ClearEdge3D (Herndon, Va.; www.clearedge3d.com) today released EdgeWise Plant 3.0, with six major new features to optimize and accelerate 3D-modeling workflows. The software automates the extraction of complex CAD pipe geometry from 3D laser-scanned data, dramatically reducing time to create accurate as-built 3D models of process plant facilities.
These new features represent a significant step forward in plant modeling technology and promise even greater efficiencies for engineering firms and owner/operators alike. EdgeWise Plant 3.0’s new features include the following:
• 64-bit, multi-core processing which extracts pipes up to twelve times faster than previous releases
• Quality assurance tools which allow firms to validate the accuracy and fit of every pipe
• Improved extraction algorithms identify nearly all the pipes in the scene
• New automated finishing tools to quickly connect pipe runs and fit any missed pipes to the point cloud
• SmartSheet technology extracts key pipe intelligence such as OD, length and bend into an easy-to-edit worksheet
• Exporting of pipes to layers or levels in AutoCAD, MicroStation or Cyclone
Nick Bobbitt, an early EdgeWise Plant 3.0 user, recently completed an MEP project using the new software. “Edgewise Plant 3.0 models pipes at warp speed,” he commented. “We were able to complete our project at least 60% faster and the new QA tools ensure pinpoint accuracy and control.”
The new QA tools in 3.0 rank extracted pipes by the quality of the pipe’s fit against the point cloud. Poorly fitting pipes can be easily edited to conform precisely to the scan data. Any pipes missed in the first-pass extraction can be quickly added and fit to the point cloud. The new software also extracts critical intelligence about the pipe runs and displays it in a worksheet, which users can annotate and edit. When the model is complete, the pipe geometry and intelligence can be exported as layers or levels in AutoCAD, MicroStation or Cyclone.