The Takeoff screen for a Zone is built using the Spec for this Zone, including sizes, types of pipe, fittings, valves, hangers, and specialties. The information in the Header of the Zone is in the upper left hand corner of the screen.

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The steps for taking off items are always: SIZE, ITEM, QUANTITY.

Here is an example of one takeoff line (for Vertical Pipe):

With your mouse, touch the 1″ size, touch 

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Items can be taken off with the mouse and keyboard OR with the digitizer. Even with the digitizer being utilized, you can still use the mouse when taking off risers, “not to scale” details, and other times when scale is not available.

How to use the digitizer will be discussed later.

NOTE: Marking items as they are taken off is recommended.

After you enter in the quantity (or length), you can log the item into the Takeoff List by doing one of the following:

• Either press Enter on the keyboard or touch 

   on the keypad.

• Select the next item to be taken off. This second item must be of the same size.

• Select the next size of items to be taken off.

Pipe can be taken off with the mouse and keyboard or with the Digitizing Tablet. Do the following to take off a length of pipe:

1. Click on the size to be taken off and then click 

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   . Note that the Information Box contains Pipe Info from the Spec.

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   This information includes the Group and Class of the pipe. But the takeoff of pipe also has the following features:

   AutoJoint – If this is selected, the system automatically includes the joint defined in the Spec at the spacing shown. AutoJoint will automatically be engaged when you click on pipe, but can be disabled by clicking on the check box on the screen. When activated, AutoJoint will provide for calculation as many joints required for the length of pipe taken off.
   AutoHanger – If this is selected, the system automatically includes a hanger contained in the Spec at the spacing shown. The type of hanger is shown in the window below AutoHanger. If a Spec contains more than one type of hanger for a given size, you can choose the hanger you wish to have by clicking on the down arrow button and selecting from the list. AutoHanger will automatically be engaged when you click on pipe, but can be disabled by clicking on the check box. When activated, AutoHanger will provide for calculation as many hangers (rounded to the nearest hanger) required for the length of pipe taken off.

2. To continue with pipe takeoff, enter the desired length in feet.

3. Once a length of pipe is taken off, it will be logged into the Takeoff List in the upper right hand corner of the Takeoff screen.

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   A beep will sound to confirm that the previous item was inserted into the Takeoff List.
   When AutoJoint is activated, a JX appears in the Takeoff List following the pipe taken off. When AutoHanger is activated, a JHX appears in the Takeoff List following the pipe taken off. (Do not be alarmed that the length is not long enough to require a hanger and/or joint; the calculation of this feature occurs later and will generate a joint quantity of 0.)

These items can be taken off with the mouse and keyboard or with the Digitizing Tablet (optional).

Take off the fittings, valves, flanges and specialties for a Zone as follows:

1. Click on the size (when taking off the first item of a given size.)

2. Click on the desired type of fitting, valve, flange, etc. Note that information about the item from the Spec appears in the Information Box.

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   When there is more than one item in the Database with the same first size, a list of the available sizes appear on the screen. The proper size must be selected before a count can be taken.

3. You can move to the next item by clicking on that item. The previous item will be logged into the Takeoff List in the upper right hand corner of the screen. A beep will sound to confirm that the previous item was inserted into the Takeoff List.

The digitizer is the key to a fast takeoff. There are two tools you use with a digitizer: the touchpen and a template. The touchpen is similar to the mouse (from the previous section) and the template is a menu that goes onto the digitizer (it looks just like the template that is onscreen when doing a “mouse” takeoff.)

In this session, you will first become familiar with the digitizer and how to customize it for the way you work. Then, you’ll practice taking off items with the digitizer, touchpen, and template.

When the digitizer is hooked up, there is a separate program running alongside QuoteSoft Pipe. This software is Virtual Tablet™; you will see this icon on your task bar. This is the software that is the interface between the digitizer and our software. It enables the touchpen to be a mouse/counting/measuring device.

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The following picture is a sample template that is placed at the bottom of your digitizer. Notice there are several Accept buttons on the template. This is one way to speed up your takeoff since you don’t have to move your touchpen a long distance to accept items into your takeoff.

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The order of the digitized takeoff is just like when you took off a run of pipe with the mouse: SIZE, ITEM, QUANTITY (or LENGTH).

Here is a picture of the touchpen and the functions of the buttons.

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NOTE: If you selected Pipe and you really wanted to select Pipe Branch, you can cancel your command by pressing the top button on the touchpen. (You can also hit the Escape key on the keyboard.)

You can use the touchpen on the digitizer to control the mouse cursor on your computer monitor. Hover your touchpen over the middle of the digitizer. Notice the mouse cursor is moving on the computer monitor. Move the touchpen so that the mouse cursor is over Pipe on the “onscreen template.” Click down. The scale window appears. On a drawing that is on the digitizer, press two touchpoints and the press the bottom button on the touchpen to Accept the length.

There are four places where you can define the scale:

• at the Configuration screen, when you want to enter in a “standard” scale. Most likely, this scale is standard for your company. (See the Configuration section.)

• when you add a new job. (See “Adding a New Job.”)

• when you add a new Zone. (See “Adding a New Zone.”)

• in Takeoff, specific to this item. (See below for details.)

Each of these places gives you more and more flexibility (i.e. starts out at the company level, then job level, then zone level, then item level).

In Takeoff:

1. Determine the scale of the drawing from which you are going to take off items.

2. Using the mouse, select the desired size and click on Pipe.

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3. Underneath the picture of pipe, click 

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4. A pulldown list of pre-loaded drawing scales appears. Select from the list.

If a custom scale is chosen, you must set up the scale based on a known dimension from the drawing from which you are going to takeoff. Click on the beginning point and then the ending point of this known straight length. Then with the keyboard, enter the known distance (in feet) to establish the scale. The scale will be shown as 1″ = x’.

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You have two methods of scaling off pipe – pairs or continuous. Continuous means you take off a whole run of pipe by touching only where the pipe changes direction. Pairs means you touch each change in direction twice. The pairs mode is a start/stop, start/stop method. Every user seems to have a preference to which one they prefer – pairs or continuous. Select the method that will give you the best performance. The following picture illustrates the differences between the two methods.

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If you prefer, you can toggle between the two methods at any time. On the takeoff screen, select the circle in front of Pairs or the circle in front of Continuous.

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There are times when you do not want to go into scale or count mode when you select an item. When you are in takeoff, click File > Takeoff Options. The following screen appears. Most users turn off the Vert Pipe AutoScale, Assemblies AutoCount, and the Auto Size options.

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Please take a moment to read the section in this manual called “Pipe Takeoff (Without Digitizer).” There is some important information in that section that we did not want to repeat to this section.