Coach company expands facilities without increasing size

Wyomissing, Pennsylvania – Bogia Engineering Inc. (BEI), a full service civil engineering firm makes it company policy to complete swept-path simulations and analysis on all of their vehicle related projects while they are still in the concept phase.

Majesty Coach in Berks County, Pennsylvania, wanted to expand its existing facilities to include a warehouse, office space, a bus and limousine garage, as well as employee parking facilities. For this project it was clear that vehicle circulation would be a major constraint as a truck wash center and mechanic’s garage already existed on the project site. Consequently, being able to drive different sizes and types of vehicles through the different concepts was a necessity.

Early design iterations had trucks docked at the warehouse blocking access to the bus/limousine garage. As a result of the conflict of space for maneuverability it was thought that the garage facility would be scrapped from the plans. Transoft Solutions’ AutoTURN allowed BEI designers to work quickly and try various options. In the process, the software also showed where conflicts arose.

“The ability to design vehicles to custom specifications with AutoTURN let us work with data from limousines the client already owned,” says Donald Haas, CADD Manager. “We knew the minimum turning area a limo required and were able to add the building in previously unusable area.”

With a clear understanding of the site’s space constraints and working with the client a main avenue of travel was plotted and the manipulated to fit around the buildings. Once this path was established the resulting plan would leave the main path for trucks docked at the warehouse loading bays unobstructed. This also created a maneuvering area for the bus/limousine garage as well as giving the existing truck wash and mechanic’s garage facilities better layouts. Additionally, the remaining area was usable for stormwater facilities and employee parking.

“Onsite, the space was tight in front of mechanic’s garage and cars waiting to enter a repair bay would block traffic trying to enter or exit the truck wash,” comments Haas. Before BEI’s redesign of Majesty Coach’s site, trucks that entered the site were committed to going through the truck wash or backing out onto the street. The new layout has room for trucks to queue up and a bypass area if they decide not to enter the facility. Hass adds, “Now there are no issues.”

“The small office building requires delivery trucks and garbage pick up,” says Haas. “It’s just as important to know that space used for small trucks that visit occasionally is as well planned for those clients as it is for warehouse facilities that have dozens of trucks visiting each day.”

Using the AutoTURN application and working with the swept-path movements allowed BEI to expand the building envelopes and create a more efficient site, for physical maneuverability, cost effectiveness, and value. What client doesn’t want to get the biggest bang for his buck?

It is because of projects like the redesign of the Majesty Coach site that BEI uses AutoTURN on almost every project they design. On larger projects, BEI has noticed an increase in municipalities wanting to see truck turning movements as part of the approval process. A “Truck Turning Plan” is becoming a common element in their plan set.

Contact Information

Transoft Solutions Inc.

250 - 13575 Commerce Parkway
Richmond, British Columbia , V6V 2L1
Canada

tele: 604.244.8387
fax: 604.244.1770
sales@transoftsolutions.com
www.transoftsolutions.com

Integrated Solutions that Supercharge Your Productivity

In today’s competitive business environment, with its tight budgets, short deadlines and increasing awareness of the need for conservation of resources and capital, advantage goes to the organization that can get more done, better, in less time and with the greatest possible efficiency. With Autodesk applications and a virtual digital workbench from HP, that advantage is yours.

What is a digital workbench? Just as a conventional workbench is a work platform where all tools and resources needed to get the job done are immediately available and ready at hand, the digital workbench is a combination of hardware and software tools that enable your productivity and help you to achieve the best possible results at the least possible cost. The lynchpin of the whole workbench solution is a powerful and reliable HP Z Workstation optimized for the mission critical Autodesk applications you depend upon. Tied to this is an efficient, accurate HD monitor such as the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Professional Display and an efficient, accurate plotter for large scale visualization such as the HP Designjet Z2100 Photo Printer series. Finally you need software and specialized productivity utilities that pull it all together and help you to work the way you want to work, wherever you need to work and with whomever you need to work.

The Backbone

The backbone of the HP Digital Workbench is a high-performance HP Z workstation. HP offers a broad range of powerful and reliable workstations for all workstation users, ranging from desktop-class capable HP EliteBook Mobile Workstations right up to the powerhouse HP Z800 Workstation with its two 4-core processors, massive 64-bit memory capacity and support for two top of the line graphics cards and up to eight displays. HP workstations are exhaustively tested and certified for Autodesk applications in partnership with Autodesk. No one can claim as long a partnership with Autodesk as HP either, more than 16 years working hand-in-hand for their customers’ success. HP Workstations aren’t merely certified for Autodesk applications, they are optimized for them, something that is only possible thanks to the close relationship between the two companies.

Collaboration Tools

Some of the new tools for the HP Digital Workbench greatly improve the area of collaboration, and hence your creativity and your productivity. Two of these tools are Remote Graphics Software and HP SkyRoom video conferencing software. Gone are the days of having to email files or mail print-outs to remote contributors, or set up FTP sites to download proprietary information, with the huge delays and security concerns involved, plus the potential for confusing multiple versions of files. This innovative software allows you to share designs and video conference over conventional networks, in real-time, without security concerns. Days and even weeks of production time can be saved.

Optimization Solutions

While HP workstations come certified and ready to work with Autodesk applications, no user at this level should be forced to work the way someone else wants them to. HP’s Performance Tuning Framework gives you the power to tune your workstation for the specific applications you use, for the conditions you work under and to keep your workstation optimized to your needs for maximum reliability and performance. This piece of the Digital Workbench allows you to tune and optimize the way you work, improving you productivity and effectiveness.

Super Accurate Color

Seeing is believing, and for the most realistic color visualizations on screen or on paper, you need HP DreamColor technology. With HP DreamColor displays, the colors you see as you work, and the colors and textures your clients see in review, are the same ones they will see when the project is completed. DreamColor capable printers and plotters from HP extend this capability to hardcopy output, allowing you to send design galleys out, that pop with photorealistic color and detail. Your customers will know what they are getting, what it will look like long before the first part is machined, the first scene is filmed or the first stone is laid.

Enabling Accessories

You can certainly use a workstation with just a mouse and keyboard and get exceptional results, but once you use a programmable 3D input device like the SpacePilot, you’ll never go back. The SpacePilot and similar devices enable you to zoom, pan, and rotate 3D models as well as providing a platform for single-button shortcuts for functions you use constantly, saving huge amounts of time every week.

What all this adds up to is a solution that is greater than the sum of its parts, a solution that saves you time and speeds production, thus making you more competitive and more effective in your industry. That’s more than you can ask from most workbenches, but what you expect from HP.

Contact Information

Hewlett-Packard

150 Route du Nant-d’Avril
1217 Meyrin 2
Geneva,
Switzerland

tele: (+41) 22 780-8111
fax: (+41) 22 780-8111

Because “adequate” is not Optimum

Workstations are mission critical tools. They have to work and work well, especially with your mission critical design and engineering applications. Bugs, glitches and quirks that would be annoying on a desktop PC, can be showstoppers on a workstation. Examples include: an application pop-up menu that erases the image behind it; a weld that rendered in the wrong color and becomes invisible; or a rendering slow-down or system freeze-up that turns a function that should take a few seconds into a 15-minute ordeal. Fortunately there is a solution to these problems—extensive, and exhaustive testing and certification.

HP is committed to your success, which is why HP does so much more testing than any of its competitors. Beyond HP’s grueling general testing procedures for new workstation models and configurations, HP together with Autodesk takes each workstation and supported graphics card and applies an additional battery of tests specific to Autodesk AutoCAD, Inventor, Building Solutions, Revit, 3ds Max and other Autodesk applications.

This certification testing is designed to replicate real-world use including combinations of commands, combinations of applications being used simultaneously and other highstress conditions that historically cause machines to seize up or shut down, and cause graphics cards to start stuttering, produce poor colors or otherwise fail. The results of these tests allow HP to make adjustments to drivers, registry settings and other performance aspects to yield the optimal balance of performance and reliability not just under idealized lab conditions, but under real world conditions. Only after all this testing is completed successfully is a workstation configuration certified for the application.

All this testing not only feeds future workstation testing and development, but is also used to improve and update the HP Performance Tuning Framework (PTF), HP’s exclusive tuning utility. HP PTF was developed by the HP engineers to provide users of HP workstations with a simple method for tuning and managing their workstations for their mission critical applications. The Framework features a variety of sub-utilities that help you manage your configuration, keep track of machine resources, manage your physical and virtual memory for maximum performance and keep your drivers and Inventor registries updated and optimized. The best thing about the Framework, however, is that it is free. It comes loaded on all new HP workstations and is available as a free download from www.hp.com/go/framework.

The Framework is only possible because HP puts so much effort into testing and certifying its workstations from inception to end-of-lifecycle. No one else can offer this level of optimization and exhaustive testing, because no one else has HP’s level of familiarity with Autodesk and Autodesk products. HP developed this familiarity over more than 16 years of partnership with Autodesk and dedication to providing Autodesk users with solutions that are far more than good enough.

Testing is the key-exhaustive, continual, evolving and improving testing. HP is committed to this rigorous degree of testing and certification, making our platforms more stable, more reliable, higher performing, and more suitable for your mission critical Autodesk applications. All this is why Autodesk users get more with HP.

Contact Information

Hewlett-Packard

150 Route du Nant-d’Avril
1217 Meyrin 2
Geneva,
Switzerland

tele: (+41) 22 780-8111
fax: (+41) 22 780-8111

Greater than the sum of two parts

For more than 15 years, HP has worked hard to maintain a close partnership with Autodesk, collaborating to provide Autodesk customers with the workstation and printer solutions they need. HP’s dedication to this partnership has provided significant value for HP customers.

How does it benefit you? HP built a record of commitment to providing solutions specifically for Autodesk applications. It assigned dedicated personnel to test, optimize and support them, and to work with Autodesk to ensure absolute reliability and performance. HP also shares product road maps so that new Autodesk Application functionality will be supported in HP workstations.

To support its partnership with Autodesk and provide a clear and specialized channel for Autodesk support, HP established an engineering test center to test solutions and configurations and optimize them for Autodesk applications, and where appropriate, certify HP solutions with Autodesk testing centers. HP provides workstations to Autodesk support centers so customer problems can be exactly replicated on HP Workstations if needed. This support structure is a somewhat unique offering among workstation vendors, made possible only by the close ties that have been formed between the two companies.

HP provides the industry’s most extensive testing and certification process, performing thousands of software tests on each of its workstations. This ensures that you get the highest reliability and performance with Autodesk applications. And while no amount of testing can anticipate all potential issues, HP tests more applications and goes further to find and fix vulnerabilities than anyone else.

The HP application engineers also develop and maintain special, free utilities. They can be found at www.hp.com/ go/autodesk. The HP Performance Tuning Framework is the cornerstone of these offerings, providing a downloadable utility that quickly and easily tunes your HP workstation. It helps you create a custom configuration with the best certified graphics drivers for your unique Autodesk application. It also helps you understand memory constraints, simplifies upgrades and serves as a platform for additional utilities and capabilities.

One Framework utility of particular note is the configuration manager. It allows you to quickly gather up all the detailed system configuration information you need to help you maintain and troubleshoot your workstation on one screen, with the touch of a button and allows you to send that information to technical support representatives at both HP and Autodesk so that they can better understand your particular configuration. This utility alone can save you as much as 30-60 minutes the next time you need tech support.

HP’s relationship applies to the full spectrum of HP products, which is why HP large format printers work better and faster for Autodesk applications. In addtion, Autodesk uses HP workstations to develop its software and test its applications. Autodesk’s keystone products, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Architectural Studio, Revit and others, are built from the ground up on HP workstations, a clear demonstration of Autodesk’s confidence in HP.

With HP, highly developed and reliable technology is only part of the benefit. You gain the depth of knowledge and experience that only a long-term commitment to partnership can provide. You gain the trust that you are choosing the company Autodesk chooses to help ensure its success. You gain a partner in excellence.

Contact Information

Hewlett-Packard

150 Route du Nant-d’Avril
1217 Meyrin 2
Geneva,
Switzerland

tele: (+41) 22 780-8111
fax: (+41) 22 780-8111

For seventeen years, HP has maintained a close partnership with Autodesk, working side-by-side to provide Autodesk customers with the workstation solutions they need to function at their maximum potential. HP’s dedication to this has earned it a position as Autodesk’s top hardware partner, and HP continues to work hard, every day to earn that position.

How did HP achieve and maintain this long-standing position, and how does it benefit you the customer? HP built a long record of commitment to providing solutions specifically for Autodesk applications, assigning dedicated personnel to test, optimize and support them, and to work with Autodesk to ensure absolute reliability and performance.

In recognition of HP’s commitment to excellence, Autodesk chooses HP workstations to develop its software and test its applications. Autodesk’s keystone products, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Architectural Studio, Revit and others are built from the ground up on HP workstations, a clear demonstration of Autodesk’s confidence in HP.

To support its partnership with Autodesk and to provide a clear and specialized channel for Autodesk support, HP established the HP Technical Consulting Lab. The Lab’s dedicated engineers test solutions and configurations and work to continually optimize them for Autodesk applications. This is a unique offering among workstation vendors, made possible only by the close ties that have been formed between the two companies.

Through TCL, HP provides the industry’s most extensive testing and certification process, performing thousands of software tests on each of its Intel and AMD based workstations. This ensures that you get the highest reliability and performance with Autodesk applications. And while no amount of testing can anticipate all potential issues, HP goes further to find and fix vulnerabilities than anyone else.

The engineers at the HP Technical Consulting Lab also develop and maintain special, free utilities. They can be found at www.hp.com/go/autodesk. The HP Performance Tuning Framework is the cornerstone of these offerings, providing a downloadable utility that quickly and easily tunes your HP workstation to create a “custom” configuration with the best certified graphics drivers for your unique Autodesk application. The also removes some memory constraints, simplifies upgrades and serves as a platform to extend additional utilities and capabilities.

HP’s relationship applies to the full spectrum of HP products, and it is why HP large format printers work better and faster for Autodesk, and why the HP Compaq Tablet PC is an ideal solution for those who use ink enabled applications.

With HP, highly developed and reliable technology is only part of the benefit. You gain the depth of knowledge and experience that only a long-term commitment to partnership can provide. You gain the trust that you are choosing the company Autodesk chooses to help ensure its success. You gain a partner in excellence. You get more from HP.

Contact Information

Hewlett-Packard

3400 E. Harmony Road
Fort Collins, CO, 80528-9599
USA

tele: 970.898.0000
toll-free: 800.888.9909
sales@hp.com
www.hp.com

As the world’s largest developer and producer of large format imaging solutions, Contex leads the market with innovative technology and advanced scan and copy software applications. Sold worldwide in over 100 countries, Contex solutions are recognized in a wide range of industries for reliability, value, high performance, and superb image quality.

Focused on providing the best possible quality in image reproduction and archiving, Contex is the partner of choice in industries where scanning quality is of the utmost importance. We develop solutions for technical, graphics, GIS, and specialized customers. We are also a leading supplier to many government agencies.

Transform your business with a high performance scanner from Contex.

The ideal solution for any business whether your application needs are scan-to-file or scan-to-print. Investing in Contex’ extensive range of scanners provides your business with direct benefits and results that can be measured on the bottom-line. No matter what your scanning needs are, Contex has a professional solution that ensures the best return on your investment. Join the many businesses that benefit from investing in a scanner for secure document, map and image storage in our scan-to-file solutions.

At a Glance

• Create on-line access and control of vital company assets such as drawings, electrical schematics and facility plans.

• Contex scanners and software help governments modernize archive and infrastructure for more efficient workflow operations.

• High quality components and a unique design ensures that Contex scanners capture small type and small details in drawings clearly.

Professional and perfect scans – every time!

Contex sets the industry standard for large format scanning and copying needs. Color is captured at 48-bits and B/W at 16-bit bringing out perfect detail and depth in any image. With the highest quality camera lenses and 4-linear CCD’s, using all-digital cameras.

Feature Highlights:

• PRECISION: high resolution with 0.1% ±1 pixel accuracy [industry best]

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Contex Software Products

Contex produces two powerful software products: WIDEimageNET scanning software and JETimageNET copy software. WIDEimageNET is a fully featured scanning, viewing and conversion software developed to meet customers’ needs. Enabling high quality, real time viewing at the fastest speeds available on the market today to ensure accurate processing of scanned data. JETimageNET is a professional color and black-and-white copying software package designed especially for wide-format copying from Contex scanners to most large-format printers.

Today, Contex prides itself in being the global leader of large-format scanning technology, with four international offices (Denmark, United States, Japan and China) and more than 450 employees worldwide.

Contact Information

CONTEX USA

14100 Parke-Long Court
Suite P
Chantilly, VA 20151,
USA

tele: 703.378.2209
toll-free: 877.226.6839
fax: 703.378.0036
ml@contex.com
www.contex.com

PI Integrated has led the way in providing easy-to-use plant design solutions for the process and petrochemical industry for more than 15 years.

Its FlexCAD family of equipment layout and piping design software provides highly productive 3-D and 2-D solutions to both owner/operators as well as engineering procurement companies in the design, construction and operations of process plants.

One company that uses PI Integrated’s software extensively is Richard Design Services (RDS).

Based in Nederland, Texas, RDS is an all-purpose engineering and design company that offers a wide range of “in-house” and “farm-out” services associated with the petrochemical industry. From consulting and project management to scope development and drafting services, RDS offers full-service engineering and design capabilities.

The personnel at RDS have a broad range of experience in engineering and design. The company’s owners have more than 50 years of combined experience in the refining and petrochemical industry. This background served as the basis for the formation of RDS, and many of the company’s design team members have extensive knowledge gained from previous careers in plant design.

Adapting to new realities:

In addition to working on projects with clients such as Valero, Total Petrochemicals, Motiva and ExxonMobil, the RDS staff is focused on becoming one of the leading engineering and construction firms in the petrochemical industry. To do so, RDS is developing its personnel to be skilled plant layout and piping designers, while at the same time paying close attention to safety, quality and integrity.

Ronnie Theriot, RDS’s IT manager, believes the company has an elite staff that is dedicated to delivering “a quality product with the utmost integrity.”

“The future of RDS is very bright as we’ve exploded into the petrochemical industry and established our name and reputation as being one that companies can count on for any industrial engineering or construction need,” he said. But Theriot also recognizes that RDS will have to adapt to new realities in the future. “The recent labor shortages, especially as it pertains to experienced engineers and designers, has definitely been something RDS has had to face and will continue to face,” he said.

For that reason, RDS places much emphasis on using software that will allow it to bring new employees up to speed quickly so they can make an immediate contribution.

FlexCAD — Accuracy and speed:

Theriot attributes RDS’ selection of PI Integrated’s 2-D FlexCAD modules as a plant layout and piping design solution to the fact that its ease of use has made it a popular choice for many working in the petrochemical industry.

“The benefits are that much of the manpower working in this area is familiar with FlexCAD,” he said. “We utilize it on a daily basis on several of our projects. The program is easy to learn and use, therefore making training minimal.

“In just a few days a new user can be up to speed with PI Integrated’s software. That means the employee can be productive in a short amount of time. If a person has some practical experience and some basic CAD experience, he can come in and contribute very quickly.”

Theriot has made use of many of PI Integrated’s software packages since entering the field more than 18 years ago.

He frequently utilizes the IDS-PIPE module when developing layouts, arrangements and piping plans. The fact that IDS-PIPE has a fast learning curve for AutoCAD end-users is a feature that Theriot particularly likes, as it benefits fast-track projects. The intelligence behind the IDS-PIPE module resides in attributed data nodes for standard equipment.

“The program is easy to work with and gives the user quick access to most all of the valve, flanges, fittings and steel members in the industry,” he said. RDS also uses IDS-ISO, a specification-driven creation of intelligent spool drawings and associated reports.

“We use IDS-ISO extensively to generate bills of material for long-lead-time aspects of our projects,” Theriot said. “The package allows you to put together an isometric drawing pretty quickly. The people in the field are ultimately going to get these drawings, and they are the ones who will build based on them. It makes it easy to generate the types of drawings required for production. In the end, IDS-ISO saves us a lot of time.”

RDS also enjoys the benefits of working with two other software packages provided by PI Integrated, IDS-FLOW and IDS-STEEL.

A complete module for the creation of process flow diagrams (PFDs) as well as P&IDs, IDS-FLOW features in-situ intelligence that resides in attributed data nodes for process and mechanical equipment, process lines, valves and instrumentation. Like IDSPIPE, this module especially benefits fast-track projects with its 24-hour self-learning curve. And its quick implementation requires minimal IT resource.

The IDS-STEEL module aids in the creation of intelligent structural and civil orthographic drawings of different varieties, including equipment structure and pipe racks. As in other FlexCAD modules, drawing intelligence resides in attributed data nodes for American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) steel shape members and other structural, civil and architectural components. Included in the IDS-STEEL module are a steel library, equipment and piping representations and routines for architectural drawings.

The piping professionals:

PI Integrated has taken a “back-to-basics” approach to process and petrochemical plant design software that reflects the experience and intuitiveness of a professional piper.

Those are the qualities that show through every time Theriot and the staff at RDS works with PI Integrated. “We have a good working relationship,” he said. “PI Integrated has always been there to assist us. They have always been very helpful with any of our support needs whether it be a FlexCAD issue or even an AutoCAD issue.”

PI Integrated’s desire to provide superior customer service is evident every step of the way. After the sale, its Houston-based staff makes it a point to provide on-site training for users lacking experience with its software packages. That means customers can begin their next project without delay.

The company’s newly designed Web site also contains several features that customers and prospective customers will find helpful. A discussion forum allows individuals to interact with others on any software-related topic. The PI Integrated site also has information related to licensing, a link to receive a 30-day product trial and a Web demonstration that displays the company’s line of products.

The site also provides more information about the impressive features and affordable pricing of the IDS-FLOW, IDS-PIPE, IDS-STEEL and IDS-ISO modules, as well as PI Integrated’s second-generation FlexPLANT family of equipment layout and piping design programs that augments its 2-D FlexCAD packages with powerful 3-D capabilities.

Join RDS and the 3,500 others that have already experienced the quick-start, ease-of-use and flexible implementation of PI Integrated’s industrial design series.

For more information, visit www.flexplant.com or call 713.862.7242.

Contact Information

PI Integrated Systems

PO Box 7786
Houston, TX, 77270
USA

tele: 888.FlexCAD
fax: 713.862.2533
pisales1@flexcad.com
www.flexplant.com

Michael Mohnacs, Vice President of Construction for Maryland-based mechanical contractor Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. (S&D), says he has witnessed a veritable evolution in his company since his first day on the job 15 years ago. Now in charge of all new construction projects—the mainstay of current S&D income—Mohnacs was the first project manager at a time when there were only 15 employees in the field and S&D’s annual revenue was $2.5 million. These facts are certainly noteworthy knowing that S&D now employs over 350 employees and stretching for a projected volume of $80 million in 2007. S&D’s success is obvious in bottom-line figures, and Mohnacs attributes much of the recent growth spurt to expanded potential for projects using AEC/CADPIPE products.

CADPIPE is boosting bottom-line project figures at S&D, as well as product safety and quality. Mohnacs comments, “First, we have been able to reduce material waste, and thus, cost. Secondly, we increased productivity, while at the same time reducing man-hours and overtime hours, which leads to a safer project. We’ve also expanded our bidding potential and improved our reputation in the field.All that translates into success any way you look at it.”

Comparing CADPIPE to other potential products, Paul Gemmell, Planning Department Manger, says, “I’ve used other products, and I have viewed the new demos, but in my opinion, they’re still in the dark ages as far as fabrication goes. CADPIPE’s collision check feature is especially great for our needs.”

Mohnacs comments on product safety, “Using CADPIPE for prefabrication reduces accidents on site. There are fewer man-hours being used, so there is less exposure and less time for accidents to occur. When you’re working with prefabrication, your assemblies are larger, so you’re working with forklifts, hoists and mechanical devices to lift instead of manual labor. It’s a big plus. Additionally, planning is inherent in the process of prefabrication—you’re coming up with a game plan in advance—and when you’re planning, you’re working better, and that’s where we partner well with the AEC/CADPIPE program.”

Mohnacs comments on product safety, “Using CADPIPE for prefabrication reduces accidents on site. There are fewer man-hours being used, so there is less exposure and less time for accidents to occur. When you’re working with prefabrication, your assemblies are larger, so you’re working with forklifts, hoists and mechanical devices to lift instead of manual labor. It’s a big plus. Additionally, planning is inherent in the process of prefabrication—you’re coming up with a game plan in advance—and when you’re planning, you’re working better, and that’s where we partner well with the AEC/CADPIPE program.” things you see in a machine room drawing—likepumps or support steel for towers—are also in the CADPIPE software. So, CADPIPE does more than just draw pipe, it also draws steel and other practical things. CADPIPE text will also tag your system. All the text you see is generated by CADPIPE, which means you don’t have to enter all this stuff. Just click on something and CADPIPE will give you the pipe size and description.”

Regarding international standards, Gemmell says, “It’s simple to integrate special nuances and modify CADPIPE according to your own specifications because things are based on the AutoCAD program. And CADPIPE is not only customer specific, it’s even user specific, and as a result, very user friendly. As long as you have a basic understanding of AutoCAD and field experience, working with it is not a problem at all.”

“And one last feature that is really an advantage is the elevation view, which allows you to see everything from many different perspectives. That’s helpful to our foreman, because one drawing shows all the valves, equipment, hookups and all the pieces that they need to put together to make it work.”

Contact Information

AEC Design Group

401 Professional Drive
Suite 110
Gaithersburg, MD, 20879
USA

tele: 888.239.9004 x 502
fax: 301.840.7370
sales@cadpipe.com
www.cadpipe.com

Unified Theory, Inc. (UTI) is a Full Service Consulting and Engineering firm. UTI specializes in design of Industrial and Institutional Facilities, along with Process Design. We see ourselves as a focused and flexible company with rapidly deployable resources with the use of such productivity enhancing tools such as AutoTURN.

One of the approaches of UTI is to foster teamwork and collaboration through effective communication in the midst of change. I, as the Civil Engineer and Process Safety Manager, find that communicating traffic flow designs to clients can be challenging. Most clients have their own ideas about traffic flow, street and highway design, and parking configurations. Often projects need approval from public officials, city engineers, and other design professionals who all have their own ideas to add to the mix. To complicate matters even more, projects that impact traffic flow patterns are often open to public review and comment prior to approval by city governments. Unfortunately with so many parties involved in the project approval process, the consulting engineer is often bombarded with ideas and recommendations that only serve to slow the progress and approval for the project.

One of the approaches of UTI is to foster teamwork and collaboration through effective communication in the midst of change. I, as the Civil Engineer and Process Safety Manager, find that communicating traffic flow designs to clients can be challenging. Most clients have their own ideas about traffic flow, street and highway design, and parking configurations. Often projects need approval from public officials, city engineers, and other design professionals who all have their own ideas to add to the mix. To complicate matters even more, projects that impact traffic flow patterns are often open to public review and comment prior to approval by city governments. Unfortunately with so many parties involved in the project approval process, the consulting engineer is often bombarded with ideas and recommendations that only serve to slow the progress and approval for the project.conjunction with AutoCAD; I can explain all of the details of the design visually and dynamically.

An engineer has to consider the project design for tight spaces, close property lines and building modifications that required unique solutions to allow traffic to maneuver in and out easily -such as loading docks that are accessed through narrow alleys by delivery trucks and tractor-trailers; or loading docks that have tight access in order to use limited land and paved areas efficiently

In this instance, I was given a $22 million proposed design that would limit the amount of space and paved area used for truck traffic as well as personnel parking. While trying to make the design work, it became obvious to me that the radii and space were inappropriate. Communicating this problem verbally, to the parties that developed the proposed design, was unsuccessful, requiring a more graphic way to communicate the problem.

In this instance, I was given a $22 million proposed design that would limit the amount of space and paved area used for truck traffic as well as personnel parking. While trying to make the design work, it became obvious to me that the radii and space were inappropriate. Communicating this problem verbally, to the parties that developed the proposed design, was unsuccessful, requiring a more graphic way to communicate the problem.

I needed to show that each instance where space was limited or not available, that the trucks ran over the curbs, and outside the proposed paving area. We also needed to demonstrate the hazard of having to swing into opposing traffic when leaving the facility.

Using this software, the CAD operator could select a vehicle size and weight that appears graphically on the screen. The operator then maneuvered the vehicle through the design with the mouse. As the vehicle moved through the design, it left “tracks in the snow” showing where the wheels had been.

As a result, utilizing AutoTURN drawings, the parties that developed the proposed design, were able to see the problems laid out for them. They acquiesced and the engineering design was finalized as I suggested. We have successfully demonstrated design validity using AutoTURN on more than a dozen recent projects. Clients have consistently commented that they can understand our design solutions quickly and they have approved designs in shorter time frames than in the past.

validity using AutoTURN on more than a dozen recent projects. Clients have consistently commented that they can understand our design solutions quickly and they have approved designs in shorter time frames than in the past.

UTI has seen additional benefits by using AutoTURN. Because it helps clients understand the design solutions so easily, project delays have been reduced and there have been fewer re-design requests from clients. We have also increased our company’s productivity. Since we can communicate our design solutions so effectively with AutoTURN, we can move from concept to completion much faster.

AutoTURN is available from Transoft Solutions Inc. Visit www.transoftsolutions.com for more information.

Gary Finley, P.E.F. NSPE Civil Engineer and Process Safety Manager Unified Theory Inc.

Contact Information

Transoft Solutions Inc.

250 - 13575 Commerce Parkway
Richmond, British Columbia , V6V 2L1
Canada

tele: 604.244.8387
fax: 604.244.1770
sales@transoftsolutions.com
www.transoftsolutions.com