Tessenderlo Group — System for Engineering and Maintenance Purposes

Belgium based-Tessenderlo Group consists of more than 100 branches with approximately 8100 employees in 21 countries. The goal of its project was to centralize and connect all
plant information from several sites across several countries, making the information available throughout the group and eliminating redundant data. It also involved capturing existing information and documents produced by an earlier CAD system. This resulted in enormous time savings.

The operations sites are constantly undergoing engineering modifications in which precise data and documentation are required, and that results in the generation and updating of many project documents. The central database enables engineers to automatically generate design views, generate isometric drawings, and create material lists and their associated documentation.

The database contains close to 9000 equip-ment records, in more than 15,000 pipeline records, and 22,000 valve and instrumentation records connected to design information. The group has developed standard data sheets containing precise and accurate information that is useful at revamps and for maintenance work. The database also contains thousands of technical data files required for other parts of Tessenderlo Group.

AutoPLANT is used to create all of the group's 2D and 3D graphical data. Tessenderlo Group developed an interface called PIDA on top of its AutoPLANT database to create bidirectional links among design drawings, data, and project documents. Information originating from the previous CAD system is systematically converted with AutoPLANT's conversion toolkit.

The graphical user interface makes it very easy to retrieve information. By querying any piece of equipment or instrument in the 3D AutoPLANT design review model, all technical data and documents of the component are displayed. Knowing the unique tag number of a component enables the user to retrieve a history of all revisions about the component as well as all project documents.

Via PIDA, AutoPLANT also is connected to the group's existing electronic document management system provided by Océ. The new electronic document management system, via PIDA, will support several uses for maintenance and operations staff.

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