Line Spacing — Companion Article

ByPipingDesigners.com Editorial Team

1. What this tool does

The calculator gives a centre-to-centre spacing for two lines. The page reads pipe outside diameter and, when a flange is chosen, flange outside diameter from the Engineering API. It does not store a spacing chart.

2. When to use it

Use it when a piping designer is setting bare or insulated pipe, with or without a flange on either line, and needs that centre-to-centre spacing.

Support span is a different calculation. This page does not return one.

3. Inputs

  1. For line A, choose a pipe source, a family and a size. The page identifies the pipe record and reads MATCHING_PIPE_OD.
  2. Choose a flange, or leave it as None. ASME, DIN and CustomParts Imperial flanges that have FLANGE_OD can be selected. The flange unit is that record’s nominal unit. ASME and CustomParts are inches. DIN is millimetres.
  3. Repeat for line B. The two lines are independent.
  4. Enter insulation and the clear gap. The acceptance cases use a gap of 25 mm.

4. How it works

The running tool is the calculation. The page reads MATCHING_PIPE_OD for each pipe and, when a flange is chosen, FLANGE_OD for that flange. Centre-to-centre spacing uses those returned values, the insulation, and the clear gap. It does not store a spacing chart.

Side by side and staggered are both stated when a flange is selected.

FLANGE_OD from the API can have a blank unit column. The unit is that entity’s nominal unit: size_unit_norm, otherwise the NOMINAL_UNIT fact. Each flange is converted from its own unit. A unit on the fact itself would take precedence. A blank unit with no nominal unit does not calculate, and it is not treated as inches.

The shortcode is

Line Spacing Calculator

v2.06 — pipe outside diameters and flange outside diameters are retrieved from the Engineering API. This page does not supply flange dimensions.

Line A

Line B

Design requirement

Clearance is a user/tool parameter; it is not presented as a universal engineering rule. Insulation thickness is applied over flanges as well as pipe.

Check this tool

Line Spacing version unversioned

This records your check of the tool output. It does not change the tool or the engineering data.

. Version 2.06 registers that same shortcode.

5. Understanding the result

The result is the centre-to-centre spacing. When a flange is selected, the page states side by side and staggered.

The acceptance notes record one check on the unit of a flange outside diameter. A result of 58.2 mm on that case means 6.0 was treated as millimetres and fails the check. The passing figure is in section 7.

6. Engineering considerations

Pipe outside diameter and flange outside diameter are catalogue facts. They are not typed replacements for a missing fact, except that a blank flange unit with no nominal unit stops the calculation.

MATCHING_PIPE_OD on a flange is never used as a flange outside diameter.

AME flanges and supplier flanges have no FLANGE_OD. The flange control is disabled. Pipe-to-pipe spacing still runs.

This spacing is not a support span.

7. Example

Documented acceptance case, from plugins/pd-line-spacing/2.06/README.txt. These figures were not re-run on the live tool for this remap.

Line A: ASME Pipes and Fittings, PIPE, SEAMLESS, 40, PE, ASTM A106, NPS 2 in, flange Weld neck, class 150, facing RF. Line B: the same pipe, flange None. Insulation 0. Clear gap 25 mm.

Entity 23406 has FLANGE_OD 6.0 with a blank unit column. Its nominal unit is inches. The notes require:

  • FLANGE_OD listed as 6.0 in
  • Centre-to-centre spacing 131.4 mm

The same notes record the arithmetic they require: 6.0 × 25.4 = 152.4 mm, then 152.4/2 + 25 + 60.325/2. Side by side and staggered both give 131.4 mm for this one-flange case. A result of 58.2 mm means 6.0 was treated as millimetres and fails the check.

Pipe to pipe, no flange, the same NPS 2 schedule 40 pipe (entity 43539, OD 2.375 in) against itself, insulation 0, gap 25 mm, is recorded as 85.3 mm.

8. Standards/references (licensed vs interim)

Pipe OD and flange OD come from the Engineering API. Staging database on record: v2.5.3, 81,851 entities, 1,245,305 facts. Production database on record: v2.5.1, 81,851 entities, 1,234,262 facts. The Engineering API v2.5.1 contract stays frozen unless workstream 03 versions it.

The 2.06 notes describe FLANGE_OD from the API, including the blank unit column. This article does not claim a new health reading.

Catalogue names such as ASME Pipes and Fittings and DIN Pipes and Fittings are the source labels on the records. This article does not reproduce a standards table. It does not class those catalogue facts as licensed or as interim. The interim pattern in the owner decisions log is ASME B36.10-2022 Table 2-1. This tool does not use that table. Owner engineering review confirms the source classification before publish.

9. Limitations/disclaimer

  • AME flanges and supplier flanges have no FLANGE_OD. The flange control is disabled. Pipe-to-pipe spacing still runs. MATCHING_PIPE_OD on a flange is never used as a flange outside diameter.
  • Reducing flanges, the AME Plastic 7 in DWV closet flange, and AME Ductile Iron Class 250 Water flanges are not offered.
  • CustomParts flanges with no stored class display as Class not stated. They are not labelled class 150.
  • CustomParts NPS 28 is shown as the stored FLANGE_OD 32.01 in. It is not corrected.
  • A blank flange unit with no nominal unit does not calculate, and it is not treated as inches.
  • Confirm the live page is running 2.06 before this article is published. A versions note on the recorded path showed an older widget.

10. Use the tool

Calculate now: Line spacing calculator

Shortcode:

Line Spacing Calculator

v2.06 — pipe outside diameters and flange outside diameters are retrieved from the Engineering API. This page does not supply flange dimensions.

Line A

Line B

Design requirement

Clearance is a user/tool parameter; it is not presented as a universal engineering rule. Insulation thickness is applied over flanges as well as pipe.

Check this tool

Line Spacing version unversioned

This records your check of the tool output. It does not change the tool or the engineering data.

. Accepted on staging as 2.06. Re-check this article when the tool version changes.

How this calculation works: companion path TBD.

That return link is not on the tool page. This draft does not add it. The public article path is TBD because this file is not published.

The article stays public if the tool is restricted. A visitor with no entitlement sees a lock message on the tool, not a bare “Access denied”. The copy is in the Companion Article standard. This draft does not place that lock on the page and does not mark the tool free, Pro, or Enterprise.

Related tools

No other tool is named on this page. Support span is a different calculation. This page does not produce one.

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