Hello,

Just a dummie's question: is CADWorx Plant Model DWG-centered (like that of CADWorx Steel) or External Database centered like most of 3D CAD soft. for Piping?

If it's Database-centered (i.e. all model components are kept and continuously updated in Database(Oracle or such) whereas DWG file is mere a graphic interface for user's input, than can I request specific data directly from that Database; I need for each Pipe Support: XYZ, pipeline number and ID (if any)?

Len
Structural

The easy answer is that all the info is held in the Drawing. The centerlines hold the xdata, just like steel.

NOW, you can do a live DB for Plant (piping) and Steel that you can querry as well. This is optional, and is more of a dump from the drawing. You can update certain fields from the DB to the drawing.

If you want Len, you can shoot me your contact info and I can give you a call to cover some more of this if you would like.

KP

Hello Kyle,

My e-mail is len.bogdanov@gmail.com
My home phone number is 403-2434047 (presently, I don't have any engineering contracts and hence no work phone number)

I've been in EPC design for 14 years; working as a structural designer, structural CAD-support specialist and a structural engineer.

Also, my partner and I (small business)have been developing three applications for structural engineering:

1. CADALENA - CAD Associated Link to Engineering Analysis - aimed to transferring geometry from 3D CAD to CAE while fixing connectivity, continuity and other related problems.

2. DRAWST - Draw Structure - AutoCAD VBA plug-in aimed to producing 2D drawings with schematic (single-line) plans and sections from structural steel 3D models (Pro-Steel, AutoPlant, PDS-FW+, CADWorx-Steel), maintaining the links and displaying them on the "Project Tree" Chart and updating 2D while preserving user's "post-editing" changes.

3. PLETRAN - Pipe Load Electronic Transfer - aimed to transferring piping loads from Stress CAE (AutoPIPE and CAESAR-II) to structural CAE (RISA-3D and S-Frame)while displaying Pipe-Support Geometry, Pipeline Numbers, Pipe-Support IDs and allowing to adjust load values. Also PLETRAN does automated cut-outs in Preliminary Uniformly-Distributed Loads (on pipe-rack cross-beams)to accommodate the actual pipes. To verify and accurately allocate Stress Geometry we also should read Piping 3D Models (AutoPlant, PDS, CADWorx-Plant)

That is why I ask questions on different forums that may appear non-related to each other and somewhat random. Obviously, we have and will have problems connecting to CADWorx-Plant, CADWorx-Steel and CAESAR-II and chasing newer versions of AutoCAD.
Kyle, I'm glad to talk to a 'guru' who combines CADWorx-Plant and CADWorx-Steel expertise I hope to continue this contact; though I realize I should be more systematic and explain the reasons - why I need this or that piece of information.

Thank you,

Best Regards,
Len Bogdanov
Structural Engineer
S-Link Systems Ltd., Calgary, AB, Canada