Concepts

A design template is a set of design primitives, panels and nozzles that may be grouped together and then referenced from within another part of the Design database as though it were a single item. In many ways, a design template behaves in a similar way to a catalogue component, except that the template items are stored in a special area of the Design DB, rather than in a separate Catalogue DB, and they can use the more powerful sets of primitives and parameterization facilities available from within Design. Unlike a catalogue component, a design template can be split down into its constituent parts for selective reporting, dimensioning, MTO,

A design template is used in a design by creating an instance of the template. When a design template is instanced, the template contents are copied into the Design hierarchy and a reference is set to the original template definition. At this release version, a design template may only be copied under a Panel Fitting, a Section Fitting or a Primary Joint. A design element cannot own more than one design template, nor can one design template own another template.

Design templates may be parameterized to allow a single template definition to be used in different circumstances. The parameterization facilities use Design Datasets to store named parameters, which may then be referenced in geometric and p-point definitions. The value assigned to a parameter can be defined in terms of a rule by using any of the standard expression syntax.

Note: The definition of Design Templates is likely to be done by the person who organizes Catalogue and Specification data in a company, while the use of Design Templates for building up a design model will be carried out by a Plant designer. Therefore, although both functions are carried out in Design, this chapter is relevant to two different types of user.