It also incorporates a conversion programme which migrates data such as symbols, catalogues and specs to AutoCAD Plant 3D, so eliminating the need to spend months or so rebuilding libraries and minimising downtime during any changeover of software. Autodesk may be a relative newcomer to the plant industry - however, it brings with it the experience of decades of investment into the research and development of software for product, building and infrastructure design which translates well into this environment. For example, in some other 3D applications it can be difficult and time consuming to extract the 2D drawings needed for construction, fabrication and other documentation purposes. Obviously the owners of the assets do not want to pay for the wasted hours, only the completed project so the more efficient the design tools, the less pressure there is on the budget. Using the Autodesk plant products, the process is simple, quick and straightforward. Likewise, when changes need to be made. Late changes can be the bane of a designer’s life, but it is more important to identify these changes rather than let the fabrication and construction proceed. It is a lot cheaper to make changes in the fabrication shop than it is on the construction site. Some customers we asked said that they spend as much as 80 per cent of their project time making changes and then checking thousands of drawings to make sure these have been carried through. On some of the most widely used competitive
software solutions, if something has to be changed the engineer may have to re-model a significant number of pipeline routings or even the entire model, making the workflow very inefficient. Using the Autodesk plant products designers can easily make modifications to the 3D piping and layout models while ensuring connectivity of pipework. Additionally, differences between the 3D model and P&IDs are identified. Consequently, engineers don’t have to spend hours checking and coordinating. Because the software is built on the AutoCAD platform, it offers a familiar environment with tools and commands that are similar, if not the same as the original solution. Plus, this solution also solves the problems experienced when using niche products – as AutoCAD is a standard across most engineering sectors, trained professionals are far easier to find. Importantly, Autodesk’s DWG file format is
the trusted data interchange standard throughout the industry, making it far easier and more straightforward to share key, up-to-date data. If Autodesk Navisworks is used with Autodesk’s plant design products models from multiple CAD systems can be combined to enable the identification of clashes on the complete project model. Unusually in this field of software, Autodesk uses a channel sales model, which provides an opportunity to build relationships with local specialists who are ready with support, maintenance and, importantly, training. Many also offering consultancy, designed to help maximise an investment to the full. ●
Derry Vaughn is the Engineering Services Marketing Manager at Autodesk. For more information, visit
http://usa.autodesk.com
44
www.engineerlive.com
Fig. 2. AutoCAD P&ID, Autodesk Navisworks, and Autodesk 3ds Max software products were used in the design process.
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