We’re going to start a series on setting up a new project for CADWorx. My goal in doing this is to cover areas that don’t quite fit in a CADWorx class, but you probably won’t get in an AutoCAD class. Most of the posts will deal with managing your setup and perhaps some customization topics. I also will do my best to include posts from the forum to credit people with the ideas they may have posted on the topics we cover.
Each post will be bite-size enough for you to wrap your head around what we’re doing and provide the big picture so you can understand the reasons.
My experience with CADWorx is mainly in multi-discipline, multi-model projects. For those of you working on skids or smaller projects, some of the articles won’t apply.
So, where do we start? We need to get a grip on what we know and what we don’t. Some one on the project definitely needs to be a record keeper of what documentation is received/sent and when. Ideally, you have a wonderful admin assistant or document control to deal with this, but that’s not always the case. Here’s a short list of documents we need to have to get started on our project.
On a side note: I need help from the experienced pipers, I have no qualms in saying I’m heavy on the software experience and lighter in the piping experience. Feel free to comment or Contact Us with input.
Without further ado, our upfront needs list:
- Piping Specs-ideally we create our piping specs in CADWorx before piping
- Civil layout-coordinates/orientation of the plant
- P&IDs (are they ever finished?)
- Equipment list-may have manually get this off the P&IDs (not if you use CADWorx P&ID Professional)
- Structural layout
Hopefully none of this is news to most of you, however, I wanted to document this upfront so we can see where to head from here.
Now you can divide the tasks up however you need to, but here’s my recommendation:
1. Get your piping spec guy going on nailing down the specs until they’re as complete as you can get them. Remember the person creating the spec in CADWorx must have a solid understanding creating objects in categories affects the 3D model. You’re piping spec person, and the CADWorx spec person will need to coordinate well to get the specs right for both sides.
2. In an ideal world, the vessel designers are using PV Elite. In which case, use the Import options to get all your equipment models. Otherwise, have a CADWorx Equipment person: this person should be responsible for all of modeling of the equipment. He should know what has been modeled, what needs to be modeled, which pieces have their vendor information, and which need more information. This person should have good organizational skills and a solid handle on modeling in CADWorx Equipment for those cases that can’t be handled by importing from PV Elite.
3. P&IDs – In case you couldn’t tell, I was the P&ID guy. Keep the drawings neat, and the database in good condition. Use CADWorx P&ID Professional so that you can give the equipment guy updated lists of all of the equipment on the project. This person also should be working with the spec people as the items being placed on the P&ID should be in the spec if they will go into the 3D model.
4. Structural-yes we’re waiting on you 
. Tips for this…use the SIMPORT command to pull in the CIS/2 file straight from analysis. That will eliminate model building time, Alternatively, make your steel model, and use the SEXPORT command to give your structural engineer something he can analyze.
So in the next posts we’ll get going on the project and walk through these areas, and cover a little more detail.