On the Insert Component dialog box, select the starting orientation for the component: horizontal or vertical.Click Schematic tab Insert Components panel Insert Pneumatic Components.

We are intending to apply the same sort of process during the design phase on hydraulic equipment from here on, though, so it should be helpful to us later. Unfortunately, on the only one of the two where it was big enough for keeping track to be difficult, I was documenting after the fact a piece of equipment that had actually been designed and built before I started working here, so that benefit was already lost. This takes care of the counting up of parts for you. I have built up a Library of these models and set it up in our project files (just a library folder, not Content Center), and reuse them from project to project. Often I have to modify them just a little to get them to look right (adding threads, iPropertly data, etc), but the basic geometry is done for me. I have been able to find most of the fitting models I needed online (mostly through Parker, as they are our main hydraulics supplier - some are also available in iPart form from CBliss). If it is more complex, we do it as a seperate drawing that doesn't call out any of the other parts, focusing solely on the hydraulics. If the system is simple enough, it may be just included on the main assembly drawing.

We then create an Inventor assembly and drawing with the parts list and balloon callouts. What we have started doing since I have been here (on a mere two pieces of equipment so far) is still creating the schematic drawing (in AutoCAD, thus far) to document the intended function. As a result, often sets of equipment that were supposed to be the same were radically different in the details of the hydraulics. The final plumbing layout was always just figured out in the shop when it was built (this is all custom equipment for our own use, small runs or even 1-off). They did this in AutoCAD, as Inventor is really only just starting to take off here. The company I am with (started in January) in the past typically only did a hydraulic schematic (functional symbols only, at most part numbers of critical components such as valves).

Autocad pneumatic symbols