Rich, thank you for this contribution. Given all the piping CAD reps out there, I think yours is the only "official" response from any of them in this forum.
I imagine that Bentley, as owners of MicroStation (MicroStation being long-time competitors to AutoCAD - think Linux vs. Microsoft) and now new owners of AutoPLANT (which was available for both ACAD and MicroStation platforms) will eventually merge both products into one. The winning platform after all the battles will be MicroStation, and ACAD-based stuff will quietly go away. Rebis' prior Autodesk status as an "official" partner is gone. This is not necessarily a "bad thing".
After all, aren't PDS and PDMS MicroStation-based?
PDS and PDMS are mega-buck systems, and are the Ferraris of the piping design world. Not everyone needs a Ferrari. The analogy is pretty accurate, in the sense that they cost a lot of money up front, look shiny and need high-priced mechanics to keep running.
I also propose that certain major engineering firms are standardizing on specific software systems. I.E., "We don't care how good you are, if you don't use "X" software, you cannot bid."
This is a sad situation.
Paul
> So let's set the record straight on the Bentley products:
>
> Bentley may be mostly known as the MicroStation company to some.
Bentley
> also developed or acquired several products used to design plants
(including
> piping).
>
> - PlantSpace
> Bentley bought a company named "Jacobus" a few years back. The
"Bentley
> PlantSpace Design Series" was one of the products they gained in the
> transaction. . The product offers modules for 3d Piping, Equipment,
Raceways
> (that's electrical), and HVAC. It is the only 3D piping software that
works
> with the current versions of MicroStation. Other list members have
noted
> that PDS also works with MicroStation but the most recent version only
> supports MicroStation J (about the same vintage as AutoCAD 14). The
current
> version is 8.1 but a new version labeled the "2004 Edition" will be
> available in about a month.
>
> - AutoPLANT
> As was already noted that Bentley bought Rebis a few years ago and in
the
> transaction added the AutoPLANT products to their list. The products
were
> not interrupted by this event and neither was the development team.
Most of
> us former Rebis folks are still here. Bentley remains the world leader
in 3D
> piping design software as measured by seats of active licenses. There
has
> been speculation about our intentions with AutoPLANT regarding AutoCAD
and
> MicroStation. I can officially say that we are committed to the
AutoCAD
> platform (as we have been thought the years). It would be ridiculous
for us
> to "pull the plug" in our AutoCAD products. We are working to release
the
> 2004 Edition of this product in the next week or so. This product
supports
> AutoCAD 2004 as well as 2002, 2000i and 2000. It should also support
AutoCAD
> 2005 when its released next month.
>
> We also are working towards interoperability between our products.
We'd stop
> just short of the word "merge" as we have two happy user communities
and
> don't want to loose anything in translation. We can further confirm
that a
> direct MicroStation port of AutoPLANT is not in the works. Rather we
are
> focusing on integration of our products with each other instead of
replacing
> one with another. It would be better for the users if the data were
> interchangeable (including catalogs and specs) but each application
took
> the best advantages of each CAD platform. Beware a least common
denominator
> solution.
>
> We are also busy developing new interoperability with other formats
(this
> too was mentioned in a previous post).
>
> - AutoPIPE
> Bentley also now owns AutoPIPE for Pipe stress work along with a host
of
> other piping anaysis products (flow, pulsation, nozzles).
>
> In addition to the products mentioned Bentley also provides products
to
> manage drawings and data, walkthru and interference detection, other
design
> applications, civil, roadways, architectural, etc.
>
> Rant over for now.
>
> Regards,
> Rich Scotti
Received on Fri Feb 27 21:44:00 2004
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