what do you want to start?

[ing-me]

good evening to all, I am new to the forum though I have happened several times to read your posts that I judge very interesting. as mentioned in the presentation I am a graduate in neophyte engineering of software cad, I only got in touch with solidworks and my knowledge is still quite gross, despite still learning something. I would like to ask someone more experienced than me which cad is better to learn how to make projects of thermal and other plants. I have seen on the autodesk site that you can download trial versions of autocad mep, but I do not know if it is the most suitable for my purpose. I would also like to ask you if there are tutorials or online courses useful for learning this cad. I apologize for extending, thank you all in advance!

 

[volaff]

the most popular cads from companies in general are:

Cat
nx unigrapchis
solidworks

 

[cacciatorino]

the most popular cads from companies in general are:

Cat
nx unigrapchis
solidworks

I don't think they're very dedicated to planting, but it's a sector I don't know and so maybe I'm wrong.

 

[re_solidworks]

I think the distribution depends on the area and the sector. in my area and in the areas in which I work catia and nx are almost unknown. from my solidworks and inventor parts if they play it about a par and are the most popular, I would say a slight advantage for solidworks. are rarely found creo and solidedge.
If you change area and move close to mold production areas you will find other more popular cads, see nx-catia and creo. returning to thermal plants projects, do you mean piping? what size (number of manageable lines)? If you have to make big plants you have to see the specialized products com pdms or cadmatic, in this forum there was a long discussion about it.

 

[ing-me]

first of all thanks for the various answers! we mean piping and design of thermal plants, but also perhaps production. for the size especially now that they are at the beginning I think starting from small plants. I read in the forum on an old discussion that cadmatic or pds are a kind of must of the industry, but they are high-level software, I as said are still a beginner and I would like something simple and practical to learn. on solidworks I have seen that something can be done, would you tell me if it is suitable to acquire the basics or if I have to start with something else? exist tutorials, contests, guides, steps to follow or anything that can be useful to one at first weapons like me? thanks again to all

 

[cacciatorino]

first of all thanks for the various answers! we mean piping and design of thermal plants, but also perhaps production. for the size especially now that they are at the beginning I think starting from small plants. I read in the forum on an old discussion that cadmatic or pds are a kind of must of the industry, but they are high-level software, I as said are still a beginner and I would like something simple and practical to learn. on solidworks I have seen that something can be done, would you tell me if it is suitable to acquire the basics or if I have to start with something else? exist tutorials, contests, guides, steps to follow or anything that can be useful to one at first weapons like me? thanks again to all

I would avoid encapsulating myself into learning a cad, and I would rather learn the design of the sector that interests you. You can also become an expert on solid edge or inventor, but if you can't distinguish a 1/2-thong connection from a tube-based condenser, what do you need? What do you think is that you know about the hypothetical company that should hire you?

If you have time to study and you care about this sector, I wouldn't waste time on a cad or another one, but I would dedicate myself to more substance.

 

[Parametric_Ozzy]

I would avoid encapsulating myself into learning a cad, and I would rather learn the design of the sector that interests you. You can also become an expert on solid edge or inventor, but if you can't distinguish a 1/2-thong connection from a tube-based condenser, what do you need? What do you think is that you know about the hypothetical company that should hire you?

If you have time to study and you care about this sector, I wouldn't waste time on a cad or another one, but I would dedicate myself to more substance.

I agree with hunter, the cad is only "the tool" final.. .each with its peculiarities and one of those cited above maybe the vertical cads to play are fine, but first I would study thoroughly the matter because only so you will be able to understand what better reflects your needs.

 

[ing-me]

Hello, thank you for the answer. I fully agree with you, you do not need to know how to use tools to design if you do not know how to design. I do not consider myself an expert, the way in terms of training and experience is not that at the beginning, but of the theoretical bases from where to start I have, I am going to graduate in mechanical engineering. for one aspect of my thesis I found myself in contact with solidworks without anyone teaching me to use it, even if it was actually assumed that I could use it. Now the computer-assisted design fascinates me and fascinates me and I would like to deepen my knowledge and expand them to the field of my interest, in which I do not consider myself an expert but addressed in my course of studies

 

[numero1]

If the discussion you refer to is what I think of then the subscriber should also have participated in its time.
if you talk about piping for large plants what wrote you re_solidworks is + what correct.
As far as I'm concerned, I can only give you news of bentley-autoplants, pds and pdms.......... attention are not the same sw!

It is good to specify it in the capital because many and many times I have happened that many people talk to me about one referring to the other and vice versa.

pds was a must indeed, produced by the intergraph represented the top of the top at its time, and leaned on the graphic engine of microstation.
I'm using a time in the past because despite many companies still using it, pds was retired and destined to die.
slowly but to die....... .
his sw-house brought out his successor, who is smartplant3d.
that I haven't even seen live yet...... .

pdms was another must, produced by he had disputed for years the scettro of best cad for piping to pds and others.
pdms did not lean on any external sw, and being born after he had a + long life, but also now it is in the condition of pds.
the last version turns out to be the 12.5 sp2, after ché his sw-house pulled out his successor everything3d, which I have not yet seen live........................ Neither did he.
so now pdms will die, but its condition is better than its rival, will be used for a long time by several important companies.

bentley-autoplant (I write bentley because the autodesk has a similar product with almost equal name) is a good sw to make piping of large plants, but disconnects a greater ease of use (user friendly) with a lower power, decidedly lower.
a power equal to pds, but it is moooolto + dated.

Hi.

 

[ing-me]

Hello, thank you so much for the most exhausting answer! Now my only problem is to find a way to start getting familiar with one of the software you mentioned. Unfortunately now I have only solidworks available and with this I learned to do something even though still only pure mechanical design. can this sw also only for pure exercise be useful to my purpose? having seen that in the project library you can use elements for piping. but above all there are courses, tutorials or anything that can help me? until now I have found so much but almost exclusively for pure mechanical design. thanks again for availability!

 

[numero1]

I do not know solidworks, but I am not surprised that it is possible to use elements of and for piping, however I remain doubtful that it can go beyond pure mechanical design.
in the case of pipes and pipes, only and only for the machine edge......... If you understand what I mean.
for a plant of some hectare, with over 1,000/2,000...... thousand thousand lines I see hard with solidworks.
Hi.

 

[MarcoBi]

to learn I would recommend you to familiarize yourself with the terminology piping and start with a not too challenging prg as for example it can be a vertical application of autocad (there are different and of all price bundles).
as someone has already said the cad is only the means with which you can model a plant.
I would recommend you to deepen the b31.3, and in parallel try to define, perhaps using one of the above cad instruments, a class for pipes (also well for " tap water" :smile
the exercise is challenging but allows to understand how many and what difficulties can be encountered in the definition of a class and in the management of the corresponding database for a piping modeling program.
done this you will have acquired the minimum skills to select the cad suitable for your needs.
See you soon.