What's New in PlantSpace Design Series v7.1

New Administrative Features in PlantSpace Design Series Version 7.1

Project-Related Tools
Database
Label Tools
Miscellaneous

Note: Because files in this release are arranged in a new directory structure, a new appendix has been added to explain this structure. Appendix B of the Design Series Administrator Guide describes the drives and directories used, and maps their paths to the former paths in Design Series v2.0. This guide, as well as all other Design Series v7.1 documentation, is installed (by default) to c:\Bentley\Program\triforma\DesignSeries\Docs as a series of PDF files (Adobe Acrobat).

Project-Related Tools

Project-Driven Approach to Working in Design Series
If you have set up two or more projects, a project selection dialog box is now automatically displayed when you start a Design Series application so that you can work in the appropriate project directory.

Multiple Projects in the Same Database
V7.1 has the capability to facilitate multiple projects in the same database instance. This feature gives you more flexibility in managing your databases.

Project Configuration Enhancements
V7.1 also uses MicroStation project configuration files to make it easier for you to configure different projects.

Database

Administrator Database Tools
This Web-based utility enables you to perform administrator or management tasks on the AMS database after you configure it.

New ODBC Driver Compliance
Design Series v7.1 is compliant with ODBC v4.0 drivers currently available from Microsoft. For more information go to your Design Series 7.1 CD and see either the "read1st_DS_v71.htm" file (Installation Requirements section) or the "readme_DS_v71.htm" file (Prerequisites section).

Branch Table Editor
A graphical matrix of run and branch combinations has been added to SpecMaker. This feature enables you to specify branch connection types by using a visual matrix that contains the various combinations of run and branch sizes. This enhancement also substantially reduces the number of guidelines that were required in V2.0. Synchronization speed for specs in V7.1 has also been dramatically increased because of coding changes in the program.

Label Tools

Label Display Tool
This utility enables you to display the entire label (all the attributes) for a selected component. You can then select a specific attribute to be displayed, along with its position in the label.

Label Map Tool
This utility creates a mapping of the label attributes for all components in a selected data file. For example, this allows you to determine where you have space in a label to add new attributes.

Label Position Report Generator
New functionality contained in the Label Position Report Generator enables you to display the label positions being used in a report format. This utility creates a mapping of the label attributes for all the components in a selected data file so that you can determine where you have space in a label, for example, to add new attributes. This is very helpful in determining which positions can be used and which positions may be conflicting.

Miscellaneous

Upcoming Design Series IsoExtractor Interface to L/ISO
Upon release of IsoExtractor, you will be able to configure the program to produce the type of intelligent isometric drawings that you want containing dimensions, labels, and material take-offs.

Online Help
You can access the contents of PlantSpace Design Series documentation from:

• The Help menu on the MicroStation menu bar
• The Help menu in applications outside MicroStation that have a menu bar
• The system menu in applications outside MicroStation that do not have a menu bar

Revised Design Series Administrator Guide
The following new and revamped information has been added:

• Expanded chapter on setting up your data source
• Expanded chapter on setting up and maintaining the AMS database
• Expanded chapter on configuring the AMS database to meet your project needs
• New chapter on managing a project
• New chapters on configuring stress neutral files, reports, and isometric drawings
• New appendix listing the file extensions commonly used in Design Series
• New appendix showing the directory structure of Design Series 7.1 compared to Design Series 2.0

New Book, PlantSpace Design Series Reference Guide for Administrators
This book was created from the appendixes of the PlantSpace Design Series Administrator Guide and expanded with new lookup information. The following pre-existing parametric modeling user functions were also documented:

• ILmodel
• SDNF_DATA

New End-User Features in Design Series Version 7.1

Note: Because files in this release are arranged in a new directory structure, a new appendix has been added to explain this structure. Appendix B of the Design Series Administrator Guide describes the drives and directories used, and maps their paths to the former paths in Design Series v2.0. This guide, as well as all other Design Series v7.1 documentation, is installed (by default) to c:\Bentley\Program\triforma\DesignSeries\Docs as a series of PDF files (Adobe Acrobat).

Intelligent Line (IL) Tools

• IL Review enables you to select an IL to modify and answer a prompt as to whether to modify the IL with the default IL settings or modify each component individually. The IL Review command can also regenerate graphics while performing a multiple edit on a query. By highlighting a common attribute, the selected items in the query will be replaced, and the connecting pipe will be trimmed appropriately or will flag areas for fitting-to-fitting scenarios.
• Modify IL Vertex enables you to click the vertex of an IL and drag the vertex to a modified location with the cursor. The populated piping components will change as required (elbows and pipe adjust automatically).
• Resize IL (a part of the Place IL tool) enables you to change the Size attribute on an IL. Any components that were placed on the IL will automatically be adjusted to accommodate the new size in diameter.
• Place Pipe on IL (ask corner type) enables you to interactively place any elbow or bend type at each vertex of the IL while the IL is being created.
• Modify Elbows on IL, Modify Valves on IL, and Modify All Components on IL enable you to selectively or globally modify these component types on an IL.

New IL Functionality and Enhancements
Both the Move IL Segment and the Move Multiple IL Segments commands have been modified to allow non-sloped or sloped segment(s) to be moved without having two parallel segments. The segment(s) selected to be moved would remain intact, as the start point, end point, and slope will stay the same. The slope and length of the adjacent segments will automatically be recalculated and modified as needed.

Component Placement

• A mitered elbow has been added to the Pipe Elbows toolbox.
• An Air Valve has been added in the Pipe Valve toolbox.
• A Nipple tool and Bellows tool have been added to the Inline Pipe Components toolbox.
• A Pressure Tap (Ships Axis) tool has been added to the Pipe Taps toolbox.

Some toolboxes have been renamed and tools reorganized for usability purposes.

Component Placement Options
You can now place components by spec or choose directly from the catalog. This feature enables you to toggle between a "spec driven" and "catalog driven" option. An administrator can disable the catalog option if desired.

Multiple Standards Support
The multiple standards support enables you to place components of multiple standards, such as ANSI, DIN and manufacturer-specific standards, into the same project.

Place from P&ID
You can now reference a PlantSpace P&ID into a 3D Design Series modeling session and set the piping specification and design conditions for modeling by hot matching the element on the P&ID.

Additional Fittings
Several fittings and a few complete fitting lines were added to the catalog files. These include:

• PVC sch. 40 and 80 plastic pipe and fittings with both threaded and spigot (fitting) ends
• Victaulic Press-Fit components and PVC drain, waste and vent (DWV) fittings
• Hygienic clamped and buttweld fittings (per ASME - BPE 1997)
• Tube compression fittings and valves
• AWWA fittings such as HDPE, FRP, Iron MJ, flanged plastic and steel Victaulic

Multiple End Conditions
Multiple end connections on the same fitting have also been added. This feature enables you to specify up to three dissimilar end connections with various design conditions for the same fitting. You can create these multi-end type fittings by simply adding data to the catalog table. This enhancement also eliminates the need for additional rule files to implement a new end condition. The Victaulic Press-Fit end, Sanitary bio-tech clamp and buttweld (per ASME - BPE 1997), and tube compression end types have been added for version 7.1.

Database

User Database Tools
If you need to work with a component that is checked out by another user, you can view the name of that user. You can then contact the user or your administrator to unlock the component if the user is not available to check it in.

SQL Query Wizard
To simplify data extraction from the AMS database, a query wizard has been added. This wizard can be used together with the Model Control System and the Query Utility.

ISO and Drawing Generation

Note: If you need to use company-specific drawing borders, additional option switches, or generate data reports such as weld schedules or material control files, an upgrade to Personal ISOGEN is required. This allows all option switches to be edited as needed.

Upcoming Access to a New Third-Party Isometric Product
In the near future, you will be able to create intelligent isometric drawings automatically from Design Series models by using IsoExtractor from LOGOS, BV. Note: This product is not supplied with Design Series v7.1. A separate license is required.

Additional View Option in Hidden Line Creation
An additional view has been added in version 7.1. You can now create a bottom view of the model using the Design Series Hidden Line Creation tool.

New Utilities

• Access External Data
  This utility enables you to interactively select components in the 3D model and view user-defined external data on-screen
• Delete Superimposed Component
  This utility deletes a component that is superimposed over another component as a result of accidentally appending the same design file more than one time.
• Update Symbology by Attributes
  This utility updates the level, color, style, and weight of a pipe component or entire pipe service to identify each service visibly by symbology.
• View Component In-Use Information
  This utility displays information on a component that you cannot access because it is in use for various reasons. The information displayed tells you which user to contact.

Miscellaneous

Display of Nominal Sizes in Both Imperial and Metric Units
A new button in the attributes dialog box in 3D modeling displays nominal sizes in both imperial and metric units of measure.

Minor Enhancements and Fixes
Approximately 150 minor enhancements and fixes were incorporated into V7.1 including an increase in the number of attribute label positions from 588 to 1196.

Online Help
You can now access the contents of the PlantSpace Design Series documentation from:

• The Help menu on the MicroStation menu bar
• The Help menu in applications outside MicroStation that have a menu bar
• The system menu in applications outside MicroStation that do not have a menu bar

• New chapter on working with piping specifications using Specification Maker 7.1
• New appendix listing the file extensions commonly used in Design Series