The plant design journey presents numerous challenges and obstacles. During the entire process, from conceptualization to completion, you must consider the project's cost, safety concerns, environmental regulations, increased efficiency and much more. However, some challenges arise during this process.
Lack of visibility in designs
One of the biggest challenges for plant designers is the lack of visibility in their designs. The design process used to follow a linear path, with designers creating drawings in a single CAD application. This meant that if someone wanted to review a drawing or make changes, they would have to wait until it reached completion before they could see how their changes affected other parts of the design. The result: an inefficient workflow with multiple people working on different parts of the same drawing at different times and having no way to communicate with each other until the team completed everything.
File compatibility across solutions
Many different plant design software solutions exist on the market today, but they all have their data formats and file types. When you work with multiple solutions to complete your project, you may need to convert files from one format to another. This process can consume significant time and frustrate users trying to get their job done efficiently.
Solutions with industry requirements
Project teams often find it challenging to find solutions that meet industry requirements. For example, they may not find a manufacturer who can provide a required piece of equipment or ensure that it meets all safety standards. In such cases, they may compromise on some design aspects if they want to meet other requirements.
Ability to collaborate in 2D and 3D
Plant designers need to work on both 2D and 3D drawings; however, most engineering software limits their ability to do so. Many systems require that teams create two separate versions of the model, one for 2D design and another for 3D design. That means the designer must switch back and forth between tools – a process that wastes time and reduces efficiency.
Accuracy of outputs
The accuracy of the outputs (BOM, isometrics) remains one of the challenges in the plant design process. Predicting the final model appearance proves difficult. As a result, there are instances where your design does not match up with what you expected.
Difficult to migrate
Many companies use different systems during their design process, which can cause problems when they try to migrate or transfer files between systems. This often leads to time-consuming manual processes where engineers must spend hours reworking drawings so that they can use them on a new system or platform. It can also result in errors where information gets lost or corrupted along the way, which can cause costly delays in production schedules and projects.
Inefficient workflows involving multiple software
Even though using multiple software applications offers benefits, it also comes with challenges. One of these challenges includes inefficient workflows that often involve numerous software applications. This means that sometimes one person will use one application while others use another for their designs.
The solution
As plant design projects grow more complex – you need solutions that work harder. Solutions that integrate so you don't have to waste time transferring (or losing) valuable data. They need to be accessible from the cloud from anywhere, in real time, to keep up with each design step. The solutions must be intuitive, giving you a more precise visualization of the design so you can make changes before they become costly.
Concluding thoughts
At the end of the day, you want solutions that work together, offer great support in one place and enable you to deliver your design project on time and within budget, no matter the size or scale. Octave's plant design solutions can make this reality for you.
From the conceptual idea to fabrication and construction, designs should never compromise safety. Discover how you can improve the accuracy of your deliverables and move on to your next project with confidence.
Learn how comprehensive and integrated solutions such as Forte 3D (formerly Smart 3D) and Forte 3DWorx (formerly CADWorx Plant Professional) can help you build confidence in your designs by talking to our experts today!