Overview of PDMSRaghunathan Janarthanan| Piping Designer

3D piping designing software plant design management system (PDMS), overview of PDMS, its uses, its commands. This is one of the best software for designing the big plants with more accuracy. There are different modules in the pdms for designing of the plants.

Overview of PDMS

These day lots of 3D piping designing software are available in the market. Every software has own limitations and uses. The engineering designing consultancy companies are selecting this software as per their business model, as per requirement of the project and the client demands for particular software in which they want the project. Right now 3D piping designs software are available in the market are Plant design management system (PDMS), Plant Design System (PDS), Cad Pipe, Cad works, and spid3D etc. In these software's I shall you let you know regarding plant design management system (PDMS).

Plant design management system (PDMS) is used for 3D designing of the oil and gas offshore platforms, refineries, chemical plants and nuclear power plants. The purpose of using that software is that we can see the actual model of offshore platform, refineries etc which is going to build actually in the site. With the use of the 3D software companies can reduce overall costing of the project from 10% to 30% in the form of time saving of the project, material saving of the object. Big engineering procurement and construction companies like Technip, Flou, Pertofac, Sumsung heavy industry, Worley person, Aker solutions many more company are using these 3D software like pdms and pds. These software are used globally in their business operations. Now every MNC company has their offices in different part of the world. So while designing of these platforms, refineries, and chemical plants every office has to contribute their role on that project as per their specialty. In PDMS work can we done globally. It means if design office at London did some work on that project. The other employees of Mumbai office can see that work in the model online and work accordingly.PDMS software is produce by Aviva industries. PMDS is best 3D designing software. We can design the entire plant in the PDMS. To use the PDMS software by any company they have to buy the numbers of license as per their requirements.

PDMS contains 9 modules on which designing can be done in the model Piping modeling

Equipment modeling

Structure module

HVAC Design

Hanger and supports or MDS

Cabling System

Cable trays

Design temples

Room design

Advantages of PDMS

1. To see the actual model of the plant in the software with exact dimensions.2. To reduce the material from 10% to 30% from the manual calculations of the material of the project.3. We can save time while designing the project in pdms. Designing project in 2d like AutoCAD taking much more time as compared to pdms.4. In pdms we check the piping clashes of the piping, equipment and other inter disciplines.5. Designing is of piping is more accurate. Because we can see all space around the plant.

6. Very less chance of rework, if the designing is done on the pdms. This helps us to save fabrication time on the yard.7. The accuracy is more in pdms as compared to other 2D software8. Pdms can generate the material take off report of each every component in the pdms, which is not possible in 2d software. From the material take off report we can get exact quantities of material which are going to use in the plant for fabrication purpose. We can order that material as the material take off reports.9. From pdms we can run isometric drawing of the piping for fabrication purpose automatically. In AutoCAD isometric drawings are taking too much time.

10. Modification of any pipe, equipment or structure can be done easy as compared to other software.11. Pdms is user friendly with other software like Ceaser II for stress calculations and With AutoCAD to import the data from pdms to these seawares.12. We can design supports for piping in the hanger and supports module.Pdms is commands based software. While operating the software we required some command to use the software.

10. Modification of any pipe, equipment or structure can be done easy as compared to other software.11. Pdms is user friendly with other software like Ceaser II for stress calculations and With AutoCAD to import the data from pdms to these seawares.12. We can design supports for piping in the hanger and supports module.Pdms is commands based software. While operating the software we required some command to use the software.

These are the few commands which are using in the PDMS piping design module

Axes at CE= to check the axes of component like North, South, East, West directionQ axes at ph= to check the head of the branch of the pipe.Q axes at pt= to check the tail of the branch of the pipe.Q Hstu= to show the branch head tube attributeQ Lstu= to show the branch tail tube attributeQ Hbore= to check the arrive bore or diameter of the componentQ Tbore= to check the leave bore or diameter of the componentQ Spre= to check the specification of the particular componentQ pspec= to check material class of the pipe.

New elbow choo all= to create new elbow through command lineNew tee choo all= to create new tee through command lineNew gasket choo all= to create new gasket through command lineNew flange choo all= to create new flange through command lineNew olet choo all= to create new olet through command lineUnclaim all= to remove claim the by user so other user can work in that pipe, equipment, member,structure.

Getwork= to refresh the design model. After get work all the change done any user will show in the model.Axes at hpos= To check the branch head axesAxes at tpos= To check the branch tail axes

Q ltle= to check the length of the spool between the two componentConn ph to fir member= to connect the branch head to first member of the next branch by common lineConn pt to fir member= to connect the branch tail to last member of the next branch by common lineQ ori = to check the orientation of the componentDist= to give the distance between two componentClea= to give the spool length between the two componentConn= connect to the memberFconn= to component forcefullyQ styp= to check the component selection typeQ dtxr= to check the detail text description of the component

Dir tow next= to connect the next member by directionQ ref= to check the referenceAdd all the pipe within vol ce 500= all pipes to added in the area 500 around the selected component.Incl= to include the component from one branch to other branchOri and p3 is up= to orientate the point 3 of the tee in up directionOwn= navigate the owner of componentQ angle= to check the angle of the componentQ atle= to check the length of the first tube of the branchAttype ccnn= comment attachment without dimensionsAttype cccc= comment attachment with dimensionsAttype xxxx= to set the attachment for isometric break upCh ce= to check the data inconsistencyDir tow next elb= to align the elbow with next elbow

Dir tow id@= to align the elbow by using mouse click on the componentQ hcon= to check head connection attached with which branchQ tcon= to check tail connection attached with which branchQ ispec= to check the insulation of pipeIspec nulref= to remove the insulation of the pipeMtoc dotd= to appear the component in doted in the isometricMtoc off= to remove the material off the component. With this command material of the component will not appear in isometric

Nex conn= connect to next componentNex thro ce= align the next component in same directionQ p3 = to check the p3 point of the component

Q pa= to check arrive pointQ pl= to check the leave pointAttype flow= to create the flow direction attachment

These are the few commands which are using in the PDMS equipment design module.

New site= for creating the new site in pdmsNew zone= for creating the new zone in pdmsNew equi= for creating the new equipment in pdmsNew sube= for creating the new sub equipment in pdmsNew nozzle= for creating the new nozzle in the pdmsNew box= for creating new box in the pdmsNew cylinder= for creating new cylinder in the pdms

Conn idp to idp= to connect design point of two cylinder/box etc.Mark with (nam) all nozz for ce= to mark the all nozzle of equipment with name in pdmsQ level= to check the level of the componentAxes at p1= to check p1 point of the primitiveAxes at p2= to check p2 point of the primitiveNew cylinder copy prev by n 500= to copy the previous cylinder by north direction by 500

PDMS uses in the following industries

1. For designing oil and gas project for offshore platforms and onshore refineries.2. For designing of the Chemical plants3. For designing of the power plants4. For designing of the nuclear power plants.5. For designing of big distilleries