CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
26 January 2010
Implementation Investments
Power Company Uses SolidWorks to Design Ultra-Efficient Natural Gas Plant
The Greenfield South Power Plant, under construction in the city of Mississauga in Southern Ontario, will supply power to greater Toronto. The 280-megawatt (MW) facility is a combined cycle natural gas plant that nets extra efficiency by using a steam turbine to convert waste heat from combustion into additional energy. Developer Eastern Power Limited is just one of an estimated 1,700 engineering organizations using SolidWorks for plant design. (Case study)
Eastern Power chose SolidWorks CAD software to introduce 3D design into its development process, a capability demanded by the scope and sophistication of the project.
“I know how painful it is to work with piping in 2D,” said Orlando Linero, plant designer for Eastern Power. “On a project as complex as Greenfield South, we had to find a better way to develop every facet of the plant – from the structural steel to the piping systems to the turbines. In short, we needed faster and better 3D tools for creating, simulating, and communicating our designs.”
Linero’s team had evaluated several design software packages but selected SolidWorks because it was the most flexible. “SolidWorks is the only solution with integrated design, piping, structural, simulation, and documentation capabilities,” said Linero. “We can see, analyze, and document every design detail right in the 3D model, and easily coordinate design activities for a complex project without translating data to other tools.”
Using SolidWorks, Eastern Power compressed design cycles by 50 percent and cut development costs by 60 percent, Linero estimates.
SolidWorks in plant design
Engineering organizations like Eastern Power are discovering the value of SolidWorks software for designing not only the machinery and equipment inside a plant, but the plant itself. Firms using SolidWorks in this area are saving as much as $20,000 on every seat of software over traditional plant design software, estimates Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. (DS SolidWorks).
In addition to designing the structure and the equipment inside, teams are using SolidWorks to lay out that equipment, connect it, generate documentation, and produce detailed construction/manufacturing drawings. They can also simulate stresses, fluid flows, and thermal dynamics. “Since MCAD is required to design the equipment, customers reason, why not keep using the same software to design the entire facility?” said Eric Leafquist, product manager of plant and process at DS SolidWorks.
Advisory board for plant design
Ten engineering organizations that use SolidWorks software have come together to form a SolidWorks Plant Design Advisory Board to share best practices on plant design and help guide SolidWorks product direction.
At an initial meeting in October 2009, the panel explored modular design approaches that involve designing standardized, ready-made systems into their projects, saving original and innovative design work for differentiated uses. At SolidWorks World 2010 next week, the board will convene for the second time and meet two SolidWorks Solution Partners who have recently announced structural steel design products fully integrated with SolidWorks software, AMV and SolidACE.
SolidWorks World 2010 will also offer several breakout sessions for attendees interested in learning more about SolidWorks’ role in plant design including:
Enhancing Plant Design Using SolidWorks and Design Automation Tools
Plant Design at INFILCO DEGREMOUNT Using SolidWorks: A Case Study
Leveraging the Power of SolidWorks & Weldments for Plant Design
For more information on using SolidWorks in plant design, visit www.solidworks.com/energy-process-plant.
Eastern Power Limited relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller Javelin Technologies for ongoing software training, implementation, and support
Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.
Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.
CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.