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Product category: 3D CAD software
News Release from: CAD Schroer | Subject: MPDS4
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial Team on 12 November 2007

Software eases design of water treatment
systems

Medusa4 allows the design team to easily export their 2D arrangement drawings as PDF files for exchange with customers and supplier.

Christ Kennicott Water Technology has migrated to the the Medusa Plant Design System's (MPDS) fourth generation The company chose MPDS4 to deliver bespoke water technology solutions to clients all over the world

Christ Kennicott is a supplier of customised water treatment plants to clients around the globe.

The company works on a project basis to create the suitable solution for pure and ultrapure water production, drinking water production, or the treatment of wastewater and sewage.

Medusa4 offers the flexibility, interoperability, ease of use and reliability key to today's CAD marketplace.

Christ Kennicott operates a flexible and efficient design and manufacturing system, running on a project rather than a production principle.

Speed and accuracy are both important elements in its design process, as the principal cost in a plant project is the design time.

The ratio between design time and manufacture is larger than in a manufacturing scenario, where a single design is used to manufacture thousands or millions of identical parts.

Optimising the design process is very important.

Often, the first batch of pipes required is already being manufactured as the last lot are still being designed.

Christ Kennicott's products include complete new water treatment plants, as well as "quick fix plants", which can be shipped out in two containers on the back of lorries and are typically deployed alongside existing treatment installations to increase water quality.

Because of the nature of its business, the units Christ Kennicott provides can be located in remote areas and must require little maintenance.

Manjit Singh, Drawing Office Manager at Christ Kennicott's headquarters in Wolverhampton and Paul Munns, Senior CAD Engineer, said "While the process plants we provide to our clients are all custom projects, we don't start the design completely from scratch when an order arrives".

"We use a library of standard modules, which we assemble here on-site".

"Each module is made up of hundreds of components, including vessels, pumps, valves, pipework and supporting steelwork".

"These are used as a starting point, being laid out, customised and augmented to meet the customer's specifications".

"So we need a system that enables us to make the maximum re-use of data, while also allowing great flexibility".

"I'm currently working on a condensate polishing plant for the Lagisza supercritical power plant in Southern Poland, commissioned by Alstom Power", explains Paul Munns.

"It's got three service units for water polishing, sitting on a platform with their own modular pipework - there are three of these modules in total".

"Then there is what we call a Conesepr system, which is two vertical vessels; they both sit in their own cradles".

"The new factory layout module is a massive plus" he said.

"We tend to start with drawings from our clients that show the building the plant will be designed for and now, with Factory, rather than having to remodel that building with all the walls - where you easily get mistakes - we take that drawing straight in, delete the bits we don't want and get the software to automatically create the room in 3D.

Within an hour, you're all set to start putting your vessels in".

"We're using it on all of the jobs we're doing right now".

"It's great and gives you a very good cross-reference back to your 2D drawing".

Dave Wickett, Engineering Manager at Christ Kennicott for the past two years, adds, "The drawings we get are typically in AutoCAD DWG format".

"The excellent level of interoperability provided by Medusa4 has been a big point for us in the decision to migrate".

"While Paul and his colleagues work in MPDS4, in 3D, there is still some drafting work done in AutoCADR".

"To be able to jump backwards and forwards between the systems is great" Munns said.

"I can create the 2D view from the model, save it out as an AutoCAD sheet; they open it and within minutes update their data".

Once the basic layout of the large treatment equipment is done, designers use the functionality in MPDS4 to route the interconnecting pipework and steelwork.

Finally, control systems and other supplementary design details are completed.

Medusa4 allows the design team to easily export their 2D arrangement drawings as PDF files for exchange with customers and suppliers during the design process and also saves to DXF/DWG for delivery upon completion.

3D images from Plant Design are exported as 3D DXF.

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