3D model conversion methods

It’s not uncommon in BIM projects to use different 3D software for the same model, and this
sometimes means converting a 3D model from one software to another. This need has been
expressed by several customers in recent years, and ORINOX has helped them to meet it.

This is a technical challenge, as there is no ready-made gateway between the various CAD software
packages. Certain standardized file formats, such as IFC, can facilitate this work. However, the
multiplicity of contexts and project objectives means that this exercise is always unique. Specific,
customized solutions are therefore often required.

Generally speaking, when a 3D model from a third-party software is imported into E3D, it is created in
the form of EQUIs, or “non-intelligent” elements. These elements provide little added value, as they
are not native to E3D, i.e. they cannot be modified after import.

The task consists in converting 3D objects into native elements (piping, steel structure, etc.). This can
be done manually by a team of designers, but it’s a time-consuming and often unrewarding task.
ORINOX has therefore developed tools to automate the process of conversion to native elements
(mainly for piping).

One example is the Prosperity project, for which SBM asked ORINOX to convert an FPSO model from
NavisWorks to E3D.

This is a large 3D model (around 10,000 piping lines). We therefore developed specific tools to
automatically convert EQUI into PIPE. The technical difficulty lies in recognizing piping components,
particularly complex objects such as valves and instruments. A large number of special cases also
need to be managed.

We were able to build a tool capable of recognizing the piping route, understanding the connections of
the various branches and creating the routing elements (pipes, bends, tees, reductions, etc.). The tool
isn’t perfect, but it has enabled us to convert around 70% of our piping. Given the number of lines
involved, this saved the designers considerable time in finalizing the conversion manually.

The customer’s satisfaction has been confirmed by the fact that ORINOX has been called in again for
another project of the same type (YellowTail), and a new project is due to arrive shortly. In addition, we
have other requests for different contexts, such as the reconstruction of a native E3D model from a
point cloud, or the construction of a connected 1D-2D-3D AVEVA model from a Revit model.

These projects have enabled ORINOX to gain expertise in these areas, which is a good thing, as this
type of need is increasingly common among our customers.