Powering Up

AVEVA Electricals essential capabilities

for efficient electrical engineering and
design

An AVEVA Business Paper

www.aveva.com

Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

Contents

Page

Introduction

1 Integrating electrical engineering with other

disciplines and data

2 Integrating electrical and instrumentation

engineering

3 Integration with third-party solutions

4 Complete, automatic and fully auditable change

management

5 Plug-in performance

6 Familiarity breeds efficiency

7 Fits right in

8 Trustworthy

9 Easy to adopt

Conclusions

More about AVEVA Electrical

10

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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

Introduction
Electrical engineering and design is one of the most complex
and demanding aspects of new plant projects, plant revamps and
shipbuilding. In the hydrocarbon industry alone, annual capital
expenditure on electrical engineering and design has been
estimated to reach $3 billion. Clearly, the electrical disciplines
should have engineering and design tools as powerful as those used
for 3D design in plant layout or ship design.
Sadly, this is not the case. Even the most widely used electrical
engineering software is regarded as difficult to use, poorly
integrated with other important systems and only a partial solution.
In practice, most engineers muddle along with a poorly controlled
workflow using a combination of spreadsheets and 2D drafting
programs. Using specialist electrical analysis software is hampered
by the difficulty of exchanging data with it. Not surprisingly, the
result is inefficient, error-prone and frustrating work, unnecessarily
increasing project costs and the risks of rework, delays and quality
problems.
Recognising the need for a modern, efficient solution, AVEVA
worked with electrical engineering specialists from the plant and
marine industries to identify specific needs and challenges. From
this work, nine key areas were identified where currently available
electrical engineering and design technologies failed to meet users
requirements. The result was the creation of AVEVA Electrical, a
uniquely powerful, productive and intuitive solution which unlocks
engineers skills and creativity to dramatically reduce the pressures
on project schedules and budgets.

Even the most widely used

electrical engineering software is
regarded as difficult to use, poorly
integrated with other important
systems and only a partial solution.
In practice, most engineers muddle
along with a poorly controlled
workflow using a combination
of spreadsheets and 2D drafting
programs...
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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

1 Integrating electrical engineering with other

disciplines and data
Evidently, an electrical engineer limited to working with
spreadsheets and drafting software cannot easily share information
with 3D designers. For example, providing sufficient cable tray
capacity in the right places and calculating cable lengths is a
tedious and uncontrolled manual process that must be repeated
every time a significant change is made.
In contrast, AVEVA Electrical integrates directly with the AVEVA 3D
design environment. Designers and engineers can see and agree
how and where cables are to be installed. Conflicts can be detected
and resolved early in the design process, avoiding costly on-site
rework and wasted materials. Cable lengths can be calculated
accurately and updated quickly if the 3D layout is changed.
For increased efficiency, the new AVEVA Everything3D (AVEVA
E3D) design solution now enables cable routing directly from
AVEVA Electricals intelligent cable schedule. Design information
such as cable length and route nodes is passed back from the 3D
model to the electrical database.

AVEVA Electrical integrates

directly with the AVEVA 3D
design environment. Designers
and engineers can see and agree
how and where cables are to be
installed. Conflicts can be detected
and resolved early in the design
process, avoiding costly on-site
rework and wasted materials...

Whether working with AVEVA E3D or AVEVA PDMS, cables can be

created in AVEVA Electrical, routed in 3D and then have all their
deliverables managed from the AVEVA Electrical reporting tool.
Such close integration of electrical with 3D design can, on its own,
lead to savings of over 30% compared to existing methods.

Integrating electrical engineering with other disciplines and data

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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

2 Integrating electrical and instrumentation engineering

These two disciplines are so closely related that they are generally
just called E&I. Yet the separate tools used in each cannot normally
share information; an astonishing situation when instrumentation
invariably requires or controls an electrical supply, or shares the
same installation.

AVEVA Electrical and AVEVA Instrumentation are not only closely

similar design systems; they can also share the same database.
Changes in one are automatically reflected in the other and their
impact is instantly highlighted for attention. Managing both
systems together is not only the logical way to work, it saves time
and cost whilst ensuring the integrity of the design.

Integrating electrical and instrumentation engineering

3 Integration with third-party solutions

Specialist systems, methodologies and standards are used for
determining cable sizes, according to load, length, environmental
conditions and so on. Historically, applying these has been a
tedious, error-prone, manual process. AVEVA Electrical overcomes
this by integrating with a project or company-specific cable sizing
methodology, or with a third-party application.

This combines AVEVA Electricals efficiency and ease of use with

the convenience and reliability of passing data directly to the
external cable sizing system. The results of the calculations are then
passed back and stored automatically within the AVEVA Electrical
database. All deliverables can thus be managed by the AVEVA
software, bringing them under robust change control and ensuring
completeness, consistency and accuracy.

AVEVA Electrical and AVEVA Instrumentation are not only closely similar
design systems; they can also share the same database. Changes in
one are automatically reflected in the other and their impact is instantly
highlighted for attention...

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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

4 Complete, automatic and fully auditable change management

Whether in the plant or marine industries, developing complex,
one-off capital projects is a process of continual change. Engineers
and designers must collaborate closely to progressively refine
the design from outline concept to final, fully detailed definition.
Managing the many changes generated is critical to efficient
working and to regulatory compliance. Manual processes become
overwhelmed at a low level of project complexity.

AVEVA Electrical provides built-in change management functions

to meet this need. It helps to maximise efficiency and avoid
unnecessary rework, and provides a full audit history of who
made which changes. Of particular practical value is its ability to
accurately track change activity to meet out-of-scope requests by
the client.

Complete, automatic and fully auditable change management

5 Plug-in performance
In many situations, a company has a mixed technology environment
and a variety of legacy systems built up over many years. Any
advantages gained by adding yet another application may be eroded
by the increased burden on system administration and the risks of
hidden incompatibilities corrupting safety-critical information.

Technology should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

AVEVA Electrical therefore integrates readily with existing IT
infrastructure, supporting efficient working alongside a mixture
of engineering, design and productivity solutions. This capability
reduces or even eliminates the need for costly data conversion
or custom interfaces. Direct exchange of data with other systems
greatly reduces opportunities for errors and inconsistencies.

Technology should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

AVEVA Electrical therefore integrates readily with existing IT
infrastructure, supporting efficient working alongside a mixture of
engineering, design and productivity solutions...
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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

6 Familiarity breeds efficiency

Engineers love Excel for its power and versatility in handling tabular
data. AVEVA Electrical takes full advantage of this, providing
datasheet templates that map fields directly into its database.
Changes to a datasheet directly update the project database and
vice versa, ensuring that datasheets are always up to date, and
maintaining a full audit trail of changes.

Users can readily customise datasheets that their suppliers can use
with no additional training or set-up. Templates can be configured
to company standards and copied from one project to another,
ensuring consistency and saving time and money. Multiple tagged
items are easily accommodated; the datasheet generator copies and
renames a template form for each individual item, automatically
filling in the data for each.

7 Fits right in
AVEVA Electrical works seamlessly, not only with Excel, but with
all standard office applications. Its data is readily portable and
compatible with typical spreadsheet tools. It can be reliably
round-tripped to and from office applications, enabling efficient
management and flexible reporting of information.

AVEVA Electrical works

seamlessly, not only with Excel,
but with all standard office
applications...

Engineers should to be able to collaborate on a task, but the tools

used for electrical design rarely support this basic requirement.
In contrast, AVEVA Electrical supports collaborative, multi-site
working out of the box. This has obvious benefits for EPCs working
on large projects, but it also supports Owner Operators in the
development of plant improvements. Taking advantage of AVEVA
Electricals work-sharing and change-control capabilities, design
modifications can be created and evaluated in a draft status.
Only once they are approved will the changes be made to the
as-operating system definition; otherwise they can be rolled back
without impact. A full audit trail is created.

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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

8 Trustworthy
AVEVA Electricals use of a single source of truth design database
makes electrical diagrams an intrinsic part of the projects design
information. Data hierarchy is automatically and immediately
written to the design database, ensuring that the line diagram is
always a reliable source of information.

Data hierarchy is automatically

and immediately written to the
design database...

9 Easy to adopt
In many instances, engineering departments continue struggling
with an inefficient system because the disruption of replacing it is
too costly to justify. AVEVA Electrical overcomes this. Its modern
technology framework and application layer enables legacy data
to be readily imported from a wide variety of sources. One user,
even before having been formally trained in its use, had, with little
difficulty, imported the entire electrical system of a substantial
asset into AVEVA Electrical.

Once controlled within AVEVA Electrical, the quality of the data

can be determined and errors resolved. Obsolete systems and
fragmented data sources can then be discarded with confidence.

One user, even before having been formally trained in its use, had, with
little difficulty, imported the entire electrical system of a substantial asset
into AVEVA Electrical...
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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

Conclusions
Any engineering or design activity that is carried out in isolation
from all other project activities is likely to be inefficient and errorprone. Until now, electrical engineering has been isolated by the
very tools it uses.
AVEVA Electrical not only makes individual engineering and design
tasks easier; by properly integrating its data, it increases efficiency
and quality across the entire project.

AVEVA Electrical not only makes

individual engineering and design
tasks easier; by properly integrating
its data, it increases efficiency and
quality across the entire project...
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Powering Up - An AVEVA Business Paper

Conclusions
AVEVA Electrical is a feature-rich software suite for electrical
engineering and design in both plant and marine environments.
Built on the same industry-leading technology as AVEVA
Instrumentation, it shares the same powerful database and highly
graphical visual engineering interface. It is part of AVEVAs
Integrated Engineering & Design solution, integrating fully with
other AVEVA applications and sharing data reliably with third-party
applications.

AVEVA Electrical has been designed to meet the practical needs of

engineers and designers and to overcome the many shortcomings of
alternative electrical design tools. It delivers:

Whether in new-builds, revamps/refits, or asset operations, AVEVA

Electrical brings measurable efficiencies and savings to projects
of all sizes. No other solution on the market can match AVEVA
Electrical for:

z clear visualisation and reporting

z ease of adoption and use

z integration of different types of data, including the 3D model

z productivity

z extensive, readily accessible information about every object

z data quality and consistency

z efficient data upload and management for rapid project start-up.

z openness to other systems

z integration with the 3D model

z efficiency and high-quality output

z rigorous, automated change management
z intuitive, graphical cabling design and management
z coordinated, catalogue-driven procurement
z scalability and easy reconfiguration to meet users evolving needs
without additional expense
z more efficient relationships with vendors

For more information about AVEVA Electrical, visit

www.aveva.com/aveva_electrical.

z efficient project control.

Page 10

AVEVA Group plc

High Cross
Madingley Road
Cambridge
CB3 0HB
UK
Tel +44 (0)1223 556655
Fax +44 (0)1223 556666

Headquartered in Cambridge, England, AVEVA Group plc and its operating

subsidiaries currently employ staff worldwide in Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates,
the United Kingdom and the United States of America. AVEVA also has
representatives in additional countries around the world.
For more details on AVEVA Worldwide Offices, visit www.aveva.com/offices

www.aveva.com
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