RE: 3D CAD Piping Software

Yes Chris,

I have experienced that too – I have been on jobs where anyone who could spell PDS was hired (that’s why I know so much about it) – management had no understanding of what the software really did or who should be sitting behind it. That is why a lot of software gets a bad rap. It all comes down to the experience behind the tools.

Another thought - why is it still – CAD – CAE – CAM ?– these terms are so dated.

Everything is now Computer Aided – we don’t call it CABanking or CATaxes or CAMail so why do we continue to call it CAD, CAE, CAM – it’s Design, Engineering and Manufacturing and yes we use computers – just like we used calculators and sliderules (my dad taught me how to use one).

My frustration is that too many people lump all these tools together, call it CAD and actually equate it with AutoCAD. Nothing against AutoCAD – great tool, but come on, we’re taking Apples and Watermelons here – big difference.

Paul Hawco

Mechanical Engineer

Neill & Gunter (Nova Scotia) Limited

http://www.neillandgunter.com <http://www.neillandgunter.com>

-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Wright [mailto:chrisw@skypoint.com] Sent: February 23, 2004 2:00 PM
To: ‡
Subject: Re: [PipingDesign] 3D CAD Piping Software

>This one is simply the evolution of computerized piping design as one
>designer observed it.

This is a very interesting post. I've gone through a parallel evolution with FEA and CAD. I suspect you've described the evolution of a great deal of mechanical engineering.

>The disadvantage to the designers is the complications associated with
>administering this new environment..... We are working on that part.
I daresay you have a big job ahead of you. What seems to have happened is that engineering companies apparently assume that all this computerization allows them to hire skateboarders instead of engineers--stage 4 project management with stage 2 personnel. I've run into this a lot outside of piping and pressure vessels. People who are supposedly designers without a clue about the materials and design environments they're dealing with.

Christopher Wright P.E.    |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com        | this distance"   (last words of Gen.
___________________________| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania 1864)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Received on Mon Feb 23 13:32:00 2004