Plant and piping software: vendors strengthen links between P&ID and physical plant model

CADalyst, Oct, 2004 by H. Edward Goldberg

Bentley P&ID combines drafting tools with user-definable data integration capabilities. These provide access to the Bentley Plant project database and other external plant information. You can draw while you're disconnected from the project database, and then run userdefinable rules to synchronize the data with the project database. You retain access to the project tag register and component data for tagging, placement, and annotation. The program can also load and save files in other formats.

Bentley P&ID offers drag-and-drop component placement and right-click, context-sensitive menus for creating custom component entries. The program also makes use of Visual Basic dialog boxes to access component attributes. You can customize and edit these dialog boxes for specific data entry needs and to perform data validation.

With MicroStation V8, the complete history of a design is now available in PlantSpace P&ID.

All data created by Bentley P&ID resides in a single repository. The interface also lets designers browse components defined in the project, such as P&IDs and datasheets, and insert them in the 3D model. The P&ID is available to the designer creating the 3D model. Bentley Plant provides integrations not only between functional and physical design solutions, but also with Bentley ProjectWise, a collaboration environment. You can publish all documents produced by the functional and physical design solutions, as well as the component index associated with those documents, directly to the ProjectWise environment.

Future plans for Bentley P&ID include links to the newest addition to Bentley Plant, Bentley AXSYSProcess, which will offer the ability to define a process flow diagram in AXSYS and have it generate the beginnings of a Bentley P&ID.

Intergraph * SmartPlant P&ID 4, SmartPlant 3D www.intergraph.com

SmartPlant P&ID 4 doesn't use a CAD program as its engine. It's data-centric, rule-based, CAD-free, integrated engineering software for creating intelligent piping and instrumentation diagrams. The product offers global work sharing, an engineering rulebase, a graphical user interface with drag-and-drop international symbol sets and integration, and calculation and automation interfaces. It runs on Oracle 8i and 9i, Microsoft SQL 2000, and Windows 2000/XP and is now certified to run in thin-client environments such as Citrix MetaFrame. The software also has controlled licensing and uses the PD_LICE mechanism.

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Features of SmartPlant P&ID 4 include capabilities for multiple project execution, version tracking with data and graphical comparison, license control, and integration with Intergraph's TEF (The Engineering Framework). The program lets you manage multiple, simultaneous projects within the operating plant or design. Working concurrently, users can claim a system or object such as a pipeline or a feed pump, modify the design, and then merge the approved changes into the master as-built P&ID. For engineering companies, this enables application of multiple what-if scenarios to make design decisions or determine the impact of a change.