CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
10 May 2005
Product News
Intergraph Shipping SmartPlant P&ID 4.2-Updated Version of Intelligent Engineering Software Helps Boost Work Process Efficiency
Intergraph Corporation is shipping the 4.2 version of its SmartPlant® P&ID intelligent piping and instrumentation engineering software. The new version offers system editing for updates of properties on pipe systems, controlled P&ID updates for accuracy after reference data changes and display sets for combining display filters into a centrally-managed environment. The new features are aimed at increasing work process efficiency to control engineering cost and promote greater P&ID accuracy.
System editing assists users with maintaining data consistency along a piping network and eliminates repetitive editing. When the engineer edits data at one point along a pipe run, for example, the change is automatically propagated to the related objects, both up- and downstream, such as piping, valves and other associated equipment. The SmartPlant P&ID rulebase controls boundaries of the change including intelligent attribute breaks.
The controlled update function changes all related P&IDs accordingly after a reference data change has occurred. The software notifies users which P&Ids are out of sync with the reference data. If the SmartPlant P&ID administrator changes a symbol, a scheduled update of P&IDs automatically reflects the change. P&IDs are updated when changes are made to any of 12 types of attributes such as symbology, rules, filters, labels, symbols and other properties. The software also detects whether a P&ID is in a recreate state and allows users to regenerate P&IDs immediately or at a later, scheduled time.
For example, if a key property or symbol correction is required for a project involving multiple P&IDs, users would have to open all diagrams, find and then correct the items. Batch updates scheduled at night or other off-peak periods mean that such efforts require virtually no engineering hours. The business and work process efficiency benefits are potentially high, especially if there are hundreds of P&IDs involved.
The new display set feature takes filter tabs from the previous version and moves them to a centrally-managed environment, combining many filters into one set for display and printing. A designated user can create a display set for all users in the plant and on all drawings. Display sets are queries for specific information made to the P&ID database. For example, a user can create a display set to present a client review P&IDs with fewer notes or annotations than those for design purposes. Other examples of display sets include those for displaying or printing a particular system for construction or commissioning use. The desired result can be tailored forthe specific task at hand by all parties involved in plant design,construction, maintenance and operation.
SmartPlant P&ID Enables Intelligent Global Engineering
SmartPlant P&ID is knowledge-driven engineering software for creating intelligent piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). Using SmartPlant P&ID, plant owners and engineering firms can model facility asset configurations to accurately reflect the plant process. SmartPlant P&ID is integrated with up- and downstream engineering tasks such as process design and instrumentation. On a global worksharing basis, engineers can create P&IDs and reports directly from the database without an expensive CAD engine or complex reporting software. SmartPlant P&ID offers a key business advantage: downstream tasks such as electrical, instrumentation, HAZOP analysis, hydrostatic testing, process optimization, ERP, 3D modeling and other activities can capitalize on the essential engineering data associated with the P&ID throughout the entire plant life cycle. SmartPlant P&ID enables high quality design and opportunity to improve work processes to answer crucial business needs such as cost and risk reduction, operation and maintenance support and greater return on investment of engineering IT expenditure.
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