Paul (et al)
I'm the product manager for Bentley's 3D Plant Design software (AutoPLANT and
PlantSpace). Before you disregard the following summary as the rattle of a
software vendor let me clarify that this response is coming from the guy that
did 15+yrs of good old fashioned design work... still got the dent in my finger
to prove it. This is intentionally neutral and is not intended to promote our
products. I'll save that for a follow-up Bentley specific rant.... This one is
simply the evolution of computerized piping design as one designer observed it.
Stage 1 - Before CAD.
In the old days we used to do various onion skin layouts followed by
orthographic (on linen, velum, Mylar, etc). It was easy to understand where each
design was as it was on the same sheet we would issue for construction. We were
clearly in the drafting business and this was our product.
Stage 2 - CAD
Slicktalking carpet baggers showed up offering US$100k electronic drafting
machines. We still did 2d layout and even made a complete ortho. The only
difference was that after the drawing was mostly done some "skateboarder out of
high school would copy it into a computer to be plotted. At least everyone had
the same lettering! Other than that this phase was a total looser. Anyone ever
take up a pencil and scrub a plot of a CAD drawing to avoid waiting for another
plot?
Stage 3 - Electric paper (CADD)
We still are making 2d drawings but now the designer does layouts (still 2d) on
a computer. Paul, this is the 2d you refer to in your initial post? At least we
are back to the designer generating his own final product. We make a drawing and
issue one.
Stage 4 - Models
This doesn't necessarily mean 3d. We make a single design base that is used to
produce multiple deliverable (Iso, Sections, BOM, etc). Now for the first time
we can leverage the information put in the computerized layout. We make one and
issue many. This phase started with the various 2.5d and includes most of the
current 3D Piping CAD products (already mentioned in previous posts).
Unfortunately this phase still sees our main product as being traditional
drawings and reports. We are still in the drafting business. For the record....
There is no question that physical design is best performed in 3D.
Stage 5 - Interactive modeling (the current cutting edge) Now design information is structured. We can migrate between the design phases (study, detailed design, procurement, construction, operation, decommissioning). And share it between the various disciplines (process, mechanical, structural, automation, etc). You will notice that a few vendors offering this integration in one brand name or another. The benefit to the designers include things like consistency between P&IDs, Loops, Isos, etc. The disadvantage to the designers is the complications associated with administering this new environment..... We are working on that part. The biggest benefit is that our design information becomes much more useful. We are no longer in the drafting business as drawings are just one of the ways design information can be delivered to the owner-operator clients. This also provides for new scenarios like distributed engineering where design tasks are shared between distant offices. Change management notifies us of changes affecting our work or prevents improper changes to design (example: It should take a few extra steps to change an Iso that has already been sent to the fabricator). You will see a few vendors offer these and other new capabilities. The next 24 months should be very interesting to our industry.
I too hope this sparks some discussion.
Regards,
Rich Scotti
Product Manager, 3D Plant products
Bentley Systems Inc
Does anyone have any comments/opinions on what is currently on the
market? And relative cost of use?
I am currently bashing my head against a wall doing 2D piping in
AutoCAD. Might as well draw by hand, as far as I'm concerned.
Paul
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Received on Mon Feb 23 10:30:00 2004
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