Overview
When you take off a linear item from an assembly that has associated components configured, Ensign X can automatically detect every change of direction along your measured route and place the correct fittings — such as 90-degree bends or 45-degree bends — at each corner. You measure the containment route once, and the software counts the bends for you.
This feature is particularly powerful for containment takeoff (trunking, tray, conduit) where manually going back to count every bend and tee is time-consuming and error-prone. Instead of measuring the trunking, then counting the bends separately, and then counting the tees as a third operation, you do a single linear measure and the associated components appear automatically.
How associated components work
Associated components rely on the assembly having specific fittings (bends, tees, couplers) configured against the main linear item. The standard Ensign trunking assemblies come with 90-degree and 45-degree bends already set up. When you measure a route using one of these assemblies, the system analyses every change of direction and places the appropriate fitting.
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Open the database browser and click the Assemblies tab.
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Select an assembly that has associated components configured — for example, a trunking assembly that includes 90-degree bends and 45-degree bends. You can verify what is included by clicking the More Info button to see the full component breakdown.
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Choose a colour and pixel size for the route line, then press Start.
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Left-click at the starting point of the containment route on the drawing.
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Left-click at each change of direction, tracing the path of the containment from corner to corner. The system draws the route as you go.
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Right-click to finalise the run. Ensign X analyses every change of direction in the route and automatically places coloured circles at each corner where it has detected a bend.
What you see after finalising
After you right-click to finalise, the drawing shows two things:
- The linear route — displayed as the coloured line you traced, with the total length calculated and logged in the service panel.
- Coloured markers at each corner — small circles placed at every point where the system has detected a change of direction. Each marker represents a fitting (e.g. a 90-degree bend) that has been logged alongside the trunking.
Both the linear measurement and the automatically counted bends appear in the service panel on the left-hand side. When you export to the estimating module, the import shows both — for example, three runs of 225mm trunking totalling a certain number of metres, plus four 90-degree bends.
Worked example — trunking with automatic bends
This walkthrough follows the trunking takeoff demonstrated in the Ensign X training materials. It covers measuring a containment route across a floor plan and having the bends detected automatically.
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Set up your service. Before measuring, make sure you have a service created for containment (e.g. "Containment" or "Trunking"). Select it in the service panel so the takeoff lines are logged under the correct heading.
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Open the assembly. Click Add Item, go to the Assemblies tab, and navigate to Cable Management. Select the trunking assembly you need — for example, a 225mm trunking assembly that has 90-degree bends configured.
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Choose colour and pixel size. Pick a colour that contrasts with the drawing (red works well against most floor plans). If the default pixel size produces lines that are too thick and cause visual artefacts at tight angles, lower the size — a value around 5 tends to work well for containment routes.
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Press Start and zoom in to the starting point of the trunking route on the drawing.
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Left-click at each corner to trace the route of the containment. Follow the path as shown on the drawing — for example, along a corridor, turning a corner, continuing along a wall, and so on. Use the mouse wheel (push and hold) to pan the view as you go.
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Right-click to finalise when you reach the end of the run. The system immediately places coloured circles at each corner where the trunking changes direction — these represent the 90-degree bends that have been automatically counted.
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Start the next run. Left-click at the beginning of the next section of trunking and repeat the process. Each run is logged as a separate takeoff line, but the bends accumulate across all runs.
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Review and adjust if needed. After finalising, you can select a takeoff line and drag the adjustment points to fine-tune the route. The white circles at each plotted point can be dragged to reposition, and the yellow circles between points can be dragged out to create new pivot points, extending or reshaping the route.
The T-junction rule
This is the single most important rule for accurate associated component detection.
At T-junctions — where a branch of containment meets a main run — you must finalise your first run at the junction point by right-clicking, and then start a new measure for the branch. If you continue clicking through the junction without finalising, the system will place a bend where you actually need a tee.
The system detects changes of direction, not junctions. If you click through a T-junction, it sees two 90-degree turns (one into the junction, one out of it) and places bends at both. By finalising at the junction and starting a new run for the branch, you avoid this problem.
How to handle a T-junction correctly
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Measure the main run of trunking by left-clicking from corner to corner along the primary route.
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When you reach the point where a branch meets the main run, right-click to finalise the main run at that junction point.
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Left-click at the junction point to begin a new measure for the branch.
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Left-click along the branch route, then right-click to finalise.
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If the main run continues beyond the junction, start another new measure from the junction point and continue along the main route.
This approach ensures that the system places bends only at genuine changes of direction, and you can manually add tee fittings where branches meet the main run.
Setting up associated components on custom assemblies
The standard Ensign trunking assemblies come with associated components (90-degree and 45-degree bends) already configured. If you create your own custom assemblies in the estimating module, you can configure associated components on those as well, so that the automatic bend detection works with your preferred products and specifications.
Custom assembly setup is done in the estimating module, not in Ensign X. Once you have configured the assembly with its associated components, press the Refresh Data button in the Ensign X toolbar (or close and reopen the software) to pick up the changes — see Refresh Data Button for details.
Tips for accurate containment takeoff
- Lower the pixel size for containment routes. A thick line can produce visual artefacts at tight angles. A pixel size of around 5 works well for most containment drawings.
- Finalise at every T-junction. This is worth repeating — always right-click at junctions and start a new measure for each branch.
- Use assemblies rather than individual items. Assemblies are the only way to get automatic bend detection. If you take off trunking as an individual database item (via the Add Item tab rather than the Assemblies tab), the associated component detection will not be available.
- Review after export. When you import into the estimating module, check the containment section to confirm the bend count looks correct against the drawing. The automatic detection is accurate, but verifying the count takes only a moment.
- Adjust routes after finalising. If a route is slightly off, select the takeoff line and drag the white adjustment points to reposition. This updates the linear measurement without removing the associated components.