CADWorx Webinar Series

Webinar, July 16th, 12:00pm CST: Developing Vessel Fabrication Drawings using PV Fabricator

with Chris Schiller, COADE Inc

Register for this Webinar.

Fabrication drawings are at the heart of communicating vessel design to the fabrication floor. Generating accurate and on time vessel drawings is critical to any vessel business. Using PV Fabricator will help produce these critical deliverables on time and more accurate than previous methods. This exciting new COADE product has been specifically designed for vessel and heat exchanger manufacturers to help produce accurate production drawings. Chris Schiller will demonstrate the functionality of PV Fabricator and how this important tool can save you time and money in the generation of fabrication drawings. Please join us for this free webinar presented by Chris Schiller and COADE.

Speaker bio:
Chris is a Technical Sales Representative with Plant Engineering Solutions for COADE, Inc. He has worked for COADE since 2001 and is responsible for increasing CAESAR II, PV Elite, and PV Fabricator sales in the U.S. and abroad. This experience has made him very knowledgeable about the Engineering Analysis products implementation and their best practices. This gives him the proper background to provide technical presentations and training sessions dealing with the full suite of Engineering Analysis products.

2009 COADE User Conference Keynote Speaker

COADE has signed the World's Funniest Guitar Virtuoso, Mike Rayburn to join Tom Van Laan as the keynote speaker at this year's User Conference. Mike uses his astounding guitar creations, uproarious songs and presentation skills to encourage, challenge and inspire his audiences to step beyond their perceived limitations. Mike Rayburn draws from a wealth of life experiences as an adventurer, comedian, published songwriter, author, philanthropist and father, to deliver a keynote presentation which is completely energizing and entertaining. Featured in Newsweek, USA Today, Billboard, Gig, and on the nationally acclaimed and syndicated Bob and Tom radio show, Mike Rayburn has received standing ovations at all 3 of his Carnegie Hall performances.

www.COADEUserConference.com

Best Regards,
Joseph Dixon
Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions

2009 COADE User Conference

September 28th to 30th, 2009 - Houston Texas

The 2009 COADE User Conference has been scheduled for September 28-30 in Houston Texas. This event is built upon the success of the 2008 CADWorx User Conference in which 300+ people attended from all over the world. This year all of COADE's products CAESAR II, CADWorx, PVElite, CodeCalc and TANK are being supported with fresh content and product specific classes.

So if you want to know more about the products you use every day or how COADE's other products can work with in your work flow then this is the event to attend!

Each attendee will be able to participate in classes covering over 60 topics to include all of COADE's products. A pre-conference golf tournament is also scheduled for Sunday September 27th at a premier golf course. At the kick off session a keynote address will be delivered by Thomas J Van Laan, PE, President and CEO of COADE. Monday and Tuesday evening receptions are also included.

As always networking opportunities will be plentiful.

The cost of this full 3 day conference is $995 until July 1st, after which the price will increase to $1195. Visit www.COADEUserConference.com for more information.

We hope to see each of you in September.

Best Regards,
Joseph Dixon
Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions

Access Database Queries

In this introduction to CADWorx and Access Database queries, we'll walkthrough setting up simple database queries and develop an understanding of how to put a query together.

1. Opening a query in Design view and adding fields
2. Using Criteria to limit the results.
3. Examine the query in SQL view and see how it works.

Included is a zip file with sample databases for line numbers, and queries that filter for existing components.

CADWorx and Access Database queries

2008 CADWorx User Conference Success

The 2008 CADWorx User Conference held in Houston Texas has concluded and has been a tremendous success with over 300 in attendance this year. Nine Class sessions were offered with 25 different topics taught during the three days. Receptions were held both Monday and Tuesday evenings. The golf tournament was held at the famous Redstone Country Club, home of the Shell Houston Open. Although the weather turned on us while on the course the event was exceptional and everyone had a great time. We have received many great comments from those who have attended and will be reviewing these in preparation for next year's COADE User Conference. The efforts of so many individuals helped make this year's user conference outstanding. From the instructors, exhibitors and dealers to the hotel and COADE staff everyone was involved in seeing this succeed.

I want to personally thank everyone involved and know that due to your efforts we succeeded in our inaugural year. Most importantly I want to thank all those who attended this year, CADWorx success is due to you, thanks.

Visit the COADE User Conference 2009 website (coming December 1^st) for more details on next year's conference and some pictures from this year's.

Joseph Dixon
Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions
COADE Engineering Software

Topworks Features

Topworks is without a doubt the best new feature since Isogen edit.... in my opinion of course :-)

Topworks does not needto be added only at right angles to the valves, by swithcing off ortho (f8) you can place spindles, levers etc. at user defined angles.

Using the new improved operator toolbar, use the top works add command.

Choose the valve requireing the topworks and then choose the relevant data file. Back in the note that on the command line you can enter an angle.

Once the Spindle has been drawn note the isogen information on the command line.

Exporting to Isogen, we find the spindle direction is automatically placed based on our model along with the relevant offset angular values.

2008 CADWorx User Conference

The 2008 CADWorx User Conference is scheduled for October 20-22 in Houston Texas. The venue has been selected and the Conference website is online. This is a great opportunity for you to get out of the office and network with your fellow CADWorx users from around the world. Everyone who attends will receive a copy of the CADWorx Video Training DVD, CADWorx Plant Professional a $650 value. Please visit the Conference_Website for more information and to register for this great event.

See you in Houston Texas

Best Regards,

Joseph Dixon

Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions
COADE Engineering Software

MEP and CADWorx

We've been running CADWorx on MEP the last few months and had to run through several issues to get CADWorx to run on the base AutoCAD without loading the MEP modules.

The key to getting running AutoCAD MEP as plain AutoCAD is in the registry.  After running the setup profile routine from CADWorx (or adding the support path to your profile), double-check the registry to make sure your profile has a DWORD of IsPureAcadProfile = 1.

To check this (close all AutoCAD sessions), go to Start->Run and type in regedit, then press enter.

Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\(version)17.2\Profiles (View this photo).

This will display a list of the profiles in your AutoCAD version.  In the AutoCAD profile you can see the DWORD IsPureAcadProfile is set to 1 (View this photo) , in the MEP the DWORD is set to 0 (View this photo).  An examination of a CADWorx profile shows that this entry is not there (View this photo).

To add, right-click on the profile and select add->DWORD (View this photo). Enter "IsPureAcadProfile". By default, the value will be 0, double-click to edit and set it to 1.  When you start up your CADWorx profile you sessions will act like AutoCAD without loading any of the MEP modules.

Forcing SKEYS

Often it will be quicker to modify the SKEY of an exist CADWorx component that is similar in appearance than going the whole User Shape and Custom SKEY route.

Needing to create a cooling tower like below and getting it to show up on Isogen correctly users can do the following to save time.

Model some small bore piping to simulate the cooling tower. The SKEY we are wanting to use is EX**

Now in the ISOGEN CEDIT we will notice that we can change the identifier for the SKEY, but not the SKEY itself.

To force an SKEY we would need to go back to the CEDIT Dialog and insert the following into the TAG Field: SKEY=EXFL.

Close down the CEDIT Dialog box and reopen to now access the Isogen Data. Note how we have forced an SKEY onto the Component. It's good practice to then clear the TAG Field as this will override all the SKEY settings from the Isogen Data back to the TAG Field SKEY if the Isogen data is edited at a later stage.

Turn grouping off, delete the pipe solid and replace with a realistic looking 3d solid to make the model look neat.

Running our Iso it looks the business.

CAD Workstation recommendations

Hardware recommendations for a CAD Workstation that will utilize 3D Modeling in CADWorx Plant.

First off… if you plan on utilizing CADWorx in 3D, you need a system that won’t limit your creativity. Also, I recommend using dual screens.  You will need to get comfortable in using dual screens, preferably 19, or 20 inch LCD screens. (no widescreens)

That said...

If you run AutoCAD 2007, or 2008, you will notice the enormous amount of resources that AutoCAD demands of your system.  Here is my recommended list of the individual components that will meet or surpass the minimum requirements for AutoCAD and CADWorx.  I will list first, a system for a good budget, then one with no limit. (Dated: January, 2008)

• Processor – Dual Core 2 dou (E6850) 3.0ghz (supports 1333mhz FSB)
• Ram - 4gb (ddr3-1333)
• HDD – WD Raptor 150gb 10,000 rpm (SATA)
• Graphics Card – Nvidia Quadro FX1700
• CD/DVD – Liteon DVD/CD writer (SATA)
• MB – A motherboard that supports FSB of 1333mhz (ex.ASUS P5K64 WS)
• OS – Windows XP Pro (don’t trust Vista)
• Monitors - 19” or 20” that support DVI
• (Price range: $3,000 -$3,500)

• Processor – Xeon Quad Core 3.0ghz (supports 1333 FSB)
• Ram – 4gb (ddr3-1333)
• HDD -  WD Raptor 150gb 10,000 rpm (SATA)
• Graphics Card – Nvidia Quadro FX5600
• CD/DVD – Liteon DVD/CD writer (SATA)
• MB – A motherboard that supports FSB of 1333mhz and Quad Xeon (ex. SuperMicro X7DVL-L)
• OS – Windows XP Pro (again, don’t trust Vista)
• Monitors – 19” or 20” that support DVI
• (Price range: $5,000 - $8,000)

Steve Lozano

Sr. Piping Designer/Systems Administrator

Nicholas Consulting Group, Inc.

Microsoft Certified Professional

CompTIA A+ Certified IT Technician

How CADWorx uses the data file to draw shapes

CADWorx Plant ships with an Example.spc that has one entry for every component.  The data files used with the Example.spc are located in the ..\CADWorxPlant\LIB_I\EXA\ directory.

The ZIP EXE download link (http://www.coade.com/cadworx/examplefiles.exe) has an updated set of these files and includes a drawing for each data file.  Each drawing explains in more detail how the data file columns are used to generate the component graphics.

These drawings may help in understanding how CADWorx Plant uses the data file to draw the shape.

The ..\CADWorxPlant\Spec\DataFile.tbl file also has a listing of all data file columns used with different component type.

Eating the Competition

Here is a picture of CADWorx eating the competition.

Thanks to Andrew Taylor of Chempute Software for taking me on a little safari in South Africa. Shot from his car.

Best Regards,

Joseph Dixon

Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions
COADE Engineering Software

CDT 2008 Africa

We have just finished our 20^th CDT 2008 in South Africa with three events, two in Johannesburg and one in Durban. This was a great success with a good turnout of both users and prospective users. Most everyone left with something of benefit including me. Chempute, our Global Network Partner in Africa, did a fantastic job in putting on these events. So far we have met with hundreds of users throughout the world. The CDT 2008 is intended to instruct, inform and promote the use of CADWorx. It is also a forum for me to listen to the users and their needs and desires for improving CADWorx. We hope everyone will have an opportunity to attend one of these events. Several more are scheduled for South America, Spain, and Portugal. To register go to CDT 2008 Event Registration and select the event you wish to attend.

Best Regards,

Joseph Dixon

Product Manager - Plant Design Solutions
COADE Engineering Software

Readme.htm

Have you ever wondered how some people can find out the new commands so fast? Well, it's really no secret. Coade has always documented all the new features for each release and build in a file called Readme.htm. This file is always located in the root folder of the application. If CADWorx Plant 2008 is installed on your local C: drive then you will find the file in C:\CADWorx Plant 2008\readme.htm. Below is a cutout section of the readme file showing what was added and what's new in CADWorx Plant 2008 and its latest builds. Not only does the readme.htm document all the new features but, also, shows the new features added to previous releases.

CADWorx Discovery Tour a hit in Singapore

5th December 2007 witnessed about 75 CADWorx users and potentials coming together in Singapore. A full report and pictures can be found if you    click here.

Beginnings

From the immortal words of John Lennon we need to "Come Together Right Now". This is the beginning of our new CADWorx User Blog. This blog is dedicated to all the great designers out there who spend every day designing our world and making it run a little better. Enough of the mush, now down to the real meat of this blog. I want to make a place where you as designers can give feedback on the tools you use every day. Not just the CADWorx tools but any tools you may be using. This will be a great place to see new ideas coming out and make comments on them directly to the CADWorx design team here at COADE.

Joseph Dixon
Product Manager
Plant Design Solutions
COADE

One Full Year as PM

I have now been with COADE one full year and what an experience. I have been working in the petrochemical industry as a designer and manager for 21 years and felt I had a good grasp on what was required to design good plants. After traveling the world and enjoying great conversations with many of you I have discovered I have a lot more to learn. First thing I discovered is the world does not look to America for everything. Each region of the world has their own way of doing things and all are very good. Designing a plant in SE Asia or the Middle East although familiar is quite different to that of North America. I have also learned that CADWorx is not just for the petrochemical, oil and gas industries but is being used throughout all industries requiring piping design from water treatment to mining to pharmaceuticals. Thanks to many of you I have been able to open my mind a little more and see from a different perspective. As product manager of CADWorx I need your help and input to keep me focused on the big (World) picture. I commit to listen to your needs and try to understand your views as we work together to improve CADWorx for everyone. I look forward to meeting many more of you as we travel around the world. Thank you again for making the world a little better by all that you do.

Joseph Dixon
Product Manager
Plant Design Solutions
COADE Inc.

AutoCAD DISPSILH and ISOLINES Settings

The AutoCAD settings of DISPSILH and ISOLINES control the display of AutoCAD solids.  The ideal setting for viewing piping components is:  DISPSILH = 1 and ISOLINES = 0.  These values can be set at the AutoCAD command line or from the AutoCAD OPTIONS dialog.

Start CADWorx with Autodesk vertical product

To start CADWorx with Autodesk vertical product, follow the steps below:

Step 1:  Start Autodesk vertical product from the desktop icon or from the Windows Start Menu.
Step 2:  Add the CADWorx ..\Support\ directory to the Support File Search Path
Step 3:  Exit out of Autodesk vertical product.
Step 4:  Start Autodesk vertical product again from the same icon as Step 1.  CADWorx will now start with the Autodesk vertical product.

After installing or updating CADWorx, the pull-down menu is not visible

To re-load the "Plant" menu from CADWorx Plant Professional / CADWorx Plant, run the command LOADMENUPLANT

To re-load the "P&ID" menu from CADWorx P&ID Professional / CADWorx P&ID, run the command LOADMENUFLOW

To re-load the "Equipment" menu from CADWorx Equipment, run the command LOADMENUEQUIP

To re-load the "Steel" menu from CADWorx Steel Professional / CADWorx Steel, run the command LOADMENUSTEEL