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VANTAGE Plant Design (PDMS)

Version 11.6

Module 11 Clash Detection Training Manual

VANTAGE VANTAGE VANTAGE VANTAGE

TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING

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Updates Updates to this manual will be issued as replacement pages and a new Update History Sheet complete with instructions on which pages to remove and destroy, and where to insert the new sheets. Please ensure that you have received all the updates shown on the History Sheet. All updates are highlighted by a revision code marker, which appears to the left of new material. Suggestion/Problems If you have a suggestion about this manual or the system to which it refers please report it to the training department at Fax +44 (0)1223 556669 Email training.uk@aveva.com This manual provides documentation relating to products to which you may not have access or which may not be licensed to you. For further information on which products are licensed to you please refer to your licence conditions. Copyright 2005 AVEVA Solutions All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of AVEVA The software programs described in this document are confidential information and proprietary products of AVEVA Ltd or its licensors. Visit our website at http://www.aveva.com

PLEASE NOTE: AVEVA has a policy of continuing product development: therefore, the information contained in this document may be subject to change without notice. AVEVA MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THIS DOCUMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. While every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this document, AVEVA shall not be liable for errors contained herein or direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this material.

Printed by AVEVA Solutions on 02 October 2006

Contents
1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Aim .................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Objectives......................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Prerequisites .................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Course Structure ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Using this guide............................................................................................................................... 4 2 Clash Detection ....................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Clashes which are NOT Reported.................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Invoking the 3D-Clash Utility.......................................................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Auto Clash utility ........................................................................................................................ 5 2.2.2 Clash Display ............................................................................................................................. 5 2.3 Setting Clash Defaults..................................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Obstruction Levels .......................................................................................................................... 6 2.5 Using the Obstruction Attribute in Your Design .......................................................................... 6 2.6 Displaying Obstruction Levels in Design...................................................................................... 7 2.7 Changing Obstruction Levels in Design ....................................................................................... 7 2.8 Extent of Clashing ........................................................................................................................... 8 2.9 Spatial Map....................................................................................................................................... 8 3 Setting Obstructions ............................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Setting the Clasher Obstruction List ............................................................................................. 9 3.2 Setting the Clasher Exclusion List ................................................................................................ 9 3.3 Clasher Obstruction Limits .......................................................................................................... 10 4 Clash Data .............................................................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Displaying of Clash Data............................................................................................................... 11 4.2 Clash Check CE ............................................................................................................................. 11 4.3 Filtering and Refreshing the Clash List....................................................................................... 11 4.4 Navigating to Clash Items............................................................................................................. 12 4.5 Clash Query.................................................................................................................................... 12 4.5.1 Query Clash Detail................................................................................................................... 12 4.5.2 Query Clash Summary............................................................................................................. 13 4.5.3 Query>Defaults ........................................................................................................................ 13 4.5.4 Clash History............................................................................................................................ 13 4.6 Clash Display ................................................................................................................................. 13 Exercise 1....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Exercise 2....................................................................................................................................................... 14 5 Desclash ................................................................................................................................................. 15 5.1 Starting Desclash .......................................................................................................................... 15 5.2 The Output Device ......................................................................................................................... 15 5.3 The Obstruction List...................................................................................................................... 15 5.4 The Check Command .................................................................................................................... 15 5.5 The Checkadd Command ............................................................................................................. 15 5.6 Example Clash Macro.................................................................................................................... 15 6 Clash Output Report ............................................................................................................................. 16 6.1 The Report Sections...................................................................................................................... 16 6.2 Customising Clash output ............................................................................................................ 16 6.2.1 Clash Report Keywords ........................................................................................................... 16 6.3 Example of using a Report Macro................................................................................................ 16 7 Approving Clashes (for Administrators only) .................................................................................... 18 7.1 Example of approving a Clash ..................................................................................................... 18

Chapter 1

Introduction

This Training Manual shows you how to check your design continuously for spatial clashes, that is, to identify different design items that are competing for the same space. To do this, we shall be using the 3D-CLASH Utility within DESIGN. This utility is very useful when working in confined spaces where there is a chance that you may have two or more items competing for the same space. Working with On-Line Clash Detection, unfinished branches will show any clashes as they occur, enabling the user to correct the error before moving on in the design. Although a pipe may be continuously checked for clashes it still must be Data Consistency Checked and any errors found, rectified before you begin a full clash check.

1.1 Aim
The following Training Manual describes the use of the Vantage Plant Design (PDMS) Clash Detection System.

1.2 Objectives
At the end of this training, you will have a: Understand the difference between auto-clash and on-demand clash. Be able to set clash defaults. Understand the extent of clash and also the types of clash reported. Understand how to query and update the spatial map. Understand the various obstruction Volumes.

1.3 Prerequisites
The participants must have completed the Management Overview Course, or one of the basic Vantage Plant Design (PDMS) Courses for example Basic Piping Design, Basic Steelwork Design.

1.4 Course Structure


Training will consist of oral and visual presentations, demonstrations and set exercises. Each workstation will have a training project, populated with model objects. This will be used by the trainees to practice their methods, and complete the set exercises.

1.5 Using this guide


Certain text styles are used to indicate special situations throughout this document, here is a summary; Menu pull downs and button press actions. Are indicated by bold dark blue text. Information the user has to Key-in 'Will be red and in inverted commas.' Annotation for trainees benefit Additional information Pay close attention to Refer to other documentation System prompts should be bold and italic in inverted commas i.e. 'Choose function' Example files or inputs will be in the courier new font, colours and styles used as before.

Chapter 2

Clash Detection

2.1 Clashes which are NOT Reported


Clashes are normally reported for each pair of design primitives, piping components or steelwork components that interfere, with the exception of interferences between the following pairs of items: Primitives belonging to the same equipment. Two structure or substructure primitives having the same owner. Two piping components that are connected. A piping component and the nozzle to which it is connected. Any component or primitive that has its obstruction value set to zero.

2.2 Invoking the 3D-Clash Utility


There are two ways of using the facility

2.2.1 Auto Clash utility


The On-Line clash utility can be used at the same time as using one of the Applications. It can be switched on by depressing the Auto Clash button on the far right of the Main Bar menu. This will show any clashes as they occur.

2.2.2 Clash Display


Alternatively, you may just check after completing a section of pipework (Make sure its Data consistency is clean). Using Utilities Clashes

Note: the Clash Display form will be display the information from the last time it was used. The clash run is performed using Control > Check CE which is described later

2.3 Setting Clash Defaults


To set the values to be used for the clash checks select Settings>Clasher>Defaults. This will bring up the form for setting your clash criteria. You may set the touch gap, overlap and clearance, and whether or not touches are to be shown as clashes or ignored. You may also specify that clashes within a branch are ignored or reported as clashes. Another option is to set Connections to be included, ignored, or with spec ignored 5

There is a toggle to set Clash Midpoint position on or off this can be used and is used by some applications to make sure the Clash Location is always reported the same. This facility is used by applications like Clash Manager.

3D-Clasher makes use of colours to highlight items that, from the set limits, are deemed to be clashing. The obstruction may be shown in a different colour to that of the clashing object showing at once that there is a clash and the items involved. The setting for these options can be pre-defined in a text file, which can be loaded via the Reset to File button on the form. Should you wish to return to the default values the selection of the Reset to System button will reload the standard defaults. Once you are satisfied with the settings, you may use either click the OK or Apply buttons to accept the current settings. The OK option will cause the current state of the form to be accepted and then closed, whereas the Apply option will accept the current state of the form but will leave it displayed.

2.4 Obstruction Levels


All Design and Catalogue database primitives have an attribute named OBSTRUCTION. The possible values for this attribute range between 0 and 2. They are used as follows: OBST 0 OBST 1 OBST 2 No obstruction A soft obstruction used to provide space for walkways, access to hand wheels, and so on. A hard obstruction used to indicate any solid object.

For negative primitives these effects are essentially reversed, so they will only be treated as holes if OBST = 1 or 2 (default).

2.5 Using the Obstruction Attribute in Your Design


When primitives are created in Design, the OBST attribute will always be set to 2 (hard) by default. If you require values of 0 or 1, then you must change the attribute to the value you want it to be. Careful consideration should be given to clash geometry, because the more objects you ask to be checked, the more time it will take to process your design. You can often represent the obstruction of a design item by enclosing it in one or two primitives, which approximate to the volume for clash checking purposes. The visual model may be very complicated, but by enclosing the whole volume in a simplified manner you can considerably reduce the amount of work that clash detection needs to do. As an example, a pump is generally constructed from a number of cylinders that make up the body, shaft, coupling and motor, plus a box for the base. The overall obstruction volume could be represented more simply by a single box, which encloses the whole area. The technique is to create both sets of primitives, with the enclosing boxes having an OBST value of 2, and all other primitives are set to OBST value of 0. In order to see the detailed version and not the enclosing box, you will also need to set the LEVEL attributes so that you get different representation at different drawing levels.

The clashes are reported in the following way: HH HS HI SS SH SI II IH IS Hard/Hard Hard/Soft Hard/Insulation Soft/Soft Soft/Hard Soft/Insulation Insulation/Insulation Insulation/Hard Insulation/Soft

The distinction between hard/soft and soft/hard clashes depends upon which primitive is regarded as the original occupier of the shared space (the fixed obstruction) and which is regarded as the intruder into that space.

2.6 Displaying Obstruction Levels in Design


You can change the way items are displayed in Design using Setting > Graphics.. and selecting the Representation Tab.

Obstruction can be set to various levels of translucency which helps with the clarity of the display.

2.7 Changing Obstruction Levels in Design


The obstruction level of Equipment Primitives is changed in design using Modify > Representation in the Equipment Application

2.8 Extent of Clashing


There are three types of clashes: Normal clash; where the primitives overlap by more than a specified amount. A touch; where the primitives overlap by less than a specified amount, or where they are separated by less than a specified distance. A clearance; where the primitives are separated by more than the amount necessary to constitute a touch, but less than a specified clearance distance

Overlap greater than 5mm A Clash

Overlap less than 5mm Touches

Gap less than 2mm

Separation more than 2mm but less than 8mm A Clearance

2.9 Spatial Map


The Clash detection first accesses a simplified spatial map of the design, rather than the fully detailed data held in the Design DB. This spatial map contains the sizes and positions of a series of rectangular obstruction limit boxes, each of which completely encloses a design element. The first stage of clash detection is to see if any of these obstruction limit boxes intersect. If no boxes intersect, no clashes are reported. If two obstruction limit boxes in the spatial map intersect, the detailed geometry of the elements within those boxes is examined to see if any of their constituent primitives intersect. The spatial map should be maintained throughout the project. To be sure it is up to date, before beginning clash detection, it would be wise to rebuild the map. This is achieved by typing the following command in the command line. (There is no UI for this option). MAP BUILD MDB

Chapter 3

Setting Obstructions

3.1 Setting the Clasher Obstruction List


To create an obstruction list use the menu selections Settings>Clasher>Obstruction>List

This will bring up a form similar to that used for the Drawlist in that you highlight the element that you wish to add, then use the Add button so that it is now shown in the obstruction list. When adding any element to the obstruction list all elements and primitives below the specified item are automatically incorporated into the list. By default the obstruction list contains all design elements in the current MDB. Items may be removed from the list only if they are shown by name by use of the Remove button. If for example a site were added, none of its members would be shown in the list, although they are included.

3.2 Setting the Clasher Exclusion List


If an element below the site was not to be part of the obstruction list for example a zone, then you must use a second list called the Exclude List. Control > Exclusion List on the Add/Remove Obstruction Items Form.

This list is created in the same way as the obstruction list but contains elements that are not to be considered as obstructions. To switch between the obstruction list and exclude list, use the control pull down.

3.3 Clasher Obstruction Limits


Creating a list is not the only way to set the obstructions; you may wish to have an area around items or a region that is to be used. This can be achieved by using limits to create an obstruction box. Any element that lies partly or wholly within the limits box will be checked. A clash between items that lie partially within the limits box will always be reported, even if the point at which the clash occurs lies outside the box. To use this option you must select the following menus Settings>Clasher>Obstruction>Limits

Once this form is displayed you may set your limits by using one of the options shown, either Cursor or Control. Selection of either one will give you choices on how to set the limits i.e. id (selection of an item), CE, No Limits plus other options. The use of No Limits will cause the values defining the corners of the box to be set to zero. A setting of zero in all fields will, by default, include all elements and primitives in the current MDB.

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Chapter 4

Clash Data

4.1 Displaying of Clash Data


Selection of Utilities>Clashes... from the main bar menu will bring up the form shown below. This form is used for starting clash checks that are not continuously carried out. This form is split into two regions, these being a textual area that outputs a List of Clashes and a graphical area similar to that used for the normal design work.

4.2 Clash Check CE


The Control selection will give you the choice to either, close the form and return to the main clash form, or to Check CE. The currently highlighted Item in the Design Explorer will be clash checked against the items defined in the obstruction list or limits as described earlier. Any clashes that are detected will be listed in the area of the form called List of Clashes. This list will be in the order that these clashes are detected and will state the type of clash that has occurred and which items are involved.

4.3 Filtering and Refreshing the Clash List


The List Option has two possibilities: Refresh or Clash. Refresh can be used to refresh the Clash Display If List>Clash is picked then the submenu is displayed showing the possible options of what may be displayed.

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If you choose List>Clash>Specify, this will cause the specify form to be displayed, which allows you to give the extent (physical, touch, or clearance) of the clash you want displayed, and also the clash level (hard-hard, hard-soft etc.)

NOTE:

If you restrict the type of clashes shown the number in the clash list may not be continuous if other types of clash are present but not displayed.

4.4 Navigating to Clash Items


Selection of the Navigation option allows you to navigate through the database directly to either the clash item or the obstruction items, depending on your choice from the submenu. Navigation > Clash Item Navigation > Obstruction Item Navigates to the clash item. Navigates to obstruction item.

4.5 Clash Query


The Query option offers the choice of Clash or Defaults. If Clash is selected you will see the submenu that offers either Details or Summary.

4.5.1 Query Clash Detail


Query>Clash>Details Displays the following information about the current clash.

The reference number of the clash on the clash list. The extent of the clash (physical, touch or clearance). The name of the clashing elements and their obstruction levels. The co-ordinates of the clash.

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4.5.2 Query Clash Summary


Query>Clash>Summary: Displays a form, which contains a report on the number of each type of clash and a total number of clashes for this check.

4.5.3 Query>Defaults
Query>Defaults: This displays a form showing what the current clash settings are, as covered at the start of this module.

4.5.4 Clash History


Selection of the History option will display a submenu with two choices; these are Redisplay or Empty. History>Redisplay: Rechecks all elements that have clashed while Autoclash has been set or since Empty was last picked. History>Empty: Empties the clash list of items that have clashed while Autoclash has been switched on.

4.6 Clash Display


The right hand side of the Clash Display form is a graphical window and works in the same way as any other graphical window utilising the same menu choices with one or two additions.

Typically the limits option has been extended.

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Exercise 1
Check your Pipes (check) against your Equipment (obstruction) for clashes. If it is clear of clashes, route a pipe through an equipment item on purpose to see the effect of Auto-Clash. You may have clasher running while you are working by depressing the Auto Clash button on the right of the main menu. This will check every item in the obstruction list against the CE.

Exercise 2
Check your Pipes against all the items in the database.

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Chapter 5

Desclash

As an alternative to using the UI, you may manually check your design using DESCLASH. To use this facility, all the commands must be typed into a command window. It is normally run by the Administrator via a macro. It contains extra commands that are not available to the UI.

5.1 Starting Desclash


To start up clash detection, in the commands window type: DESCLASH When you have completed the checking you must exit the program by typing: EXIT

5.2 The Output Device


As in all PDMS reporting modules, you have the option to send your output to your terminal or to a file. Type either of the following: TERM FILE /filename

5.3 The Obstruction List


To set the obstruction list you just give a list of names to be added to the list: OBST /CIVILS /EQUIP

5.4 The Check Command


To start the clash detection type: CHECK /PIPES or whatever item you wish to check against the obstruction list.

5.5 The Checkadd Command


The CHECKADD command checks an element against the existing obstructions and then adds it to the obstruction list. All subsequent elements are therefore checked against all elements defined in the CHECKADD command. CHECKADD /STRUS

5.6 Example Clash Macro


You may include positions of clashes in your report: DESCLASH FILE /CLASHREP REM OBST ALL OBST /CIVIL /EQUIP REPORT POS SITE CHECKADD /PIPES EXIT

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Chapter 5

Clash Output Report

CLASHER generates a report, which is split into three parts, the Header, the Main part and the Summary.

6.1 The Report Sections


The Report Header gives general information like the version in use, the clearances defined. The Main Body of the report details every clash found, including the type (hard, soft, etc.) the clash extent (clash, touch, and clear) and the identities of the elements involved. The Report Summary lists the total number of clashes found for each type plus the total number of elements checked. ***CLASH SUMMARY*** 6 hard/hard clashes 2 hard/insulation clashes 57 hard/hard touches 50 significant elements checked 9 significant elements interference free

6.2 Customising Clash output


You can customize the output from Clash; this output could be used to create a file incorporating clash data in a format suitable for input as a macro to another PDMS module, such as DRAFT. The process operates by merging the clash data with information read from a pre-prepared template file and then outputting the result of this merger to the required macro file. The template file must contain all necessary commands for the module to which the data is to be transferred, with coded keywords marking the locations into which the clash data is to be loaded. DESIGN then substitutes its clash report data for these keywords.

6.2.1 Clash Report Keywords


The keywords to be used in the template file, each of which is identified by $... $ markers, are as follows: $CLA1$ $CLA2$ $CLATYPE$ $CLAPOS$ $CLATEXT$ First clashing item Second clashing item Clash type Clash position in World coordinates Clash description as output in a standard report; for example HH TOU BOX 1 of /VESS1 with HEAD TUBE of /BRAN1 $CLANUM$ $CLAOWN1$ $CLAOWN2$ $$ Clash number Significant element owning first clashing item Significant element owning second clashing item Used to represent a single $ character in the macro file

6.3 Example of using a Report Macro


Create a file in the operating system called Repmac.txt Add the following to the file: $CLANUM$ $CLATEXT$ at $CLAPOS$

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Now type the following on the command line: DESCLASH REPORT MACRO /REPMAC.txt REM OBST ALL OBST /CIVIL /EQUIP CHECKADD /PIPES EXIT The output will now be of the form: 1 HS leave tube of FLANGE 1 of BRANCH /100-B-2-B1 with BOX /F1.PLANT.FLR-ACCESSWAY-23 at E5360 N10500 U2196

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Chapter 6

Approving Clashes (for Administrators only)

The administrator may specify one or more clashes within the Design DB which, although real interferences, are to be omitted from subsequent CLASHER reports. These clashes are known as approved clashes. The obstruction limits boxes for all approved clashes are identified in a separate list known as the approval list. Administrators may manipulate the approval data in the following ways: Add new clashes to the approval list. Remove clashes from the approval list. Re-approve clashes between items, either or both of which have been moved since approval was given. Output the current list of approved clashes. Save the approval list to a file so that it can be restored for use in a subsequent clash-checking session.

7.1 Example of approving a Clash


The following example was used in previous section and must have the Report Macro created. DESCLASH REPORT MACRO /REPMAC.txt REM OBST ALL OBST /CIVIL /EQUIP CHECKADD /PIPES Make a note of how many clashes were created. We will now for this example Approve the first clash. APPROVE 1 Run the Clash again CHECKADD /PIPES You will now have one less clash, as the Approved Clash is not reported. You can save the Approved clashes to a file for use in subsequent runs SAV APP /APPROVAL-1 EXIT The following example was used in a previous section and must have the Report Macro and the Approval file created. DESCLASH REPORT MACRO /REPMAC.txt RESTORE APP /APPROVAL-1 REM OBST ALL OBST /CIVIL /EQUIP CHECKADD /PIPES EXIT A full explanation of the use of Clasher can be found in The Design Reference Manual Part 4.

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