Which migration AutoPlant/CADWorx to AutoCAD Plant 3D is easier?

[WPerciful]

A vendor of our currently uses Bentley AutoPlant as well as CADWorx, while we use AutoCAD Plant 3D 2016.  Our corporate mandate requires us to use AutoCAD Plant 3D 2016 (won't upgrade) but the vendor won't switch without charging us for training.  Our company won't cover the training.  Which means must have our work done in either Bentley AutoPlant or CADWorx and then migrate the files into AutoCAD Plant 3D.

Assuming the piping specs and catalogs are in perfect harmony, which package is easier to migrate into Autocad Plant 3D Bentley AutoPlant or CADWorx?

[h_eger · Accepted solution]

Dear @WPerciful,

Unfortunately not possible
We have tested this and have a custom application.
The costs were very high and the result was poor.
Exchanging via PCF works conditionally Valves can work.
Pipe supports do not come at all.
Create a new model based on the template is faster.

[dgorsman]

How much of it do you really need?  Does it need to be fully intelligent, or are you just referencing for interconnects?

This is why there is a "BIM coordinator" type role on projects with multiple contributors.  One of their jobs is to establish at the outset what programs (and versions) everyone must be working with.  Anyone who isn't going to play ball doesn't get on the field.

[WPerciful]

The only flaw in that ointment is the fact that as the CAD Manager I have absolutely no stroke.  Software selection by the company is decided based on our corporate policies which are governed with empirical rule by the IT group who has direct access to the top of the org chart.

Likewise the established vendor list is maintained by those atop of the mountain and in the current market expense for vendor CAD software training will never be approved.

Thus our vendor in this one item has us backed into the corner.  I have no other option but use this vendor and select from Bentley AutoPlant or CADWorx which I must convert to AutoCAD Plant 3D.

We need the piping model in AutoCAD Plant. As the model is a standard design which will be endlessly tweaked for specific facilities.

[dgorsman]

IT should *never* have sole control over which software is used.  They simply don't have the knowledge or experience to be making such decisions.

If you're bidding on a project that requires the use of SmartPlant, or PDMS, or AutoPLANT, or anything else Management consults you as CAD Manager to get an idea of how much work it will take, and possibly some rough budget requirements for support and licensing, and then makes the decision whether it's economically practical.  IT is brought in to make it work.  Period.

Otherwise you might as well back your employer out of this project now, and make it clear to the higher-ups they can only bid on projects which are using that version of Plant 3D.

[WPerciful]

As an international energy company, we don’t bid on any projects.  CAD Management has a tremendous amount of valuable input they can provide on software selection, but there are other factors, global software accessibility, and support as well IP security to name a few, deemed to be of greater significance to senior management.   The basis for your assertions I’m in complete accord on.  Having an engineering firm effectively selecting the software our work will be completed in is a bit of the cat barking at the dog, but here we are.  Sometimes straight lines can’t be found.

[eadkins73]

My company would be happy to support your needs modeling your projects in Plant 3D. Just Saying...

[WPerciful]

@eadkins73 

With great pleasure, I've passed your comment onto senior management.  I've also emailed your LinkedIn account.  

[SeeMSixty7]

@WPerciful,

Not that I have tried it, but what if you export from CADWorx to and IFC format, then see if you can find a way to import that data directly or indirectly into AutoCAD Plant 3D.

Good luck,

[h_eger]

Dear @SeeMSixty7,

Is there an IFC interface for CADworx?
As far as I know, the ICF interface for piping is under revision at DEXPI and has not yet been specified nor approved for use.

[SeeMSixty7]

@h_eger,

I don't believe there is a CADWorx interface from the Actual AutoCAD side, but within the CADWorx Design Review 2017 R1 is when they introduced the ability to export to IFC format. I believe it is still pretty crude, but it does work.

Hopefully that helps,

Good luck!

[dgorsman]

I'd avoid that, same way I'd avoid using FBX exported from Navisworks.  There's too many successive file conversions for the results to be dimensionally accurate.

In theory ISO 15926 would address this problem directly, however Bentley is the only one doing any work with that (via Open Plant).

[Anonymous]

I'd like to clear up the issue of CADWorx IFC Export.  It works quite well to export an IFC file of a CADWorx 3D model with intelligence and is compatible with Revit and other BIM software products.  It supports piping, equipment and steel structures.  Once imported into BIM software, the CADWorx model geometry behaves as 3D entities with component intelligence attached.  So, CADWorx is a viable solution for IFC data exchange!  Regarding the migration of AutoPlant models, I would choose CADWorx because PCF files can be read.  However, there is no easy button for solving this scenario.  There is always work to be done to migrate from one software to another.  If you would like to discuss this more, please find me on LinkedIn.  I would be happy to explore this further with you.

[Anonymous]

It would help if you could provide more data as there are many Michael Smith on LinkedIn.