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September 2005 

• Planning software
• Multi-Project: several projects simultaneously
• Multi-Resources: for all resources in and out the company
• Multi-user-software
• Network software
• Client-Server-software
• Branch-specific: e.g. steel production companies, prefab-concrete, in short ‘project driven production companies’

In SCIA-MP Resource Planner, a planning is made up for various projects, taking into account the involved resources and this for multiple users.
The following features are available:

• Multi-project planning, task up to 3 levels included
• Resource planning for all freely definable resource groups and resources
• Automatic JIT-algorithm for project-process-planning
• Automatic ASAP-algorithm per resource, taking into account the preconditions of the project

The project planning offers the possibility to define all tasks within a project or contract regulation, running time and utilization of resources included. In a simple way, these projects are consequently phased and planned in assembly and transport phases, which are typical for the steel construction sector.

With Project-Type-Templates, a very detailed project plan, based on quantities (e.g. ton, m m²…) and a start and final date, is quickly built. For various types of constructions (bridges, halls, flights of stairs, floors, …) a different Project-Type-Template is saved. Automatically, all required tasks for this type of construction as well as the running times are realised. The proper resources and their resource times are calculated also. As no project is the same and static, all planning’s can be adapted at all times.

In order to make presentations and to facilitate the communications with your project relations, a standard link with MS-Project is foreseen. If necessary, the system can be extended to other planning systems from other domains.

In project driven production companies (like steel construction companies and prefab-concrete companies), capacity planning is very important. A lot of attention has been devoted to this aspect. The principle is that project planning generates the boundary conditions for the resource planning. Within these limits, the resource planner can do his own thing in planning the execution of a task: ‘multi-project-resource planning’.

The system is a multi-user-system and client-server-application. A structure of responsibilities forms the basis of the use of this planning system. Persons responsible for the project as well as for the resources are defined. The person responsible for the resources can NEVER have influence on the project planning; this always remains the person who is responsible for the planning of the project. When capacity conflicts occur, an internal communication system is activated; in this way all involved people have all the required information in order to be able to take the necessary measurements.

As alterations are more the rule than the exception in the steel business, it is advisable to save each step in a ‘history’. Here one can easily find out ‘who, when and why’ a planning has been adapted. This is also an interesting feature when making up reports for the client, when e.g. extra activities have to be charged of in case of non-observance of deadlines.

SCIA.MP Resource Planner: too interesting to miss!

Curious?

Project description
An aboveground welded thermoplastic scrubber had to be built in a draining piping system for gas waste products from a technological Process. The vessel is equipped by a nozzle system for spraying liquid in the washing process of waste gas.

Technical data
Diameter: 1800 mm
Height: 4350 mm
Weight: 750 kg

Program
ESA-Prima Win version 3.60

Modules
Linear static analysis of shells
Intersections
Stability of shells
Intelligent document

Analysis description
Plastics structures exhibit a visco-elastic behaviour; this depends from the time of load exposition, the temperature and stress level reached in the material. The analysis of the thermoplastic starts with long term strength and creep modulus determination. The number of necessary analysis is related to these conditions. In the case of this scrubber, 2 crucial states were defined - the working state and the short term loads states. Both states have the same geometry and construction model but they differ in the modulus of elasticity and in the allowable stresses. As a result 2 independent linear analysis and 2-stability analysis were performed – a working state of the construction with the creep modulus 270 Mpa and the impact of the short term loads with the creep modulus 770 MPa. 2 documents - working state and short-term loads, are added.

Experience
The design of thermoplastic process equipment, using the appropriate design parameters and material properties can be completed with a combination of hand calculations and computer run Finite Element Analysis (FEA). FEA is necessary to determine peak stresses at discontinuities, corner joints, and to verify strain limits etc. For a complete FEA analysis, which has to be executed for thermoplastic process equipment, a non-linear analysis should be accomplished. However, this is usually impractical due to time, to lack of detailed material strength design data and to the relatively low allowable design stresses used. Satisfactory designs have been consistently accomplished by using a linear elastic FEA approach and by using a constant on required years of durability dependent creep modulus value for the design of allowable stresses. Measurements of fabricated thermoplastic structures indicate the linear elastic approach to be a viable and relatively accurate prediction of equipment stresses and deformations.

Conclusion
A complicated shape of thermoplastic vessels requires powerful tools for simplifying the creation of the geometry - intersections are a necessity. Several linear solutions of the structure, varying from creep modulus in relationship to the temperature, time of load exposition and reached stress level must be analysed. Each of the linear analysis must also be complemented by a stability check of the construction for the same creep modulus value. Sometimes the stability analysis does not give the positive values of the critical factors, depending on the geometry, loads and supports. Then the geometrical non-linear analysis must be used to find out the remaining load bearing capacity of the structure, several nonlinear analysis with regularly increased loads have to be performed till the collapse of the solver gives the critical load factor value. The number of equations solved normally varies between 100.000 – 1.000.000. As a consequence, the requirements for a really fast solver are great; mostly the iterative solver is used.

All mentioned features are included in ESA Prima-Win software, the best solution for FEA of the thermoplastics vessels ever used in our company.