Capturing reality

AVEVA has highlighted the usefulness of having a photographic record of key equipment items through the design, fabrication and installation process.

The average plant design project involves hundreds of thousands of changes to information, from minor attribute changes to major equipment change outs. According to AVEVA, discussions and decisions about these changes form part of the everyday review and approval process based on the current information available, such as catalogue, specification, geometry, attribute and process information.

The physical appearance of fabrication and construction arguably provides a new and uniquely accurate description of the environment in which the design must be implemented. 3D laser capture can allow this source of information to be brought to the design team for change resolution.

Photographs offer a more easily accessible and cheaper route for sending information through to designers. The context offered by photographs can have a positive effect on the design collaboration. If fabricators are able to capture images of the progress of a project and send them through directly to the designers authoring tool, linked to the object, then the designer would be provided with a new perspective on their design and would be immediately able to spot obvious discontinuities. Hence, photographs arguably represent a new opportunity to add value to the client during commissioning and start up.

Adapted from press release by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/product-news/12052014/aveva_on_photographs_in_plant_design_projects_58/