AutoCAD Plant 3D 2010 now available

AutoCAD Plant 3D based on the AutoCAD 2010 platform is now available with its first public release. With Plant 3D you can design, model, and document process plants.

Features like spec-driven design and standard parts catalogs help streamline the placement of piping, equipment, and support structures. Integrated AutoCAD® P&ID functionality and quicker generation of isometric and orthographic drawings support productivity, accuracy, and coordination.

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Below are some of the features of AutoCAD Plant 3D 2010:

Project Setup

Use the project feature in the beginning of the project to quickly enter pertinent information such as project numbers and specs that will be used to help drive creation of piping and components. You can also identify and add a variety of stock and custom components and specifications, which will eventually populate the tool palette when design begins. All this information can be updated as the project progresses and then used to generate reports.

AutoCAD P&ID Integration
AutoCAD P&ID functionality is integrated directly into AutoCAD Plant 3D. Using these capabilities, you can create and edit piping and instrumentation diagrams, then reconcile the underlying data with the 3D model.

Specifications and Catalogs
AutoCAD Plant 3D helps streamline the placement of piping, equipment, support structures, and other plant components through spec-driven technology and standard parts catalogs like ANSI/ASME (B16) and DIN/ISO. When you need to create a spec, you can work directly with included content-rich catalogs, or you can modify the catalogs to meet your project’s requirements.

Piping

From the initial spec through the final design, AutoCAD Plant 3D software optimizes the creation and editing of spec-driven pipelines. With this feature, you can route pipe, edit a line of pipe and its component elements, and manage a system of connections. You have the option to route pipe semi-automatically or manually. As you route pipe, additional components such as gaskets or flanges are added automatically.

Equipment Elements

This feature enables you to create, modify, manage, and use equipment in your drawings. A comprehensive library of standard equipment elements is available for use from within the tool palette. You may add custom content to your library as well.

Structural Elements

Use this feature to identify issues such as interferences in your plant model. With it, you can parametrically create a small set of structural elements, including AISC steel members and structural trim, such as stairs and cage ladders. You can also externally reference structural drawings created in Autodesk® Revit® Structure software, AutoCAD® Structural Detailing software, and other applications.

Construction Document Generation
From the 3D model, you can more easily generate and share isometrics, orthographic, and other construction documents. Information is directly exchanged with the 3D model, helping to ensure that your construction documents are accurate, consistent, and up-to-date.

Report, Search, and Query
Use these features to search for, query, and manipulate the data contained in drawings. Generate materials lists and create reports based on your particular search criteria. You can then export the information as piping component format (PCF) files for integration into other applications like stress analysis and spool generation packages.

Autodesk Navisworks Compatibility

AutoCAD Plant 3D models are directly compatible with the Autodesk® Navisworks® family of products for smoother design review, visualization, and clash detection.

Press release - Autodesk Announces New AutoCAD Plant 3D 2010 Software
New Product Brings Modern 3D Modeling to Mainstream Plant Design and Engineering Projects

Autodesk today announced the availability of AutoCAD Plant 3D 2010, a new software product that brings the proven benefits of model-based design to mainstream plant design projects. Purpose-built for the design, modeling, and documentation of process plants, AutoCAD Plant 3D makes modern 3D design more affordable and accessible to project teams of all sizes. Today's announcement was made at the SPE Offshore Europe Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition 2009.

Built on the familiar AutoCAD platform, AutoCAD Plant 3D allows project teams to increase productivity, and improve accuracy and coordination of shared information. The vast majority of plant design and engineering projects support the operation, maintenance and expansion of existing facilities. These projects are typically executed by small teams facing tight time and budget constraints. AutoCAD Plant 3D is tailor-made to increase the productivity of these teams by reducing setup time, facilitating straightforward information sharing, and minimizing the impact of changing project information.

"The value of 3D modeling is proven in the process plant industry, but existing design solutions are complex and expensive, serving primarily the largest projects," said Mark Strassman, vice president, AEC Plant Solutions Group at Autodesk, Inc. "The most common plant design and engineering projects today are retrofits, upgrades, and expansions that run on tight budgets and fixed shutdown windows. The teams that execute these projects simply can't afford to waste time and overhead with complicated solutions. Since AutoCAD Plant 3D leverages the familiarity of AutoCAD and the popularity of the .dwg file format, project teams can get up and running quickly, more easily share design information and finish projects faster - with potentially significant savings in time and cost."

Update from In the Pipes:

This particular release is most appropriate for piping design in Oil & Gas, Power, or Chemical projects up to $250 million total installed cost.  It does contain Isogen for Isometric generation. It contains a full release of AutoCAD 2010, so you can leverage all your AutoCAD techniques to help you model and produce documents.

While AutoCAD Plant 3D is not optimized to be an equipment design package (that would be Inventor), you can of course place basic plant equipment. It is also not intended as a structural design/detailing product, although we’ve included though  pipers’ steel for roughing in the structural elements. It is not for HVAC, nor for bent pipe.