AutoCAD Plant 3D Toolset
Autodesk is leading the technical world of Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. AutoCAD Plant 3D is an application developed by Autodesk for the designing and modeling of industrial plant facility.
AutoCAD plant 3D consists of the tools and features those designers need to create plant models including piping structure and equipment. Additionally, anything you model in AutoCAD can be a reference to the Plant 3D model in order to create a complete digital representation of your industrial plan facility.
In addition to modeling with AutoCAD Plant 3D, you can generate construction documents from the model including isometric drawing and Bill of Material (BOM). Plans, Sections, elevations and other orthographic drawings are also generated from the model.
In this article, we are introducing AutoCAD plan 3D, a BIM software, utilizing which we provide premium solutions to industrial plant projects.
Using the Plant 3D Toolset in AutoCAD Plant 3D – Things to Know
The tools of AutoCAD Plant 3D have multiple key features such as creating and editing Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID’s), 3D modeling and extracting piping orthographic and isometrics with an industry-specific toolset for plant design.
Plant 3D Collaboration | Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID’s)
A pipe and instrumentation diagram – P&ID is a project deliverable that is frequently used. Proper synchronization between P&ID and BIM model limits the risk of error.
Collaboration for Plant 3D: Real-time cloud-based collaboration of plant design takes place across the project team and enables required compliance in the Common Data Environment (CDE).
This enables design collaboration among multiple trades, any-time access to any construction document from anywhere inside the globe. The Administrator holds the control of providing access to relevant stakeholders to a specific centralized location to analyze the changes in 2D or, 3D model view, to manage data exchange by using multi-disciplinary shared packages to keep track on timeline and much more.
Intelligent P&ID drafting: AutoCAD Plant 3D allows to create intelligent P&IDs quickly and easily by just selecting industry-standard symbols from the tool pallet and placing them on the drawing.
Standard symbol libraries: The software toolset enables industry-standard symbol libraries in the tool pallets. The pallets contain multiple symbol standards templates such as PIP, JIS, ISO/DIN and ISA.
Data validation: Regular data validation in AutoCAD Plan 3D by scanning P&ID allows quick validation of common errors according to project standard results in data consistency.
3D Model Collaboration With AutoCAD Plant 3D
3-Dimentinal digital representation of industrial plant facility helps in visualizing the plant project in the common data environment (CDE).
Quick plant modeling in 3D: AutoCAD plant 3D is an easy-to-use plant modeling tool. The tool contains structural steel libraries, parametric equipment and project-specific piping using industry-standard piping catalogs for processing plant modeling.
Templates of parametric equipment: Pre-installed parametric templates enable the quick and easy process of recreating and editing equipment to help in creating a faster plant layout.
Structural modeling: Plant 3D helps in creating layout, structural models, stairs, ladders, and railings as per the standard practice of steel sections. Industry-standard includes AISC, CISC, and DIN.
Customizable project-specific piping specification: This tool of AutoCAD enables customizable industry-standard piping specifications to help in encountering project-specific.
Industry-standard including customizable industry-standard components.
Piping Engineering Drawings and Documents
Documentations are necessary to execute every project and plant 3D allows users to prepare orthographic and isometric piping drawings in a single platform.
Create customized piping orthographic drawings: Piping orthographic drawings can be extracted directly from the 3D model using AutoCAD Plant 3D and changes get updated automatically in the drawing.
Auto-creation of piping isometrics: AutoCAD Plant 3D tools allows user to directly create project-specific industry-standard piping isometric drawings.
Auto-reporting project specification: The toolset allows users to automatically generate data from the 3D model in a pre-defined report format for a specific project.
Documentation of BIM model: AutoCAD Plant 3D permits working with multi-disciplinary industry helps in creating BIM models for the plant.
Plant 3D Toolset for AutoCAD
About the study:
A study has been conducted by Autodesk comparing basic AutoCAD with AutoCAD Plant 3D toolsets. While performing very common six tasks used by process plant designers the result found was that basic AutoCAD provides up to 74% lesser productivity than AutoCAD Plant 3D toolset. Further to be noted that these tasks were performed by a very experienced AutoCAD user.
Point cloud to AutoCAD Plant 3D
In the current scenario, laser scanning and point clouds are essential tools in the entire construction cycle starting from the design stage. AutoCAD Plant 3D toolset contains a vast number of features enabling efficient project execution from point cloud. AutoCAD plant 3D toolsets turn laser scans into a precise construction drawing.
Process flow of Laser Scanning: The workflow of laser scanning and point cloud to construction is known as reality computing. The process involves three stages such as capture data, develop data, and modeling or, drafting deliverables.
Capture Data: Capturing data is a process of collecting available field conditions with the use of digital cameras or/and, surveying instruments which are widely known as 3D scanners in the construction industry.
Any device that can generate dense point clouds or polygon meshes by measuring the physical structure using lights, x-rays or, lasers can be considered as a 3D scanner. Tejjy Inc. being one of the best BIM automation companies uses LiDAR for Laser Scanning and Point Cloud.
Mostly Laser scanning and Point cloud features are being used to execute renovation projects.
Develop Data: The next step of Capturing data is processing the data into a useful form. The process is known as registration. While doing laser scanning from multiple positions of an entire project multiple images get generated of all sites.
Each and every scan creates an individual 3D point cloud. Registering each point cloud results in one coordinate system containing one point cloud data set. The entire process of data processing includes:
Registration of Point cloud data, Analyze and Measuring 3D laser scanned data, and Exporting data to AutoCAD Plant 3D
Modeling or, drafting deliverables: The processed data to be imported to AutoCAD ReCap, a program that accepts scan data and converts them as Reality Capture Scan (RCS) files.
Running the process each scan position is converted to an RCS file and the project saves as an RCP (Reality Capture Project) referencing the position of each RCS scan.
These files are now ready for use throughout all Autodesk design products that support point clouds such as AutoCAD Plant 3D.
Use BIM Automation to Automate Modeling and Design Activities
Benefits of the Plant 3D Toolset in the Design Models
The BIM software is offering full solutions for industrial plant designers to create and edit P&IDs. From developing to modifying plant model process the toolset helps in producing drawings for Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, oil and natural gas plants, and other industrial facilities.
Enhanced Productivity: Automated and simplified tools of the software streamlines, editing, and designing process. The specification-driven BIM software allows modeling of industrial plants, water treatment facilities, oil and natural gas plants, equipment, piping, supporting structures and other plant components.
Improved Accuracy and Consistency: BIM models generated using AutoCAD Plant 3D are much informative so that any time data can be extracted from the model, instrumentation diagram, orthographic drawings, and isometric drawings.
The data are easily reviewed and edited from the drawings whenever required.
Better Team Collaboration and Coordination: Real-time digital collaboration allows project stakeholders to stay updated and helped them in informed decision making. Multi-trade model coordination allows in design review, 3D visualization and detecting clashes.
Conclusion
AutoCAD Plant 3D toolsets are one of the most useful applications introduced by Autodesk. Tejjy Inc. having 17+ years of experience in the AEC industry utilizing the toolsets to efficiently deliver plant projects.
