CADWorx Plant Professional Service Pack 1 Release Notes

Intergraph has recently issued CADWorx Plant Professional Service Pack 1.  Below you will find the enhancements and some of the repairs that this service pack addresses:

• Added a ribbon panel and commands for exporting .VUE files for Intergraph’s SmartPlant software.
• Changed functionality of CONVERTFROMSOLID Command to remove Elbow Support coping after performing the command.
• Fixed Mitered Elbow wall thickness.
• Improved CADWorx 2012 Model conversions.
• Improved ISOGEN in terms of OTAP’s and line number continuations causing an ISOGEN 13 error
• Added Reducing Tees with swages to the right click menu
• Components in PRJ file do not automatically expand on opening the file
• General ISOGEN Improvements
• Note: User customization are no longer affected during Service Pack or Hot Fix installations

These are just some of the more high profile fixes that were completed in the Service Pack.

If you have any other questions or issues regarding this Service Pack, please support@ecedesign.com.

 

Best Regards,

ECE

CAESAR II – Piping Input Screen and Propagated Values

CAESAR II – Piping Input Screen is utilized in order to edit, create, or delete model geometry.  This piping input screen has several fields that can be overwhelming to new users, and has some features that seasoned users may be under utilizing. Today I would like to talk about this dialog in detail, and provide some insight into effectively mastering this dialog to speed up and qualify your pipe stress analysis. The Piping Input Screen is pictured below:

Lets start by talking about how analysis information is stored in CAESAR II.  All the material properties of the pipe and criteria for analysis is not located on each element, but at each node. Forces, moments, and displacements can only occur at nodes.  Additionally, all mass of the piping system is included at the nodes.  These points are important to consider when you are dealing with models that have very long lengths between elbows or supports.  By not distributing nodes throughout the model on these long lengths, the analytical  model will not have the proper fidelity to displace the piping due force and strain based loads.

Taking in the fact that nodes contain and we supply all the information for analysis through them, let’s describe the most basic feature of the Classic Piping Input screen: Value Propagation.  Simply stated, this allows us to enter in a value on the first node, and then apply that same value to every node after it, unless it is changed.  If the value is changed at some node in the model down the line, then that new value will propagate to every node after it, and so on.  This feature is ubiquitous throughout this dialog, and in fact the only components on the dialog this does not apply to are listed in here.

Typically this function is straightforward when you are starting fresh with a new model.  However, this can become troublesome when dealing with a “piping component file,” (PCF) converted model, or a model that has been generated with node numbers out of sequence.  CAESAR II will still apply value propagation to the classic piping input field to a fault, and even if two pipes aren’t necessarily connected sequentially in the graphical view, the nodes are still sequential in the element list.  You can access the element list by default from the lower left hand side of the screen. List Button > Elements.

 

Reviewing this Element list can help us understand where we have altered the propagated value that CAESAR has applied to each object.  Propagated Values will always show up as RED in the element list, giving us a clear idea of where changes in properties are happening in the model.  To remove a propagated value, simply delete the red value.

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CADWorx Plant Professional 2015: Importing Legacy Specifications

CADWorx 2015: Catalog Creation

Open up the CADWorx Catalog and Specification Editor.  Click the File dropdown and click New Catalog as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the New Catalog dialog window has six categories that need to be filled out. Name: Specify a name for the Catalog. Type: Choose between Company, Industry, and Global Catalog.  Global Catalog should typically be chosen. Base Catalog: It is not necessary to select a base catalog because a new one will be created from scratch. Description: A description for the Catalog is optional. Location: Specify the location of where the Catalog will be stored. Units: Choose between English/Inch, Metric/Inch, or Metric/Metric           Once everything has been selected in Figure 2, press OK.

CADWorx 2015: Project File Creation

Open up the CADWorx Catalog and Specification Editor.  Click the File dropdown and click New Project as shown in Figure 7. In the New Project dialog window shown in Figure 8, there will be six categories that will need to be filled out. Name: Specify a name for the Project. Default Catalog: Choose the Catalog that the Project will be using. In this situation, the newly created Catalog can be used. DBCode Table: This will be blank if there aren’t any DBCodes used. BOM type: Choose between Fabrication, Erection, Offshore, and Miscellaneous. Fabrication is defaulted and is typically used. Description: A description for the Project is optional. Location: Specify the location of where the Project will be stored. The five buttons below BOM type can be left alone at this time. Long Desc Format. Short Desc Format Layer Manager Part Number Format… Tag Format… Once everything has been selected, press OK.

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CADWorx 2015: Importing the Legacy Specification to the New Project File

1. Once the new Project File has been created, click the Import Legacy Specification button located on the Ribbon. (See Figure 9 below)

2. In the Import Legacy Specifications dialog window, there will be two directory paths to select: Specification and Catalog.
   • Specification will be the legacy specification that is being imported.
   • Catalog is greyed out because the Catalog was specified earlier.

3. Once the specification is selected, press Import and it will convert the data to the project. If more than one specification is needed in the Project, press Close and repeat process by clicking the Import Legacy Specification button and choosing the next specification. (See Figure 10)

CADWorx 2015: Importing the Legacy Specification EndType Cleanup

After the specified legacy specification has been imported, the Specification Editor will automatically create end type tables for all of the legacy library data files.  Open up the Catalog and expand the EndType Tables in the Catalog Data window and then expand one of the six options (See Figure 11 below).

Since each EndType Table was created based on the different Data Tables, they will need to be consolidated into a single EndType table for each class. In this case, the 150lb class Flanged end types will be consolidated into one table. Rather than creating a new EndType Table and adding every size, choose the table that has the largest range of sizes in use and rename it to a basic name (FLG_150 in this case).  Then, add the missing sizes required by right-clicking on the MAINSIZE column and choosing “Add MAINSIZE…” (See Figure 12 below). 

Once the sizes are added, fill in the empty columns for the new sizes by either manually entering them or copying them from a different EndType Table.  Now that the EndType Tables have been consolidated, the corresponding Data Tables need to match. Expand the Data Tables in the Catalog Data window and open up the the data tables that match the newly created EndType Tables. In this situation, the Valve Data Tables all tie together with the EndType Tables (See Figure 13 below).

Once each Data Table is opened, select the Start dropdown in the Default EndType Data Table Setup and choose the correct EndType Table (See Figure 14 below).  After all of the corresponding Data Tables have been updated to the combined EndType Table, remove the unused EndType Tables by right clicking on each and selecting Remove.

Once all of the specifications have been imported, EndType Tables combined, and Data Tables updated to the correct EndType Table, the Catalog and Project can be saved and that concludes the Spec Conversion for both Catalog and Project.

 

 

I would like to announce that BETA testing for CADWorx 2015 is now accepting applicants.  CADWorx Development has been very busy and now they are interested in your feedback. If you would like to test the latest version of CADWorx and provide your input to the development of the software, please consider becoming a BETA tester.

If you are unfamiliar with BETA Testing, it is a great opportunity to get involved with your software and provide input to the developers. BETA testing is an important part of the process, where users let developers know what parts of the software are meeting their needs and what could be improved. The outcome of your hard work is higher quality software, better user experiences, and knowing you are part of a community of like-minded users.

If you would like to participate, simply fill out this form to indicate your interest.

Happy Testing,

matt

All,

Below is a listing of the CADWorx Plant Professional 2014 new features and functions:

• AutoCAD 2014 Compatibility
• The Pipe Support Palette has been changed to reflect the new Specification Editor Pipe Support changes and the use of dynamic pipe supports. This option also enables new pipe supports on tees.
• Tees can now be converted to crosses after routing by using the grip point on the main of the tee.
• Reducers can now have branches routed from the side with the added grip point.
• Multiple components can now move simultaneously by using the MOVECOMPONENT command.
• Tubing can now be stretched and routed from, similar to other pipe.
• Center of Gravity has now been updated. All center of gravity calculations can be completed within a single dialog box. For more information, see C.G. Generator (on page 146).
• Generic Attach has been updated to include the BOM Mark Point and the CG Location, enabling you to select a point for the Center of Gravity.
• Gaskets, Bolts, and Welds have been enhanced for appearance. They now appear as they would in a real world environment when in enhanced mode.
• There have been ISOGEN identifiers added to the ISOGEN Export Options for user shapes.
• You can now set a minimum spacing rule for the O-Lets.
• You can now have custom data that is attached to components appear in the data. As well as isolate components based on this custom data.  A Custom Data button has been added to the Component Edit dialog box and the Global CEdit dialog box.
• You can now review changes you have made to a database when you synchronize by setting the SyncOnStartUp variable to Synchronize with Changes Review.
• You can now set the Routing Mode in the CADWorx Plant Setup.
• You can now isolate the reverse of the selected items in the CADWorx Line View palette. You can also manage your isolation in the Line View Isolation Properties Manager added to the CADWorx Line View palette. You can set the file created in the Line View Isolation Properties Manager to a default by setting it in the LineViewIsolationSettingsFile variable. This also allows you to isolate based on custom data.
• You can now break pipes into segments and change segmented pipe to non-segmented pipe.
• You can now change the elevation of placed piping in the drawing.
• You can now generic attach for nozzles using the ENGENERIC command.
• You can now enable the RepeatFile in ISOGEN which enables start and split locations for consecutive ISOGEN outputs. Set the ISOGENSetting variable to control the import of the repeat file data. The number of sheets is then added to the ISOGEN Data dialog box.
• Intersecting piping components can now be converted. Options are presented to you when a piping component crosses another component. If you selected None from the list, you can use the CONVERTINTERSECTEDPIPINGS command to convert the intersecting piping.
• The MOVELINE command has been added to the documentation to reflect its availability in the software.
• Continue Routing has been updated with information to enhance documentation for ease of use in the software.
• The Change Size topic has been updated to reflect the changes to the software for pipe supports. You can now change the size of a pipe and the pipe support changes with it.