Release Highlights 2018T2

Version 2018T2 includes many additions that increase the productivity of work in 3D and the accuracy of production data. Here is a short summary of the main highlights:

  • Tools for easy modification of Diagrams with grips, new consistency check tool, and possibility to load eShare data directly to Diagram
  • Deny boxes in replication to ensure IPR in distributed projects
  • New tools for cut and join toll for pipe, ducts and cable trays in 3D model
  • Support for Unicode symbols in Hull applications opens possibility to use any language texts on drawings
  • 3D and 2D shrinkage compensation for shell plates, chain dimensions, additions for shell plate bevels and profile sketch templates for face plates
  • Hull Clone functionality to shift heavy operations to computers in the network connected to the project
  • Angle dimensions in eBrowser and eGo, additions to import of IFC files to eBrowser.

Diagram

Easy to modify: drag lines and move symbols or labels with grips

Version 2018T2 supports an intuitive way to modify diagrams. It is easy to drag lines and move symbols or labels and keep lines connected using visual grips. A small dot in the midpoint of the line or symbol indicates the grip point. By simply dragging, the item can be relocated.

2D drawings

Data from eShare to Diagram

When a project is connected to the eShare server, the user can view eShare data directly from the Diagram.

View objects eShare data -window

Consistency check

By default, a Consistency Check is performed before a diagram is released to 3D modelling in order to guarantee the validity of the data in 3D design. The Consistency Check can be run directly from the diagram ribbon for the active diagram. The following issues are reported and many of them can be solved directly with the use of the Consistency Check tool:

Conflicting flow directions
Pipes, valves and instruments without nominal sizes
Diagram items without proper identifier (e.g. Pipeline or Position Id)
Unconnected ends of pipelines, instrument lines and cables

Topology Check covers inline instruments

The functionality of inline instruments is generally similar to the functionality of valves. It is now possible to define in Options that the Pipeline is set automatically also to Inline Instruments. Inline Instruments inherit the nominal size from the Pipeline or from the piperun just as with valves. When inline Instruments have the Pipeline and nominal size, they behave just like Armatures in Topology checks.

Consistency check -window

Easy to find text from diagram.

The text types include drafting text, label text or text from reference drawings. The tool will zoom in and center the view of the diagram to selected text.

Find text -window

Outfitting & Plant Design

Deny boxes in replication

Filtered replication was released already in 2017, in version 2018T2 we have added an extra layer for protection of intellectual property rights – deny boxes. When a replica site is created, it can be restricted with regards to access to some areas in the 3D model. The Deny box at the replica site will hide objects in the 3D model visually, leave empty spaces in eBrowser files and hidden boxes in 2D drawings. This allows access to an area while specific knowhow can be restricted, even though subcontractors need access for the project.

Plant 3D model in window

Outfitting holes in shell plates

A request for Holes in outfitting is now applicable also for shell plates. All hole types are supported. The hole status in Hull controls the approval and the production method.

Outfitting holes 3D image

Cut and join pipes/ducts/cable trays

New visual tools show cut planes in all similar cases: cutting pipes, ducts or cable trays. When the cut tool is enabled, moving the cursor over a pipe finds the nearest centerline point, and the designated point and the cut plane are visualized for the user. There are also text labels that indicate the distances from the centerline endpoints, and the distance values can be manually edited to move the cut point to a specific location. Also for joining operations, the cut point is clearly visualized.

Cut and join 3D image

Replacing ducting parts

The tool allows the user to replace a straight air duct piece with a fixed-size duct part. If the replacement part is shorter than the existing duct piece, the system adds as many instances of the part as needed to fill the same space. The system stops adding parts if the added part would replace a portion of the duct piece that has a part added to its side.

Replacing ducting parts -window

Hull

Shell application developments

Shrinkage compensation is now possible in 2D and 3D directions. A shell plate can have a shrinkage compensation attribute. In this case, the default 3D shrinkage compensation is overruled by the 2D shrinkage compensation attribute when it is coded.

The Shrinkage Compensation user interface is similar to the Shrinkage Compensation for regular plates. For shell plates, the 2D shrinkage compensation direction can be defined by the user in order to align the compensation.

The Shrinkage Compensation symbol is assigned the same direction as given in the user interface. The Shrinkage Compensation properties can be checked by using the 3D-Information function.

The 3D Shrinkage Compensation, as defined in the system manager for regular plates is now also applicable for shell plates. The 3D Shrinkage Compensation enlarges the shell plate in its 3D directions while the 2D Shrinkage Compensation enlarges enfolded shell plates in the direction of the Shrinkage Compensation attribute.

2d drawing of plates

Outfitting holes in Shell plates

A request for Holes in outfitting is now applicable also for shell plates. All hole types are supported. The hole status in Hull controls the approval and the production method.

Outfitting holes 3D image

Chain Dimension

The chain dimension supports 2D, 3D and Along shell dimensions. These dimension types are now available in Contek applications and Shell.

The user can select which surface should be used when this function is used in the Shell plate application while in Contek the selected side will be used. The dimension is underlined when it does not present the length in this view.

This feature is implemented as a general feature, and it is mandatory for jigs drawings.

2D measurements window

Amplitude Type file line

The new Amplitude statement gives the user more flexibility when defining ends, cut-outs, and holes.

The Amplitude statement has the same flexibility as the Circle statement. A fourth parameter has been added, which defines the curve depth of the arc. When the value is zero, the arc will be a line while still supporting the arc. Another important change is that the Line statement is skipped when it has a length of zero. With this change, the Circle and Amplitude statement will use the previous or next Line statement.

The pictures above are examples of this new method, which makes the definition so flexible that only one type is applicable for all four shapes.

3D shell plates

Hull Cone

The new “Hull Clone” feature provides users with the possibility to execute heavy operations, such as updating, recalculating or exporting all blocks using Javascript. The user can control all settings and run the script on any machine, connected to the project with access to project data. The “Hull Clone” feature helps to significantly reduce the time needed to recalculate all parts, in use cases, such as Hull shape updates, changes in parameters or reference planes in HilTop, sending blocks to Outfitting or exporting 3D data. This means that time-consuming operations do not need to use resources from users’ computers and can be shifted to the server, for example.

Weld Management

The bevel generator also supports shell plates to reduce manual adding of bevels on shell plates in a block. The bevel generator considers all shell plates in a block for calculating the weld length and adding bevel attributes automatically. It does so based on the settings provided by “Plate In Plan View”. Only “planar” connections are included (T-connections are not handled). The system checks for shell plates related to the same hull line and that have a part of their contour in common.

Support of Unicode symbols

Hull supports Unicode symbol characters in drawings, sketches, and DXF/DWG. Text on cutting data is currently under development and not available in version 2018T2. The user can insert and modify Unicode symbol characters in drawing functions and system management settings. It allows the creation of all output data in any language by using Windows fonts.

Unicode symbol characters cannot be used in any files names, as these are stored internally in ANSI format. For more detailed information and instructions, please check the Release Notes.

special characters in interface

Profile sketch template for face plates

The user can define three profile sketch layouts: normal, small for profiles without holes of bending data, and composite for profiles with face plates. When the small layout setting is not present, all the profiles use the normal layout. When the composite setting is present, an extra sketch is created for the composite face plate. All the sketches are combined under: create profile sheet” setting.

Profile sketches

Information Management

eBrowser

Improved measure tool

The Measure tool also provides angle dimensions between lines when two lines are selected for slope and rotation values, if the same line is selected twice or for an angle between a line and a coordinate plane.

Measurements in Plant 3D image

More information in eBrowser

More information published from 3D model to eBrowser: information about node points of equipment and standard components and values of enumerated attributes.

Data information window 3D model next to it

Importing IFC models has been further improved

When the user imports multiple models, it can be done by adding them as command-line parameters. Re-importing is needed only if the original IFC file was updated, otherwise it opens the converted file directly.

eShare

eShare app: support for 64bit and new visualization in public beta

In the 2018T2 release, we provide our customers with the opportunity to try the new 3D visualization in a 64-bit eShare app. This public preview version contains the new visualization core, a big step forward in how eShare models look, and takes the rendering performance to a whole new level. You can install and try it, also to test the compatibility of your hardware. There is no risk of losing any data, and you can always revert to the official version.

The public preview version is not an official version as there are known minor issues that we’re still working on, but we want to give you the opportunity to see and experience the new visualization, and the possibility to give feedback before the official launch. The new visualization is already useful for most purposes, please refer to a separate document in the Release Notes describing how to take the eShare app into use.

eShare UI with 3D model

Linking DXF formats

Since version 2017, eShare has supported linking with documents in PDF and DWG formats. In version 2018T2, documents in DXF format can also be added, including the possibility to inject links into 3D model.

For a list of smaller additions and improvements, please check the Release Notes.

eGo

New developments for eGo

eGo continues to gain more functionality related to its close connection with eShare. Dynamic hierarchies are loaded to eGo together with the 3D model so that colors can be changed on the fly according to the attributes values. Also, the user can multi-select objects to assign status information.

Other new developments are the availability of links between 2D documents and the 3D model in offline mode and optimized syncing of documents for offline use that includes only updated documents.

eGo UI with 3D model