Plant 4D Athena SP2

2D De l i ve r a b l e Ma nua l
Version 1.2
Copyright 1996-2007 CEA Technology B.V., The Netherlands


Table of contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................2
2. The Plant Grid...................................................................................3
2.1. Grid information ................................................................................................... 3
2.2. Add mesh ............................................................................................................ 4
2.2.1. Mesh information.....................................................................................................4
2.2.2. Mesh coordinate system..........................................................................................4
2.2.3. Define grid lines ......................................................................................................4
3. Piping arrangement generation ......................................................7
3.1. Hidden line templates........................................................................................... 7
3.1.1. Categories tab.........................................................................................................7
3.1.2. Styles tab................................................................................................................8
3.2. View boundary / Match line templates .................................................................. 8
3.2.1. Boundary lines tab...................................................................................................8
3.2.2. Dimensions tab .......................................................................................................9
3.2.3. Plant grid tab...........................................................................................................9
3.3. Dimensioning templates..................................................................................... 10
3.3.1. Categories tab.......................................................................................................10
3.3.2. Dimension Style tab...............................................................................................10
3.3.3. Text Style tab........................................................................................................11
3.4. Annotation templates ......................................................................................... 11
3.4.1. Categories tab.......................................................................................................11
3.4.2. Line number data tab.............................................................................................12
3.4.3. Annotation style tabs .............................................................................................12
3.5. Drawings............................................................................................................ 13
3.5.1. General tab...........................................................................................................13
3.5.2. Layout tab.............................................................................................................14
3.6. View definitions.................................................................................................. 14
3.6.1. Settings tab...........................................................................................................14
3.6.2. Sections tab..........................................................................................................15
3.6.3. Layout tab.............................................................................................................15
3.7. Batch definitions................................................................................................. 15
3.8. Batch generation................................................................................................ 16
3.9. 2D-Deliverables in the 4D-Explorer tree ............................................................. 16
4. Appendix I .......................................................................................18
4.1. Layout Sample................................................................................................... 18


Plant 4D Athena SP2 2D Deliverable Manual
1 Introduction Grid information Page 2 of 20
1. Introduction
This manual is meant to be a guideline for the use of the Plant-4D Plant Grid utility and the Plant-4D 2D-
Deliverable tool.
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2 The Plant Grid Grid information Page 3 of 20
2. The Plant Grid
The Plant Grid provides a means to divide your plant into one or more virtual cubes.
The picture below shows an example of a plant grid. A grid is a collection of meshes. Each mesh is a
collection of sections. The sections are bounded by grid lines that define the mesh.
The Plant Grid utility is incorporated into the 4D-Explorer projects tree. For each project a Plant Grids
branch available. To create a new grid definition, please use the right mouse button on the Plant Grids
branch.
The following wizard appears that guides you through the steps to create a grid.
2.1. Grid information
The name of the grid must be unique within the project
The description is optional
Because a grid without meshes is pointless, the wizard automatically continues with the next step:
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2 The Plant Grid Add mesh Page 4 of 20
2.2. Add mesh
2.2.1. Mesh information
The name of the mesh must be unique within the grid
The description is optional
2.2.2. Mesh coordinate system
To locate the mesh and define its orientation, relatively to world coordinates, enter
the following data:
2.2.3. Define grid lines
For each of the coordinate directions (X, Y and Z) grid lines have to be added that actually define the
mesh. You can use the table on the right hand side of the dialog to add, edit and delete grid lines one by
one. Because meshes are often regular you can also generate multiple grid lines by using the left hand
side of the dialog.
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2 The Plant Grid Add mesh Page 5 of 20
The Offset of 1st line is relatively to the origin of the mesh
The Spacing is the distance between two generated grid lines
The # of intervals determines the amount of grid lines generated (=number of intervals + 1)
The Prefix and Suffix fields are optional and can be left blank. They determine the text inserted
before and after each generated grid line identifier
The 1st identifier field determines the identifier of the first generated line. This can either be
numerical or text.
The increment determines the value of each following generated line.
The + will insert a new grid at the currently selected grid line.
The x will delete the currently selected grid line.
The xx will delete all grid lines.
The following pictures show another example of generated grid lines for the Y and Z direction:
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2 The Plant Grid Add mesh Page 6 of 20
Press Ok to store the grid in the database.
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3 Piping arrangement generation Hidden line templates Page 7 of 20
3. Piping arrangement generation
Once a plant grid has been defined it can be used to define the part(s) of the plant for which piping
arrangement drawing(s) have to be generated. The drawing definition and generation process is done by
the following steps:
Set options that define the final (graphical) result of the drawings
Hidden line options
Annotation options
Drawing templates, paper size
Dimensioning options
View boundary (match line) options
Assemble a batch of drawings
Define the layout of the drawings
Generate the batch
Note that these steps do not have to be performed for each drawing over and over again. All the options
that influence the drawings are stored as setting templates that can be reused. Furthermore, the actual
generation process is done batch wise. Once a batch of drawings has been defined you can simply run the
complete batch again without the need of any further input.
In order to perform the steps as described above right click on the Piping arrangement drawings item in
the project tree and select Drawing definition... from the popup menu.
The main dialog for piping arrangement definition will appear. Use the tree on the left hand side of the
dialog to navigate through the piping arrangement options, drawing definitions and batch assembly. On the
right hand side of the dialog, different tabs will appear depending on the currently selected item in the tree.
3.1. Hidden line templates
To add a template for hidden line options, select the Templates / Hidden line item. Click the New button
to add a new template to the list that appears on the right hand side of the main dialog, and then select the
newly added item in the tree to edit the options for the template.
3.1.1. Categories tab
With the categories tab you can:
Enter a name and optionally a description for the template
Select the component categories you want to include in the hidden line drawing
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3 Piping arrangement generation View boundary / Match line templates Page 8 of 20
3.1.2. Styles tab
The following options are available on the styles tab:
Layer, color, line type and weight for the visible lines
Layer, color, line type and weight for the hidden lines (if you want them to be drawn)
Layer, color, line type and weight for the automatically generated center lines and determine the type
of center lines you want to be used for elbows
3.2. View boundary / Match line templates
To add a template for view boundary options, select the Template / View boundary - Match line item. Click
the New button to add a new template to the list that appears on the right hand side of the main dialog,
then select the newly added item in the tree to edit the options for the template.
3.2.1. Boundary lines tab
With the boundary tab you can:
Enter a name and optionally a description for the template
Click the Draw boundary lines checkbox if you want a boundary line to be drawn around each view
Set the line type, weight, color and layer of the boundary lines
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3 Piping arrangement generation View boundary / Match line templates Page 9 of 20
3.2.2. Dimensions tab
For each side of the view you can determine the type of dimensions that will be drawn:
None
Continuous
Baseline
When Elevation has been chosen for one of the view sides, you can select the position of the baseline.
3.2.3. Plant grid tab
With the plant grid tab you select if the plant grid lines are to be on the layout.
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3 Piping arrangement generation Dimensioning templates Page 10 of 20
3.3. Dimensioning templates
To add a template for dimensioning options, select the Templates / Dimensioning item. Click the New
button to add a new template to the list that appears on the right hand side of the main dialog, and then
select the newly added item in the tree to edit the options for the template.
3.3.1. Categories tab
With the categories tab you can
Enter a name and optionally a description for the template
Select the component categories you want to be dimensioned
3.3.2. Dimension Style tab
The following options are available on the dimension style tab:
Layer, color, line type and weight for the dimension lines and arrows. The size of the arrows is the
size as it appears on the final drawing (paper), independent of the scale of the drawing!
For parallel (stacked or base line dimensioning) you can set the pitch between two dimension lines.
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3 Piping arrangement generation Annotation templates Page 11 of 20
Color, line type and weight for the extension lines
3.3.3. Text Style tab
The following options are available on the text style tab:
Text size, color and style of the dimension text. The size of the text is the size as it appears on the
final drawing (paper), independent of the scale of the drawing!
The position of the dimension text relatively to the dimension line
The (numerical) format of the dimension text
3.4. Annotation templates
To add a template for annotation options, select the Templates / Annotation item. Click the New button to
add a new template to the list that appears on the right hand side of the main dialog, and then select the
newly added item in the tree to edit the options for the template.
3.4.1. Categories tab
With the categories tab you can:
Enter a name and optionally a description for the template.
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3 Piping arrangement generation Annotation templates Page 12 of 20
Click the Draw line number annotations checkbox if you want to include line numbers on your
drawings. If the checkbox is enabled, two additional tabs will be displayed. One to define which fields
of the [commondata] table you want to be included in the line number annotation and one to define
the graphical representation of the annotation.
Select the component categories you want to be annotated. For each component category you want
to be annotated an additional tab will be displayed to define what the tag number will look like on the
piping arrangement drawing.
3.4.2. Line number data tab
Use the left and right buttons to add fields to or remove fields from the line number annotation
Use the up and down buttons to change the order of the commondata fields
Select the character you want to use to separate the fields
3.4.3. Annotation style tabs
To define the annotation styles a separate tab is displayed for the line number annotations and for each
annotated component category. The following options are available on each annotation style tab:
Layer, text size, color and text style of the annotation. The size of the text is the size as it appears on
the final drawing (paper), independent of the scale of the drawing !
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3 Piping arrangement generation Drawings Page 13 of 20
The number of lines of the annotation
The type of frame you want to be drawn around the annotation text. For circular frames enable the
Radius checkbox to draw circles with a fixed radius. When you disable this field circles will be drawn
that fit around the annotation text
The line type, weight and color of leader lines, if you want them to be drawn
3.5. Drawings
To add a drawing, select the Drawings item. Click the New button to add a new drawing to the list that
appears on the right hand side of the main dialog, then select the newly added item in the tree to edit the
options for the drawing.
3.5.1. General tab
With the general tab you can
Enter a name and optionally a description for the drawing
Select a template drawing
Set the size and orientation of the drawing
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3 Piping arrangement generation View definitions Page 14 of 20
3.5.2. Layout tab
When one or more views have been added to the drawing the layout tab shows a rough outline of the
drawing.
3.6. View definitions
To add a view to a drawing select the Views item. Click the New button to add a new view to the list that
appears on the right hand side of the main dialog, then select the newly added item in the tree to edit the
options for the view.
3.6.1. Settings tab
With the settings tab you can
Enter a name and optionally a description for the view
Set the options with which you want the view to be generated. This is where the options as described
in the previous sections are attached to the view
Hidden line options
View boundary options
Annotation options
Dimensioning options
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3 Piping arrangement generation Batch definitions Page 15 of 20
3.6.2. Sections tab
The sections tab is used to define the part of the plant from which a 2D layout is generated. Select a grid, a
mesh and (for each coordinate direction) the section(s) of the grid that must be included in the view. Set
the view direction to define from which side the viewer is looking to the plant.
3.6.3. Layout tab
The layout tab is used to determine the size and position of the view on the piping arrangement drawing.
The size of the view is determined by choosing one of the following options
Choose the Scale option and select or enter a scale for the view
Choose the Width option and enter a width to draw the view width a fixed width
Choose the Height option and enter a height to draw the view width a fixed height
Enter the Start X and Start Y fields to determine the position of the lower left corner of the view (or
view port), relatively to the lower left corner of the drawing
3.7. Batch definitions
To add a batch select the Batches item. Click the New button to add a new batch to the list that appears
on the right hand side of the main dialog, then select the newly added item in the tree to edit the options
for the batch.
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3 Piping arrangement generation Batch generation Page 16 of 20
Enter a name and a description for the batch
Set the directory to where the generated piping arrangement drawings are written
Use the left and right buttons to add and remove drawings to and from the batch
3.8. Batch generation
Click the Generate button to start the generation process or (from within the 4D-Explorer) right click on a
batch item in the tree and select Generate... from the popup menu. The CAD application will be launched
and the layouts will be generated. After completion a results report dialog appears. Pressing the close
button will end the batch session and the CAD program will be closed.
3.9. 2D-Deliverables in the 4D-Explorer tree
After the generation the 4D-Explorer project tree will be populated with the 2D layouts. This looks like the
following:
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3 Piping arrangement generation 2D-Deliverables in the 4D-Explorer tree Page 17 of 20
You can view a layout by clicking the drawing name on the right hand side of the 4D-Explorer window. This
will launch the AutoDesk Volo Viewer. Please be reminded that the layout is generated in paper space. So
you will have to select Layout1 from the layouts option of the context menu to select paper space.
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4 Appendix I Layout Sample Page 18 of 20
4. Appendix I
4.1. Layout Sample