Vbo Piping Pro V217 Sketchup Plugin New May 2026

The routing logic has been refined to minimize manual corrections.

Let’s walk through a real-world example using the new v217 features.

Step 1: Configuration Launch the VBO Manager. Set your project standard to "ASME B16.9." Select "Schedule 40 Steel" and set the default diameter to 4 inches. vbo piping pro v217 sketchup plugin new

Step 2: Drawing the Main Header Use the Draw Pipe tool. Unlike older versions where you had to click center points, v217 allows "Surface Snapping." Click on a pump nozzle. Hold Ctrl (Option on Mac) to lock the axis. Draw a 20-foot run. Notice the real-time clamp detection? It turns yellow when you are close to a wall.

Step 3: Branching Select the main pipe where you want a branch. Use the new Auto Tee tool. The plugin cuts the pipe, inserts a reducing tee, and allows you to drag the branch line upward. In v216, this required three separate steps. In v217, it is one fluid motion. The routing logic has been refined to minimize

Step 4: Adding Valves Open the Library v217. Search for "Butterfly Valve." Click to place it between two flanges. The plugin automatically shortens the pipe spool on either side to accommodate the valve length.

Step 5: The BOM Right-click a group of pipes. Select Generate Report. v217 exports a CSV file listing every elbow, flange, gasket, and length of straight pipe needed for the purchase order. Set your project standard to "ASME B16

If you work in MEP, process piping, HVAC, or industrial design, you know that manual pipe routing in SketchUp can be tedious. That’s why the release of VBO Piping Pro v2.17 is such exciting news.

This latest update isn’t just a maintenance patch — it brings meaningful workflow improvements to one of the most popular piping extensions for SketchUp.

For the uninitiated, VBO Piping Pro is a specialized extension designed specifically for SketchUp (compatible with versions 2017 through 2025). It turns SketchUp into a powerful piping design suite. Unlike generic extruded cylinders, this plugin generates intelligent, parametric piping systems.

The new v217 update takes the core functionality of its predecessors and supercharges it with machine-learning assisted routing, a revamped material library, and real-time clash detection.