Legacy CADWorx Models/Entities converted to Plant 3D Models/Entities ????

[Anonymous]

I have a  question about the conversion process of CADWorx models to Autodesk Plant models. 

I understand that Plant 3D can read and convert CADWorx specs, but I am wondering how Plant 3Dwould handle models that were originally created in CADWorx? I was wondering how (if at all) Plant 3D was able to read and convert CADWorx entities into intelligent Plant 3D entities? Would that be through an object enabler or through mapping of some sort????

Thanks to all in advance for your help. 

Dave

[TomislavGolubovic]

Straight out of the box, in essence, no they can't be converted. They could only be used as a background XREF or similar for a current Plant3D project.

[Anonymous]

Thx Tomislav,

We have about 7 years of CADWorx plant models, and to not be able to reuse some of the designs as intelligent entities will make it difficult to make the software switch for a new project.

Thanks again for your help.

Dave Hammer

[TomislavGolubovic]

If you have a look around, there might be 3rd party solutions for PCF import to P3D

[dgorsman]

PCF would be my inclination as well, if only for the fact that it's the ONLY option available for communicating model information between programs.

We really need an open source data format (PCF is a block of granite, ISO 15926 is so far open its an amorphous cloud) which can be produced, reviewed, modified, and consumed with little effort on the part of the average piping department CAD Administrator.  The intention would not be to replace PCF, or DWG, or any other storage format but as a means of easing communications between client, EPCM, and software vendors to allow faster adoption of newer programs (like Plant3D) as well as not locking clients in to a specific program or software vendor (Bentely is the only vendor fully supporting ISO 15926 right now, for better or worse).

And yes - that IS a soapbox I'm standing on!  😄

[dave.wolfe]

I hear you.  We are working on a conversion system for CADWorx.  Not the magical piping neutral file format, but it should help.

Have you done any design or outlining of what would need to be included in a piping neutral file format?

[dgorsman]

Rev 0.1 of the PipeXML schema, heavily patterned after LandXML.  It's almost to the point where I'll need some assistance to get further development done (work is varying between mildly and completely insane...).

[Anonymous]

Hi Dave,

Can I ask what made you make the transition from CADWorx to P3D?

Wrestling with that idea now, and your response will help greatly.

Thank you

Ryan

[Anonymous]

Ryan, 

We haven't made the switch yet.  Currently we have been using CADWorx Plant Professional  for the past 7 years.

We are in the proposal stage of a new project and the new client is requesting we use Plant 3D.  We are about a year to 9 months away, so we have some time to work out the kinks.  I will be getting the software in a month or so, to do some testing and figure out the specs and what changes need to be added/or changed in our current workflow.  Also, how we can incorporate any in house customization that our designers are already used to working with.

Cheers,

Dave

[Anonymous]

Dave, thank you for the response.

We have had much less time to make a move, and so have decided to stick with CADWorx for now. Have you had any experience linking your P&ID database to the Plant model. If so, what were your challenges. 

It will be interesting to compare these facets to P3D. That will be a great real world example.

Cheers!

[PatrickByrne]

Just starting the process now with Plant 3D 2012.

Apart from the converting the cadWorx models how have you found Plant 3D, is there any show stoppers?

Patrick