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Cadmatic V6 is full of improvements that ease the work of designers
and administrators. The software also comes with a totally new and improved
user interface (click here
for more info). Some of the most significant new features of V6 are
highlighted below:
Advanced
3D interfaces
The new interface was designed to be more efficient and this
has been achieved in particular with advanced 3D interfaces. The
X-ray feature, familiar from eBrowser, is now used in Plant Modeller
and allows the user to see what is being modelled even when obscured
by surrounding objects. This and the visualization of edges and
seams, make shaded views much more useful than before. Views can be
easily customized and can float freely which allows them to be
dragged between multiple screens.
As before, we are
piloting some new interface techniques in eBrowser. In this version,
it not only sports a new look but also has snapping, which allows
quick and exact picking of model geometry points. The new user
interface is much more than a makeover, but aims to provide the
designer with a totally new and more efficient user experience. The
user interface will remain at the forefront of development efforts
at Cadmatic and subsequent versions will not only bring these
changes to all modules, but will contain new features and
improvements as well.
Insulation
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6 brings with it the all new insulation feature that will ease
the work of designers significantly. Pipe insulation is
specification-driven which means that the different insulation
specifications can already be defined in the diagram phase.
When modelling the correct insulation and materials are
automatically selected according to the specifications and
requires no further input from the user.
This saves time and also helps
the user to identify the correct space allocations immediately
and to notice possible collisions while modelling.
Improvements have also been made to collision detection in
version 6 with two types of collisions, hard and soft
(insulation), now detected. Collision detection is more
precise in V6 than in previous versions and user-friendly
tools have been added to facilitate the acceptance or
rejection of collisions. |
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Mark-up
feature and visible edges
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In V6 the Cadmatic
eBrowser boasts a brand new mark-up function that is bound to
make all eBrowser users sit up and take notice. The extremely
useful mark-up tool allows the user to glue notes directly
into the eBrowser that can then be sent immediately to another
project partner for review or further commenting, without the
need to send an explanatory email or make further phone calls.
The user can
flexibly point out components and areas by drawing arrows or
encircling desired components to which the notes can be added.
The eBrowser has always been an excellent project
communication tool but with this new feature its reputation
will be further enhanced. In V6 snapping to pipe centre lines
and to edges has been introduced. This will allow the user to
make measurements even faster than before, adding further
power to the mark-up tool’s punch.
In V6 edges and
corners are visible, providing the user with much clearer and
more detailed information about the model. In shaded views and
in some axonometric views visible edges identify the true
position and composition of components that would not be
discernable without this feature. This feature is available in
both eBrowser and Plant Modeller in V6.
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Initial
Material Estimation
At Cadmatic there has recently been an increased focus on developing
tools to increase the scope of use of the software in the early
design phases of plant design projects. The Initial Material
Estimation (IME) tool in Cadmatic Diagram is an example of such a
development. Once the basic plant dimensions are available and the
general process and component P&ID’s have been created, the IME can be used to generate an estimated list
of materials and components that will be required in the plant.
This is an extremely useful tool for rapidly estimating the
materials cost of a plant as early as the concept design phase.
Functional
design template
The functional design template tool is an extremely useful tool for
storing and reusing model objects or object sets as functional
design templates for later use. The user simply picks piping
elements, hvac, layouts or components from the 3D model and stores
them in the library for later use. When the user works with a
similar area or component set etc. at a later stage the functional
design template can be inserted into the model after which the
necessary adjustments are made. This saves a lot of time in the
early design phases and enables design companies to make more
efficient use of design materials from previously completed
projects.
New
hole management
In V6 the hole management tool has been completely reengineered. It comes with an improved and expanded toolset for managing holes in
objects originating from Cadmatic and third-party software such as Napa Steel, Tekla etc. Doors and door holes are fully supported and a larger set of holes is also available. New hole types that are supported include super-elliptical holes, elliptical rectangular holes, asymmetrical manholes, rectangular holes with protruding rounded edges, and triangular holes. There are no limits to which model objects the tool can manage. When locating a component into the 3D model the user simply pics the steel structure and directs a hole request.
New
advanced tutorial and help material
A new and extremely easy-to-use tutorial is now available for model
building in Cadmatic Piping. It requires the installation of an
example project during Cadmatic software installation. The tutorial
is divided into three chapters and provides detailed instructions of
the mandatory steps required to start modelling including creating
an area for Plant Modeller and Pipe, defining design area limits and
setting views. This is followed by an introduction to routing
fourteen pipelines with examples on how to navigate and create
isometric drawings. The final chapter covers view management, hiding
objects and clipping views. The tutorial has already proven to be a
hit with its first users with praise coming in for the ease with
which new designers can get started with the help of the tutorial.
ERP/Material
management systems integrations
The Cadmatic development team has several ongoing projects with
current customers concerning ERP and materials management system integration projects. Among these is STX Europe in Finland,
internationally renowned for building the largest cruise ships in
the world, for which a special integration between the Nupas-Cadmatic
Diagram module and the yard’s Logimatic Mars system has been
developed. Cadmatic is well placed to provide its customers with
similar integrations to their ERP and Mars systems.
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