Bogunit-
I agree. Good link to important sheet metal info. I just scanned it, but I didn't see any reference to the "rule-of-thumb" approach prefered by many designers and the shops they use. Thoughts?
JONES55-
Don't draw it (as such). Meaning- don't draw the parts and add them together. Draw a conituous P-Line in the shape of the pipe run, and extrude-path a cross section. I Create a region of the OD, a region of the ID on the starting plane "normal" to the start-end of the P-Line, and do a boolean subtract of the inner from the outer regions, first. This keeps me from having to extrude-path 2 shapes and subtracting. However this will result in an APPROXIMATION ONLY. Next step- take a plan view along the extruded path of the pipe, and lay in a continuous p-line at the 2 opposing quadrant-points all along the pipe(representing the "O-D" of the pipe run), and vary the mid-point of each "elbow" bend-curve (the inner and the outer) representing the bend deformation toward or away from the Center-Line. Its only a 2D pair of curves, but you are now prepared to represent the pigging issue. Be careful, though, as I've seen both the inner and the outer curves (in physical application)both compress inward toward the ideal C-L of the run. But as you model the pigging unit, place it along the C-L of the pipe-run, you'll be able to demonstrate the problem clearly, and you'll have the application modeled for further use.
Good Luck-
C.Fee
