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The Next Generation Engineering Execution.

Vision of future technologies

Abstract ID: PMIBC-17-2-001

Project Management Practitioners’ Conference 2017

www.pmibanga lorechapter .o rg

CONTENTS

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................. 3

The growth ................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Era of 3D modeling – an overview. .............................................................................................................................. 6

3D Modeling – Currently .............................................................................................................................................. 7

Innovations to current project – Live examples ........................................................................................................... 8

Project set up – activities undertaken .......................................................................................................................... 9

Innovative developments ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Results ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12

challenges & Solutions .............................................................................................................................................. 13

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................. 14

References ................................................................................................................................................................ 15



ABSTRACT

Rapid Technological Changes poses challenges to Project Management in terms of effective utilization of the

technology and improvising this technology as per Project requirements to meet Project baselines.

In this paper, the author explains effective use of advanced engineering technology & innovative in-house

competencies, to reap more imminent benefits like cost optimization and enhanced quality. Simulated 3D model is

becoming a basic necessity for carrying out the engineering details in many of the projects. Irrespective of client

demands, 3D modelling tools get used invariably as it offers more quality and effort reduction. The platform also

offers greater flexibility between the various engineering streams, organizations and stakeholders while working

simultaneously. Any leverage to use this platform to improve the quality of deliverables and reduce efforts is a two

way success that any project manager would like to savor. Simple questions were posed to Project Teams to bring

out innovative thoughts for process efficiency. Case studies through which these thoughts are transformed in to

full-fledged development solution for better Project Execution are explained in detail.

The deployment of these development solutions on some of the projects prove that utilizing advanced technologies

augmented by well-defined innovation shall get great results and quick cost turnovers.

INTRODUCTION

Ever since man has been building, erecting or fabricating, the mode of technical communication started becoming

prima-facie importance.

Drafting as a whole got in to the main stream of such communication, during these cases. Drafting uses a strict set

of standards and rules, so when a technical picture is created on the drawing board, it can be universally

understood. A designer communicates ideas, concepts and facts pictorially so that others can manufacture,

fabricate, build or construct from these illustrations.

With technology taking over the roof, these basic drafting tools, have had an exponential growths year after year.

This has moved far and professionals are finding ways and means to explore the currently available drafting and

3D model platforms.

In this paper, author strives to bring in the evolution of drafting from where it was used in a drafting board to now

with laser scan and Smart tools to visualize the stuff in all dimensions and extract very accurate engineering

results in lesser time and cost. The innovations that can be brought in at the current scenario to these latest smart



tools to ripen the project baselines are explained through valid and hands on examples through recently concluded

projects.

THE GROWTH

Starting around mid 1970s, computer aided design systems began to provide more capability than just an ability to

reproduce manual drafting with electronic drafting, the cost benefit for companies to switch to Computer Aided

Drafting (CAD) became apparent.

Eventually CAD provided the designer with the ability to perform engineering calculations. During this transition,

calculations were still performed either by hand or by those individuals who could run computer programs. CAD

was a revolutionary change in the engineering industry, where draftsmen, designers and engineering roles begin to

merge. It did not eliminate departments, as much as it merged departments and empowered draftsman, designers

and engineers. CAD is just another example of the pervasive effect computers were beginning to have on industry.

a. YEAR 1980 till early 1990’s

The design software developed by AutoDesk paved a breakthrough in 2D drafting as a whole. This was first

released in 1982 under the name ‘ MicroCAD’. This got translated in 18 languages. This had some basic details

that were a kind of set point for future technology in this field. The original users of this software were aware of

commands like,

Menu: This contains all commands needed to run and design in AutoCAD.

Toolbars: Quick access to some commands. According to his need, the user can customize the AutoCAD

environment by adding/removing toolbars.

Command Window: Displays prompts and messages.

Drawing Area: Area where you draw (How surprising)

Status Bar: Displays the cursor coordinates in the lower-left corner. Also contains buttons to turn on

common drawing aids (Snap, Grid, Ortho, Polar, etc…).

The process during these times had a lot of disadvantages in terms of redoing the stuff, which called for almost the

same efforts as original. Material take-offs were manual. There were no control and co-relation between the

deliverables and what is going on to be constructed/ executed. Out of these another major disadvantage that led

were Client/ Project Management Consultant (PMC)/Lump Sum Turn Key( LSTK) contractors/vendors/ execution

contractors/ Construction site all were working in isolation.



b. YEAR 1990 till early 2000

This is the time when AutoCAD have brought in innovative changes in to the drafting world. The design

environment and use are expanded than it was normally at use during that time. Some key advantages that were

bought in were,

Design Environment:

– Multiple document environment (Work with multiple drawings in a single environment)

– New object snaps (Parallel and Extension object snaps)

– Real-time 3D rotation

– Toolbars (Use AutoCAD toolbars that are enhanced to conform to Microsoft® Office).

Improved Access and Usability:

– Properties window

– Shortcut menus (Right-click your pointing device to display new shortcut menus to access

AutoCAD commands)

– Text editing (Use the new text-control capabilities of the Multiline Text Editor to edit text more

quickly)

– Load/Unload applications (The new Load/Unload Applications dialog box makes loading and

unloading applications easier and more intuitive)

c. Year 2000 till 2010

Migration from 2D drafting to 3D modeling intent and reason….

Before we get in to the migration, the intent of migration is important to understand. Design engineers most often

are focused on two major tasks: design and/or documentation. The primary difference between 2D and 3D

technology is apparent in the amount of time designers spend on these tasks when they use the respective tools.

Unlike 2D drafting tools, 3D modeling technology provides lifelike representation of a design, from structural

composition and the way parts fit and move together, to the performance impact of characteristics such as size,

thickness, and weight. When engineers can see the sum of the parts in 3D, they can see issues and opportunities

without ever having to spend time creating documentation. Rather than starting a new product concept with

meticulous 2D technical drawings of elements that might not function as planned, 3D design technology quickly

shows whether a design idea is viable. This difference amounts to the improvement in the project baseline any

needs to appreciate otherwise might have to retrace all design processes in search of feasible options – or build

physical prototypes of products that don’t function as desired.



ERA OF 3D MODELING – AN OVERVIEW.

a. The Impact of 3D: A Second Look

3D design technology helps improve the design process that in turn benefits the project margins. Projects find that

migrating from 2D to 3D tools makes design work more efficient and accurate, producing better overall design

quality and fewer errors. Exploration of new design ideas becomes easier because engineers don’t have to spend

time making new 2D drawings in order to look at design alternatives. The use of 3D tools also can help

communicate concepts to a various stakeholders easily. As a result, design teams are more productive; Projects

can reach out with better options with cost-effective results that can sustain competitive advantage, as well as

business growth.

b. Efficient Design:

Faster, Easier Drafting 3D modeling software handles a number of tough drawing exercises to help users

understand their designs and make better decisions earlier in the project phases. This saves time and reduces the

likelihood of error. When it comes to representation, 3D design software can create everything that a 2D

application can. But new 3D modeling tools make it possible to create and modify some of the most challenging

objects to design. New 3D tools also automatically generate front, side, iso, detail, section, and auxiliary views

based on automatic retrieval of model dimensions. Layering capabilities make it easier to map groups of elements

between 3D and 2D applications, for easy importing and exporting of data. Powerful computational capabilities and

content libraries built into 3D software streamline mechanical design tasks. In addition, 3D tools perform

interference detection and calculate weight and mass.

c. Faster Time to Market: Design Reuse, Reduced Redundancy

Because it’s easier to create and test concepts with 3D design tools, engineers more quickly arrive at designs that

work. And data management technology, often integrated right into 2D and 3D CAD applications, makes it easy to

find and use them again and again. In addition, 2D-compatible tools make it convenient to take advantage of

legacy drawings and previous work – for greater productivity and lower cost. In fact, design reuse avoids

redundant efforts and is an example of the kind of design process improvement that can help trim time to market

and cost of developing a new product by 80 percent or more.

d. Better Communication:



Addressing Different stakeholders simultaneously is feasible with 3D design technology. Compatibility with Special

Applications to streamline project baseline requirements, look for 3D technology that’s compatible with industry

specific software applications for design performance and stress testing, or evaluation against safety requirements.

e. Improving ROI with 3D Design Technology

3D design technology can extend return on investment in product development well beyond the engineering

department.

3D MODELING – CURRENTLY

In today’s market, it is rare that a project is executed by a single entity or even with a single engineering solution.

There are many model software available in market, which are advantageous to its own credibility. It is paramount

important then it becomes to see how successfully the outcomes of one of these are integrated to have a seamless

project execution.

The engineering capability of 3D modeling alone has no more become a unified solution. SmartPlant foundation,

SPF ( Figure 01) now-a-days offer an integrated solution between various engineering disciplines, so that

consistency in changes, consistency in quality and minimizing errors between deliverables are limited or avoided

totally. The SmartPlant foundation offers high quality, safety, and performance. It has ability to intelligently

reference external 3D model data in the Smart 3D products to read 3D model formats and displaying the objects

and property information is exemplary.

Figure – 01



There are interop facilitates that helps attachment of external 3D graphics and data as a reference model. This

enables to work and ensure between various model platforms such as PDS, PDMS, or Tekla, or alternatively, it

may be from an AutoCAD or MicroStation file.

Apart from this, with engineering and support offices far located, the technology have helped On an overall scale

for integration of data/ work flow more maturely. The data management generally in this case takes the shape as

the one below (Figure – 2). We extracted exemplifying reports to support and sustain the project in its right pace.

Various reports were possible to get across from cloud based applications and access them through internet wiki

based networking tool for project based common communication.

Figure – 02

INNOVATIONS TO CURRENT PROJECT – LIVE EXAMPLES

When all the competitors are in a level playing field, innovations to strike the project baselines matters a lot both in

winning the project and to maintain project margins during execution.

Some basic set-ups were required to stream line and to meet such requirements. It is very important to have the

project properly set in place particularly when multi-office/ location team are working simultaneously on the same

project. As the prime expectation out of these actions is to bring innovative solutions that can be live applied to the

project, various focal actions were setting up based on project requirement explained per below.



PROJECT SET UP – ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN

Listening and catering the project team’s expectations leverage to the project goals and baselines that are set in

the project procedure manuals. We wanted to follow the five levels of maturity model as presented in Figure -03

below. Accordingly, following points were initiated collectively (from project technology stand point).

a. Gain Confidence of Project Teams through Client

b. Manage resistance to adopt data centric Project Execution

c. Tackle Set-up requirement / Customization requirements / Software

d. Manage Project Specific / Generic / Version specific issues.

e. Implement lessons from previous Projects

f. Development of Discipline level SME’s and Designers for each of the offices/site.

g. Address Hardware, Infrastructure and IT security requirements

Figure – 03

1. Optimization:

Since the project is set up across various engineering offices including joint venture and construction sites, it was

important to understand at the initial stage how to optimize to save cost and effort. SmartPlant(SP) was used as

the foundation for detail engineering; hence evidently a strong focus on set-up was worked upon.



a. All SmartPlant databases are sized to provide optimum performance for Applications

b. The Databases are tuned on weekly basis to prevent any downtime as a proactive measure

c. The databases are audited on Monthly basis for better compliance and performance

d. Various smart Plant foundation (SPF) software was used depending upon the office expertise and

resource availability.

e. Set-up of Projects at Host where there are maximum amount of users

f. Access from satellites to these applications is through Citrix

g. Publish to SPF from Host site to optimize use of number of servers and Oracle Instances required for

the project Catalog data is provided to third party vendors through Bulk load sheets

h. Customization work is distributed across locations but loaded & managed at host

i. The Licenses are provided to all users through Global License Servers monitored 24x7

2. SmartPlant Foundation setup :

a. Smart Plant Foundation is hosted on web server located in Global data center

b. Applications hosted at location in AP Region are integrated with SPF

c. Publish to SPF done at Host site

d. Project mainly used to integrate SPI & SP3D for DDP Data

e. SPF is not used for document Management

f. Licenses accessed from Global Flexlm License Server

3. SmartPlant Integration :

a. DDP Data created in SPI from Host and satellite locations through Citrix

b. Data is Published in to SPF at Host

c. The DDP data is retrieved in to SP3D

d. Change Management is effected through email notifications

Apart from these, server surveillance for 24X 7 working with a dash-board report consisting of monitoring and alert

messages for the following was initiated.

– SP3D Backups.

– Duplication Synchronization.

– Interference Detection.

– Services performance & threshold monitoring.

– SPF Web Server Availability.

INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS



With the basic set-up complete and monitored, the next big step was to check to team’s expertise to get value and

benefits to hit the baseline. There were challenges that the engineering team were going through as the

SmartPlant foundation software has its own limitations and not customer specific. Client had his own form of

reporting the material take off(MTO) from the 3D model, particularly the piping materials, which becomes a soft

and immediate bulk item that needs to go for procurement. These items depending upon its material of

construction (MOC) can offer a good lead time ranging from 03 months (stockist supplies) to 12 months or more ( if

exotic the MOC are). These at times fall on the critical path.

1. A new utility to process the Material Take-offs:

The SP 3D model provides solutions as material take off dump, which is an unformatted version. There are many

attributes, assigning required to be done before it gets in to a desired format. There was a huge effort hours spent

every time the format needs to be tweaked as per client requirement. The project technology team came up with

an innovative solution there by the team developed a new utility that can process the dump MTO to direct formats

as per the client requirement.

2. Differential MTO Comparison Tool:

A new utility was developed by the team to compare the current month's MTO Report with the previous month's

MTO. This gave enormous support to the project team and particularly the client team to understand and

confidently handle the procurement of the piping bulks.

3. Insulated Pipe MTO:

A new utility to cater the requirement of insulation MTO from the piping bulks. This helped to provide the MTO

required for each of the pipe fittings, valves for which insulation is designed for.

4. Additional utilities developed

a. Isometric file validator

i. This utility validated Isometric files generated from SP3D before final delivery to the Client.

ii. If the isometric files were not as per Client standards, they are rejected through the

system.

b. Clash Approval Utility : A tool was developed to approve multiple clashes at the same time

outside of SP3D

c. SHA Replicator: A tool developed to replicate the SP3D Deliverables outside SP3D environment

across trains



d. SPR Distribution Utility: The size of SPR sessions all combined accounted to about 40 GB and

distribution of this data everyday without overwhelming the File Server was again a challenge, so a

tool was developed to restrict the number of concurrent downloads of SPR sessions

All of the above, utility tools developed, apart from saving time and efforts also equally contributed on quality and

minimizing or avoiding re-works. The results were encouraging as can be seen from the below section.

RESULTS

These utilities were tailor made and developed as a challenge posed to the project technology team. The results

were very encouraging. The key project attributes that got impacted were,

a. Accuracy

b. Efficiency

c. Automated Solution

d. Saves Man Hours in projects

Figure – 04 below provides the improvement in effort compared to conventional working( the comparison is

presented based on a percentile so that absolute difference is noticeable).

Figure – 04

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Manual

Automated



On a similar aspect, the quality or accuracy results were populated on a percentile basis and results are obvious

as seen from Figure – 05 below ( the comparison is presented based on a percentile so that absolute difference is

noticeable).

.

Figure – 05

CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

During project execution there were numerous engineering issues encountered. Some of the detailed technological

issues that were spinning over the project entire gamut were,

a. Catalog:

1. Catalog testing and Verification is a very time consuming process. The software developer in this

case should have made a swift method for catalog verification within S3D Environment

2. Database maintenance too time consuming–

– Synch, Regenerate Views, Data Integrity, Clean database, etc

– Index rebuilding, Defragmentation of data files

– Weekend activity when users not working

b. SP3D SmartPlant Review(SPR):

0102030405060708090

100

Automated

Manual



1. SPR Update was taking longer time

– Solution thought of is to breakup in to small volumes.

– Separate SPR update machines, however it was time consuming.

c. To aid generation of quality deliverables, SPF should come up with tools or mechanism that alert the

tool administrators and users about any residual database integrity errors, clashes or to-do lists in the data

selected for Drawing or Isometric generation.

d. SPF should be activated to devise a methodology for finding objects allocated to multiple work breakdown

structure (WBS) to prevent errors during deliverable generation.

e. Communication between various stakeholders involved in SPI-SPF-SP3D Integration for change

Management was manual. This was subsequently modified to narrow the gaps.

CONCLUSION

The results were encouraging as a whole to the project team. However, on a strategic basis, to have future

technologies to grow, the working prudent needs to be cultured and nurtured. Based on the results that the project

team has achieved, the organization as a whole is driving things up straight to making changes while estimating

during proposals and creating values during project execution by delivering quality outputs.

Some key take away to be aware of includes,

1. The complete IT infrastructure requirements need to be planned taking in to account of peak Project

load to avoid any changes in configuration during Project Execution

2. All important features of Automation / CAD Tools developed should be properly tested by end users

before deploying on project.

3. To understand that catalog updates from third party vendors through bulk load sheets is not a fool

proof method

4. Getting timely support from SPF developers and maintaining good relationship with software vendors

helps to resolve things smoothly.

As a general thumb rule, we need to bring in the following action path in due course (as illustrated in Figure – 06)



Figure – 06

REFERENCES

[a] Self captured in-house data base and references.

[b] White paper on Smart 3D Interop from www.intergraph.com

[c] White paper on 3D designing Competitive advantage(

http://images.autodesk.com/apac_anz/files/designingcompetitiveadvantage_03-300.pdf)

•Designers take considerable time to model details across similar information for duplicate trainsTHE PROBLEM

•With SmartPlant 3D utilities, the data can be captured seamlessly to duplicate in other similar trains.

PROBABLESOLUTION

•Reduce time, effort, cost by more than 65% IMMEDIATE

RESULTS

•Reuse of data with options for Permutations and Combinations there by reducing proposal costing considerably.

FUTURE BENEFITS

• Integrate with customer requirements right in the project start and synergize the effort during proposal preparation. Make as a KPI for all the projects to be executed through SmartPlant

STRATEGY TOADOPT

http://www.intergraph.com/

http://images.autodesk.com/apac_anz/files/designingcompetitiveadvantage_03-300.pdf

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