Rolling Offset Calculator

Use our rolling offset calculator to calculate run (R) and travel (T) from vertical offset, horizontal offset, and fitting angle. Includes the rolling offset formula, equation, and a step-by-step method for rolling offsets in piping.

Vertical offset (v) (in)

Horizontal offset (h) (in)

Fitting offset (bend) (deg)

Results

Run (R) (in)

—

Travel (T) (in)

—

Steps: O = √(v² + h²). Convert θ(deg) → rad. Then R = O/tan(θ) and T = O/sin(θ).

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What Is a Rolling Offset?

A rolling offset is a piping offset that moves in two directions at the same time: vertical and horizontal. Instead of a simple 2D offset, it “rolls” the pipe across a diagonal plane to reach a point that is both up/down and left/right from the start.

In practice, you often know the vertical offset (v), the horizontal offset (h), and the fitting angle (bend). From those, you calculate the run (R) between fittings and the total travel (T) along the centerline between fittings.

This calculator returns run (R) and travel (T) using standard right-triangle geometry and the chosen fitting angle.

Rolling Offset Formula

First combine the vertical and horizontal offsets into a true offset, then use the fitting angle to find run and travel.

True offset (diagonal offset) =

O = sqrt(v^2 + h^2)

O is the combined offset distance in inches.

Run (R) =

R = O ÷ tan(bend)

bend is the fitting angle in degrees.

Travel (T) =

T = O ÷ sin(bend)

Travel is the centerline distance between fittings along the pipe.

= Vertical offset (in)

= Horizontal offset (in)

bend

= Fitting offset / bend angle (deg)

= True offset (in)

= Run (in)

= Travel (in)

Rolling offset example

v=8 in, h=6 in, bend=45° → O=sqrt(8^2+6^2)=10 in → R=10/tan45=10 in → T=10/sin45=14.142 in

With a 45° fitting, run equals true offset, and travel is larger due to the angle.

How to Calculate Rolling Offset in Piping

1
Enter the vertical offset (v) in inches.
2
Enter the horizontal offset (h) in inches.
3
Enter the fitting angle (bend) in degrees (common values are 45° or 22.5°).
4
The calculator finds true offset O = sqrt(v² + h²).

Frequently Asked Questions

How to calculate rolling offset?

Compute the true offset O = sqrt(v² + h²), then run R = O/tan(bend) and travel T = O/sin(bend).

How to do a rolling offset in piping?

Measure the vertical and horizontal offsets to the target point, pick the fitting angle, compute true offset, then use the angle to determine run and travel before laying out the pipe between fittings.

What is the rolling offset equation?

A common set is O = sqrt(v² + h²), R = O/tan(bend), and T = O/sin(bend).

Why do you calculate true offset first?

Because a rolling offset combines two perpendicular offsets. The true offset is the diagonal distance that the angled pipe must offset across.

What does travel mean in a rolling offset?

Travel is the centerline distance along the pipe between fittings needed to achieve the offset at the chosen angle.

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