Smart Isometrics Workflow - Intergraph Smart Isometrics - Help - Hexagon

The three typical workflow scenarios for using Smart Isometrics are outlined below:

Convert specifications workflow

In this workflow, you use I-Convert to convert existing piping specifications for use in Smart Isometrics. I-Convert supports all leading plant design systems, including PDS, PDMS, AutoPLANT, and CADWorx. See the Smart Isometrics I-Convert Help.

Import existing design data workflow

This workflow enables you to import existing 3D piping data (in IDF or PCF format) from any Isogen-enabled 3D design system directly into Smart Isometrics. After the data is imported, you can then use Smart Isometrics tools and features to edit the data as needed before generating the isometric drawing. Typically, this workflow is used for as-built projects. See Import and Export Piping Data .

Stand-alone workflow

This is the most common workflow. The only needed input is a piping specification in Microsoft Access MDB format. You can use the specifications delivered with the software, or you can create your own using Material Editor. See the Smart Isometrics Material Editor Help.

Smart Isometrics reference data

Smart Isometrics is a specification-driven application. Before a piping project can begin, you must define the reference data, including piping specifications and catalogs. Depending on how reference data is managed, you use the Intergraph Material Editor software to build a single comprehensive materials catalog, often referred to as a “master” catalog, or several catalogs. A materials catalog usually consists of a database of component types, including pipes, flanges, bolts, gaskets, fittings (such as elbows, tees, and reducers). The database contains detailed size information about each component, such as bores and dimensions. It also contains information regarding the material item or stock code, component weight, schedule, rating, and end type, as well as any number of user-defined materials and component attributes.

While the number of components included in a typical piping specification can be in the hundreds, or even thousands, a materials catalog is much larger, with several thousand individual components. You can think of a specification as a subset of all the components in a materials catalog. A catalog includes all the components that you can use at any given time, but the specification includes only those components that you can use in a piping design project. The table below outlines the basic differences between a piping specification and a materials catalog.

• A sample material database is delivered to the local computer during installation. However, we recommend that you use this database only for instructional purposes and not for live projects. To create, edit, and manage the reference data needed for Smart Isometrics, you must use the companion product, Intergraph Material Editor. This software provides a single environment in which you can customize the additional material, bolts, coupling, supports and welds that are used to edit and detail the pipelines that you import into Smart Isometrics to produce spool sheets and isometric drawings. Refer to the Material Editor Help for information about creating a customized material database.

• If you do not specify an alternative material database in the project defaults, Smart Isometrics uses the sample database by default. See Project Defaults and Attributes in the I-Configure Help.