Symptom of the times
The following is from a piping related internet forum.

The Question:
(The original question from person “X” using CADWorx)
I cannot locate a LIB_I files for Threaded Concentric Reducers. Can someone help with this?

(A response from person “Y”)
We use threaded reducing couplings. If you need the conc/ecc part, you’ll have to check out swages.

(A response from person “Z”)
Shouldn’t a swage fitting be used? It will ask for end connections.

(A final comment from the original poster, person “X”)
Made my own spec… Thanks for the help…

I admit that I am reading between the lines and making a lot of assumptions, however to me this suggests a number of things that are wrong with our profession today.

First, the original question suggests to me that “X” has never had any proper basic training in the language of piping. He or she does not appear to know or understand the terminology that relates to the proper piping fitting that is used to make pipe size changes in small threaded pipe sizes.

The response by “Y” has one bad point and one good point. The bad point is the recommendation to use “reducing couplings” for size changes in small piping. This should never be done. The good thing recommended is the use of a “Swage”. All line size changes in small size piping should be done with a “swage”.

The response by “Z” is a correct response.

Then to compound the problem “X” decides to go off on what appears to be a path of ignoring the proper advice given by “Z” and do an unapproved “fix”. Person “X” now appears to have not followed the good advice given above but has decided to create a new data file for “Threaded Concentric Reducers” which do not actually exist. In doing this I suspect that “X” is not the piping material engineer and will thus not get all the correct data for proper material download.

There is no indication that he did (or did not) ask the Supervisor if this action is okay or not. Person “X” appears to be doing this parallel effort totally on his own. This tells me that “X” does not realize his proper place in the scheme of things along with that of his supervisor, the Company and the Client.

Things that are or appear to be wrong:
– Threaded Reducers is an incorrect piping term
– Threaded reducing couplings are NOT an acceptable industry standard
– Threaded reducing couplings may not be acceptable to the Client
– Threaded reducing couplings may not be acceptable to the Company
– Person “X” does not know who owns the CADWorx file he is working on, it belongs to the Client
– “X” does not know who owns the CADWorx system, it belongs to the Company
– “X” does not appear to know who is authorized to create and add new material data files

“X” needs to be properly trained in a lot of things (piping basics and roles) so he can remain a responsible and productive employee.