AVEVA E3D 2.1 Equipment Associations Training-Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 6

Equipment Associations

This chapter gives an overview of associations and describes the use of the Equipment Association utility within AVEVA E3D.

6.1

Overview of Assoc Associations iations

Associations are user defined co nstraints (restrictions) between two or more objects in the Model database. The restrictions provide logic that can be evaluated to describe how the objects relate to each other. Associations may include: 

Geometric restrictions, e.g. the origin points of two elements must be co-incident.



Checking the existence of elements, e.g. a hole exists for a pipe to pass through.



Attribute comparison, e.g. the material of the associated elements are the sam e.

AVEVA provides a set of core association definitions that are used in the AVEVA E3D utilities and applications that use associations, i.e. Equipment Associations, Hole Management and MDS. The User is also able to create alternative association definitions for user defined utilities and applications. Associations are passive, passive , i.e. they must be queried to see if they pass or fail their defined restrictions. An association cannot resolve itself if it is broken. It must be clearly understood that association utilities and applications are NOT geometric NOT geometric constraint solvers.

 For dynamic geometric constraints attribute rules should be used. Information on these can be found in the AVEVA E3D help files and reference guides. Attribute rules are not discussed in this Training Guide.

6.2

Associations Hierarchy

Association Definitions Definitions are stored in read only Design (DESI) database with the following hierarchy elements.

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AVEVA Everything3D™ (2.1) Equipment Modelling TM-1811

Associations are stored in a Design database with the following hierarchy elements.

6.3

How Equipment Associations Work

When an Equipment Association is created, an instance of the selected Association Definition is created in the first Association Group (ASSOGP) element with the Purpose attribute set to ASEQ and the references set for the objects involved in the association. The restriction(s) of the association are tested and if the results are valid the association is passed and if invalid, the association is failed.

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6.4

Types of Equipment Associations

The Equipment Associations utility provides pre-defined associations for equipment based on the AVEVA supplied core associations. The types of equipment associations are:

Mate

Two faces are touching (coplanar) or separated by a given distance. Directions defined by the two face normals are parallel and in the opposite direction.

Align

Two faces are aligned (coplanar) or separated by a given distance. Directions defined by the two face normals are parallel and in the same direction.

Parallel

Two directions are parallel, pointing in the same direction or in opposed directions.

Parallel Offset

Two lines are parallel and separated by a given distance.

True Distance

Two points are coincident or separated by a given distance.

Elevation

The elevation of two points is separated by a given distance.

Horizontal Distance

One point is vertically above the other point, or separated in the horizontal plane by a given distance.

Point Line

A point is vertically above or below a line within a given tolerance.

Above

The equipment associations outlined above require association reference planes to be established between Model elements. The reference planes can be established on the standard P-points for primitives or on additional design points created uniquely for associations.

6.5

Adding Design Points to Equipment

Although existing P-points of equipment primitives may be picked for the association reference planes, it can be quite difficult to pick a particular graphical point in a 3D View where many elements are displayed. To make it easier to select reference points or lines to be used in an Association, it is recommended that Design Points are created in Design Templates, and P-points in catalogue items that identify themselves as connection points for associations. Copyright © 2013. AVEVA Solutions Limited and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved.

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AVEVA Everything3D™ (2.1) Equipment Modelling TM-1811 However, if these points are not available in the templates or catalogue items, Design Points may be added to EQUI element, or UDETs based on an EQUI, at appropriate locations in the element so that they are readily available to users when creating associations. The Association Design Points must have their Purpose attribute set to a four character value where the first two characters are chosen by the user defining the point, and the last two characters must be ' FA'. For example, an Equipment may be created with three Association Design Points with Purpose attributes set to CLFA for centre-line, BOFA for bottom face and TOFA for top face. Any number of reference points can be created for each element, but it is recommended that only the most commonly used reference points on each type of equipment or catalogue item are defined in this way, otherwise they will become difficult to identify in a 3D View. On the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Tools group, clicking Design Point button displays the Design Points form. This allows the creation of a Design Point Set (DPSE), owned by an EQUI or UDET based on an EQUI.

Three types of Design point may be created:

Cartesian Point (DPCA) A Cartesian Point’s position is specified in terms of X, Y and Z coordinates from the origin.

Cylindrical Point (DPCY) A Cylindrical Point’s position is specified as a position on the surface of a cylinder at a given position from the origin and with given dimensions.

Spherical Point (DPSP) A Spherical Point’s position is specified as a position on the surface of a sphere at a given position from the origin and with given dimensions


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6.6

Equipment Associations – A Worked Example This worked example uses the Equipment Associations utility to create and modify equipment associations using the equipment elements of the training project. Association Worlds (ASSOWL) and Association Group (ASSOGP) elements are required for Equipment Associations and Hole Management. These elements are present in the Model Explorer but are hidden by default. On the PROJECT tab, select Options > System > Explorer Settings to display the Explorer Settings form. Uncheck the Hide non-user System Data checkbox and clicking the Apply button. The hidden elements are displayed in Model Explorer


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6.6.1

Creating an Association

Empty the Drawlist and add ZONE-EQUIPMENT-AREA01 to the 3D View. Identify the two pumps named /P1501A and /P1501B in the 3D View. A Parallel Offset association will be created for these two pumps to ensure that their centrelines remain parallel at a minimum distance. With P1501B as the CE, on the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Associate group, click Equipment button to display the Equipment Associations form. Note that P1501B is displayed at the top of the form as the Association Item.

 If an EQUI item, or UDET based on an EQUI, is not the CE when the form is opened, the majority of the form is greyed out until the Select Association item… link label is clicked and a valid element identified in a 3D View. Click the Parallel Offset radio button to set the type of association required. Click the Pick Association Partner Element link label to display the prompt ‘Pick an Element to associate with’ and pick P1501A from the 3D View. Note that a graphics aid arrow, labelled ZDIR is displayed on each of the selected items.

 In this example the ZDI R points represent the default reference planes on the items, i.e. the origin of the pumps.


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When the partner item has been selected the Equipment Associations form changes to display further creation details for the association.

 The two selected element names involved in the association are displayed in separate areas of the form. Enter P1501A/B_POFFSET in textbox.

the

Association

Name

Select Min. from the Separation options list and enter 1800 in the adjacent textbox. This means that the two pumps must have a minimum centreline separation of 1800mm. Check the Measure Association checkbox to display a dimension aid in the 3D View. The measured distance is between the selected reference planes, or points, e.g. in this case the origins of the two pieces of equipment.

Click the Create Association button to create the parallel offset association between the two pumps. Note that the association Test Result displays Passed as the measured distance was 1830, i.e. greater than the minimum of 1800mm. The association is now displayed in the Associations Between These Objects list and the Create Association button changes to the Apply Changes button. Click the Back button to display the Participates in Associations list in the Association Details frame.


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Right click the newly created association in the list to highlight it in blue and display the pop-up menu: Select the Navigate To option and note in the Model Explorer that the Association (ASSOC) element, stored in the Association Group (ASSOGP), is now the CE.

Click the Modify Association link label to return to the previous display mode.

Double click P1501A in the 3D View to invoke Editor mode. Using the X Axis Linear handle move P1501A towards P1501B by at least 200mm. Without leaving Editor mode, right click on the association in the Associations Between These Objects grid and select Test this Association from the pop-up menu. The Test Result column now displays Failed as the distance between the pumps is now less than the required 1800mm minimum.

Right click the in the Associations Between These Objects grid again and select Association Details… from the pop-up menu to display the Association Detail form. This form gives details of the selected association including the Test Result for the association and for the restriction(s) and the elements involved in the association. In this example, the Parallel Offset association has only one restriction. Other associations may have two or more restrictions. If any one restriction fails the whole association fails. The Association Detail form will give details of the restriction(s) which have failed, causing the association to fail. Close the Association Detail form.

Click the Undo button on the Quick Access Toolbar to move P1501A back to its original position. Press Escape to exit Editor mode. Re-test the association to ensure that the Test Result is now Passed. Click the Back button on the Equipment Associations form to return to the previous form display showing the association types.


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6.6.2

Modifying an Association

Once created, an association may be modified at any time by clicking the Modify Association… link label or selecting the Modify… option from the pop-up menu in the associations list. Select the P1501A/B_POFFSET association in the list and click the Modify Association link label. Note that the form changes to display the selected association as described in the creation process. Change the name of P1501A/B_POFFSET_MIN and dimension of 1500 in the textbox.

the enter

association to a new minimum

Click the Apply Changes button to accept the changes.

6.6.3

Creating a Second Association for the Same Items Click the Back button to return the form to its previous display. Note that P1501B is still the association item. Click the Select new Association partner… link label to display the prompt ‘ ‘Pi ck an Element to as s ociate with’ and select P1501A. Enter P1501A/B_POFFSET_MAX in the Association Name textbox. Select Max from the Separation options list and enter 2200 in the adjacent textbox. Click the Create Association button to create the new association. Click the Back button to return to the previous display and note that there are now two associations involving pumps P1501A and P1501B.

Test the associations by moving either pump beyond the maximum and minimum constraints before returning them to their original positions.


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6.6.4

Selecting Reference Planes

For the associations created previously in this worked example the default ZDIR origin plane was used, however, reference planes may also be selected from existing P-points on elements consisting of primitives or Plines from structural profile elements. Clear the Drawlist. Drag and drop pumps :PUMP P1502A and :PUMP P1502B from ZONE-EQUIPMENTAREA01 and :SLAB BASE_SLAB from ZONE ZONE-CIVIL-AREA01 into the 3D View and use the PowerWheel TM to set Limits Extents. Identify pump P1502B in the 3D View. A Mate association will be created between the pump and its concrete base using selected reference planes. Click the Select Association Item… link label at the top of the Equipment Associations form and select P1502B from the 3D View. Click the Mate radio button to set the type of association required. Click the Select Association Partner Element link label to display the prompt ‘Pick an Element to associate with ’ and pick P1502B_BASE from the 3D View. Note that a ZDIR aid default reference plane is displayed on each element; however, the plane on the pump is at its origin, which is not in the correct position for the association. Click the Pick reference Plane… link label in the Source Element frame to display the prompt ‘Pick reference P - point’ . Left click and hold on the pump baseplate BOX primitive and select the lowest of the three P-points displayed at the centre of the primitive, i.e. P6.

 It may be necessary to use wireline mode to select the P point. Click the Pick reference Plane… link label in the Partner Element frame to display the prompt ‘Pick reference P - point’ . Left click and hold on the base BOX primitive and select the upper of the three P-points displayed at the centre of the primitive, i.e. P3.

Enter P1502B/BASE-MATE in the Association Name textbox. Select Equal from the Separation options list and enter 0 in the adjacent textbox. Click the Create Association button to create the association and check that the Test Result has passed. Click the Back button on the Equipment Associations form.


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Right click on the newly created association in the list and select Association Details… from the pop-up menu to display the Association Detail form. Note that this association comprises of two restrictions, one that the directions of the reference planes must be parallel and opposite and one for the separation, i.e. Distance 1st member point to 2nd member plane. Move the pump up using the Editor mode and re-test the association. Check the association details again and note that only one of the two restrictions has failed, i.e. the separation.

Return the pump to its original position and exit Editor mode. Close the Association Detail form and the Equipment Associations form.

6.6.5

Creating a Design Point

Make pump P1502A the CE. On the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Tools group, click the Design Point button to display the Design Points form. Select Create > Cartesian Point… from the form menu to display the Create – Cartesian Design Point form. Note that a DPSE element has been created below the :PUMP P1502A element in Model Explorer.

The Design Point will be placed in the centre of the bottom face of the pump baseplate. Enter Bottom Face in the Description textbox and BOFA in the Purpose textbox. The direction of the Design Point needs to be down, therefore, enter D in the Direction of Design Point (Z) textbox. Leave the Normal direction (Y) as N. The co-ordinates of the point may be entered in the relevant textboxes or picked graphically Click the Pick… button to display the prompt ‘ Define Posi tion (Snap) Snap: ’ and left click and hold on the pump baseplate BOX primitive and select the lowest of the three P-points displayed at the centre of the primitive, i.e. P6. The co-ordinates of the selected P-point (wrt /*) are displayed in the relevant textboxes. Copyright © 2013. AVEVA Solutions Limited and its subsidiaries. All rights reserved.

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AVEVA Everything3D™ (2.1) Equipment Modelling TM-1811 Click the OK button on the Create – Cartesian Design Point form to create the Design Point. Close the form and return to the Design Points form where the Design Point is now displayed. Note the DPSE and DPCA elements in Model Explorer:

Close the Design Points form.

6.6.5.1 Using a Design Point as a Reference Plane

Make P1502A the CE. On the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Associate group, click Equipment button to display the Equipment Associations form. Click the Mate radio button and click the Pick Association Partner link label. Pick the P1502A_BASE element in the 3D View. Select BOFA from the Use reference Plane options list in the Source Element frame. Click the Pick reference Plane link label in the Partner Element frame. Left click and hold on the base BOX primitive and select the upper of the three P-points displayed at the centre of the primitive, i.e. P3. Enter P1502A/BASE-MATE in the Association Name textbox, select Equal from the Separation options list and enter 0 in the adjacent textbox. Click the Create Association button to create the association. Move P1502A using Editor mode and test the association as described previously.

6.7

Deleting Equipment Associations

Equipment associations may be deleted by highlighting the association in the list and clicking the Delete Association link label at the bottom of the Equipment Associations form. Alternatively, the association may be deleted by right clicking the association in the li st and selecting Delete from the pop-up menu.


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6.7.1

Deleting an Association Member

If an element participating in an association is deleted, the Association test will return the result false to indicate that the association has failed. It is possible to find out which element has been deleted by inspecting the Association Member (ASSMBR) elements for a bad reference in the Amemrf attribute.

6.8

Association Manager

The Association Manager enables the user to view all Equipment Associations or a selected subset of the Equipment Associations in the project. On the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Associate group, clicking the Manage Associations button displays the Association Manager form.

The Association Filter frame enables the associations to be viewed to be filtered.


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The Show options list entries are: 









Current Element – this option displays all associations which the current element is involved in. Selected Purpose – this option activates the Purpose options list where ASEQ can be selected to display only Equipment Associations. Failed – this option displays all associations with a Status of Failed. Invalid – this option shows all associations where the settings are incorrectly specified and are invalid. Contain Invalid References – this option displays all associations where one or more of the ASSMBR elements has its Amemrf attribute set to an invalid reference.

The filtered associations are displayed in a grid in the Associations frame, displaying the Association name of the association, the Description of the association type, the Purpose and the two elements involved in the association. Clicking the Refresh button refreshes the list. Right clicking any association in the Associations grid displays a pop-up menu which has the following options: 











View Association Elements – this option zooms into the association items in the 3D View. Navigate To – this option has a sub-menu that enables the user to navigate to the association (ASSOC) or either of the association items in Model Explorer. Delete Association – this option deletes the selected association. Export to Excel – this option displays the Save Association Data As browser that enables the user to select a folder and filename to save the entire association grid to an Excel (.xls) file Print Preview – opens a standard windows print preview dialogue and allows the grid to be printed.

Left clicking on any association in the list highlights it in blue and populates the Associated Detail frames of the Association Manager form.

Restrictions and

The Restrictions frame displays the Restriction Description and Status for the one or more restrictions that make up the association in a grid. Right clicking on any entry in the grid displays a pop-up menu with the same Navigate To functions described previously. The Association Detail frame displays the Target (reference plane) of each element, the Position of the target, the Direction and XDistance, YDistsnace and ZDistance of the two reference planes and the Actual Distance between the points. Right clicking on any entry in the grid displays a pop-up menu with an option to Navigate To Target, i.e. the primitive, and the same export and print functions described previously.


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6.9

Organising Equipment Associations

Association Worlds (ASSOWL) and Association Groups (ASSOGP) for the storage of Equipment Associations (and other associations) may be created, modified, deleted and organised using the Organise Association Store form. On the EQUIPMENT tab, in the Associate group, selecting Browser from the Manage Associations button options list displays the Organise Association Store form.

The form displays all ASSOWL elements in the project in a grid and has link labels to enable Association World (ASSOWL) elements to be created, modified and deleted. The Show Association Groups link label replaces the Association World grid with an Association Group grid and link labels to enable Association Group (ASSOGP) elements to be created, modified and deleted.


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Exercise 5 Equipment Associations Create a Mate association between the bottom face of C1101 skirt and the top face of the :SLAB BASE_SLAB element. Test the association by moving the slab element.


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AVEVA E3D 2.1 Equipment Associations Training-Chapter 6

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