I'm considering doing a course in one of the above. I know that smartplant is seen as the successor to pds, but most jobs ask for pds experience. Will a course in smartplant also allow me to use pds ?


Cheers,

TP

Hi Taffypiper,



No more than an AutoPlant course will allow you to use CadWorx.

PDS and SmartPlant 3D are very different animals in their use.

Although a good grounding in any 3D package will stand to you when learning a new one.

I'm afraid you can not. They are associated and similar but not exactly the same.
There were many shortcomings in PDS that SP has overcome. The handling differs in:
1. Single SP window can manage all piping, isometric drafting you do not need another license.
2. The view is 3D all the time whereas in PDS its threadline which you "render" if you need to.
But the platforms, I guess, are still the same Oracle and microstation. Hope this helps.

shrivallabha,

I didn't think Smartplant used Microstation any more ....

I have loads of Autoplant exp., & a little of Autocad MEP.

I'd hate to spend a fortune on pds only to find its been rendered obsolete by SP.

It won't be obsolete just yet .... I believe Intergraph will support it for another 8 years or so.

Also, many companies have invested heavily in their own customisation of it, so will be slow to move away from it until they absoloutly have to.

I must say, I haven't seen too many jobs requiring Smartplant being advertised so far.

This is true but in time, most large EPC's will be coming on board gradually.