name (only letters, numbers, and underscores are allowed in class names, no spaces). Click, “OK”

9. Now that a new valve class has been created for the Root

Valve, click “Add Symbol”

10. Enter a new symbol name, and then click the button to specify a block.

11. In the Select Block Drawing window, make sure your current project name is listed on the “Look in” drop-down list. Select “projSymbolStyle.dwg”, then click “Open”

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12. For this example we’ll be using “PIP GATE VALVE” to base the symbol off of. Note: You can open any AutoCAD drawing that contains custom blocks and select a block to use. Just keep in mind that the symbol will still need to be edited in the AutoCAD P&ID block editor to add attachment points for pipe runs.

13. Next, click “Edit Block”

14. The block editor will load, displaying the block that was selected from “projSymbolStyle.dwg” Notice the two attachment points on the valve. These are block parameters added to each end of the valve to allow pipe runs to join to this symbol.

15. Before modifying anything on the block, click on the “Open/Save” dropdown just below the Edit Block and Save Block ribbon bar buttons. Select “Save Block As”

16. Give the block a short, but descriptive name. Hint: You can add your initials or company name at the front of the name so you can quickly identify custom items you or someone else has created in addition to the “out-of-the-box” symbols supplied with P&ID.

17. Now that the block has been saved with a new name, you can edit the block as needed. When you’re done, click “Save Block” and then “Close Block Editor”.

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18. The block editor closes and now you are back in Project Setup. As you can see, the symbol hasn’t changed.

Click, “Edit Symbol”. In the Block field, click the button, select “projSymbolStyle.dwg” and then click “Open.” Select the name of the new block you’ve just saved and then click “OK.” Click “OK” to close the Symbol Settings window.

19. Now the symbol has the correct block assigned. Click “Add to Tool Palette” to add this new symbol to your Valves tool palette tab.

20. Click the “Apply” button at the bottom of the Project Setup window to save the changes, then click “OK.”

The new valve is ready to use.