Database Management

Data is oftentimes thought of as a string of 1's and 0's, this is true to an extent. These programs have made data easier to understand, and work with so your company can succeed in a ever-increasingly data driven world.

“We’re entering a new world in which data may be more important than software.”
— Tim O'Reilly

Programs like CADWorx and AutoDesk Plant 3D are primarily database management programs. While these programs make drafting and designing easier, their primary advantage is being able to add and extract information from a project database. The data is represented different ways (P&ID, Piping Diagrams, ISO's), and the designer must link it together within the program in order to take full advantage of the time saving abilities of the program. 

SIA's Database Management option is a Quality Assurance/Quality Control service for your heavily integrated projects.  QA/QC is the combination of quality assurance (the process or set of processes used to measure and assure the quality of a product) and quality control (the process of matching products and services to consumer expectations). Shared data must be linked correctly throughout the project. Incorrectly linked data objects in drawings create many problems:

  1. Disorganization in drawing (and deliverables) - The best presentation of your company’s deliverables relies on organization. Members of your team frequently use drawing organization as a source of information. In addition to looking good on the sheet, organized documents ease future efforts to identify and gather information about the project. When an object is inserted into a drawing, but isn’t linked together in another discipline, it is referred to as “orphaned”. Some examples of easily orphaned objects likely showing up in a disorganized project are: P&ID Equipment, P&ID Off-Page Connectors, P&ID Process Lines, Piping Sections, and Valve.
  2. Likelihood of repeat work - To use data-intensive programs correctly, all team members must understand and prepare for proper data entry of their objects. After an object (pump, valve, and/or equipment) has been placed by the designer and properly annotated/tagged in a project, the data is included in the project database. If the team member does not include pertinent data associated with their new object, a different, opposing discipline member may insert the same piece of equipment in their drawing and re-enter the data. This creates repeat work and added chaos in the project database.  Correcting this misinformation, with it is time to create various deliverables, requires much work.  
  3. False picture of project status -  Both management and clients are very interested in project progression. These programs enable easy generation of usable reports for accountability. When your team does not utilize aspects of these programs, a false picture of the team progression emerges. If a project is 30% complete, the database should be 30% built, as well.  A robust database quickly generates deliverables such as: control valve list, equipment lists, instrumentation lists, nozzle lists, specialty item lists, process line list(s), etc.  

The problems associated with poor data management require every team member to be aware of their actions as the project continues.  SIA's Database Management option examines the link between P&ID, Piping Drawings, and any other deliverables in order to account for all lines and objects on each sheet. SIA's methodology for mitigating these harmful effects of poor data management are highlighted below.