Hi Guys,

I received the following question by email, and thought I'd throw it out to you guys and get your thoughts on it.

We all know what we do, but how do you define your job.



Any ideas?

Anton:
Try here
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Piping_(engineering)

or (from my book)

The Piping Design Group (PDG) will normally produce the project Master Plot Plan drawing. PDG will be responsible for the definitive equipment placement and layout. The piping design group will insure that the equipment layout will be "fit-for-purpose" when considering the process requirements. PDG will be responsible for all piping layout development. PDG will be responsible for working with other engineering groups to define physical plant needs and clearances.

The Piping Design Group will route all piping. They will ensure proper support and flexibility of all lines. They will insure that all inline instruments are properly accounted for. They will insure that all equipment and piping is in accordance with the project design criteria. They will consider criteria for operation, maintenance, safety, and constructability.

or

Read the following article"
http://www.pipingdesigners.com/Thinking ... %20box.htm

or

*Project Piping Designer(s)

Under the direct supervision of the Project Lead Piping Design Supervisor and/or Area/Unit Design Supervisor, develops and checks system design CAD files or drawings in conformance with project specifications, scope of work, design parameters, codes, and industry practices. Work assignments should be made based on the training and experience of the designer weighed against the complexity and critically of the equipment and piping.

Duties of the Project Piping Designer are the following:
*Review project specifications, administrative and technical practices, design instructions, plot plan, flow diagrams, and supplier information.
*Performs manual/computer layouts using specifications, standard drawings, design instructions, plot plan, flow diagrams, line list and supplier information.
*Draw and update material and stress sketches.
*Communicates and interfaces with other project design and engineering disciplines.
*Complete manual/computer drawings and isometrics.
*Check, back check, and correct manual/computer drawings and isometrics.
*Check other departments' design drawings and supplier equipment drawings.
*Update master flow diagrams.
*Update location control plan.
*Reports progress to the project piping area/unit supervisor.
*On assignment to the field, supports construction in drawing and specification interpretations, design modifications, scheduling, and system checkout and testing.

or

Job Descriptions #3


Piping Designer I

Assist senior designers in pipe design work done at a project site, such as preparing hand drawn sketches and taking field measurements.
Perform basic CAD drafting on drawings such as Plot Plans and Piping Standards.
Make basic 3D model modifications as directed by area 3D designers.
Perform the task of isometric drawings tracking and issuing.



Piping Designer II

Assist senior designers drafting or 3D modeling from rough design sketches and design standards.
Assist senior designers by drafting or extracting drawings from 3D models.
Make drawing and 3D model changes, corrections, and modifications as directed by senior designers.
Assist senior designers in pipe design work at the project site, such as preparing hand drawn sketches and taking field measurements.



Piping Designer III

Prepare and revise drawings such as Plot Plans, Equipment Arrangements, Piping Plans, Isometrics, and extract drawings from 3D models.
Create 3D models from layouts and sketches.
Perform basic design and checking activities, as well as review the design of offshore offices.
Monitor and review vendor drawings to ensure they conform to project design specifications.
Assist with the maintaining of project controls and records.
Develop the ability to understand and apply information contained in layouts, sketches, P&ID’s, project specifications and other related project data in order to complete drafting and 3D modeling assignments.
Develop familiarity with equipment items and piping materials and their function in design of a process/utility facility.
Develop a working knowledge of the operation and function of all engineering disciplines to ensure proper coordination on a project.



Piping Designer IV

Develop the portion of a process unit or offsite facility as assigned, from the preliminary stages through detail design.
Review the work for the assigned area during development by design team.
Coordinate area design assignments with designers in adjacent design areas.
Utilize 2D and 3D CAD software as required to develop plant layouts.
Produce finished Piping Design deliverables through the use of 2D CAD software or extraction from a 3D model.
Check the design and deliverables as prepared by other designers for accuracy, completeness and compliance with company and project specifications and standards.
Assist in maintaining project controls and records.
Be able to supervise and coordinate the work of one or more designers.
Have complete familiarity with equipment items and piping materials and their function in design of a process/utility facility.
Have a complete working knowledge of the operation and function of all engineering disciplines to ensure proper coordination on a project.



Piping Designer V

Develop complex equipment and piping layout that will satisfy all technical requirements on a project from the preliminary design stage through the detail design stage, or review the work for the assigned area as being developed by design team.
Have a working knowledge of all safety, maintainability and operability layout requirements.
Coordinate area design assignments with designers in adjacent design area.
Assist the Piping Design Team Lead by functioning as an Area Lead.
Plan and direct the layout work of designers and checkers.
Assist less experienced designers in producing finished Piping Design deliverables through the use of 2D CAD software or extraction from a 3D model.
Check, or supervise the checking of design and deliverables as prepared by other designers for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with company and project specifications and standards.
Maintain project controls and records as required.
Assist in the training and development of Piping Design personnel and evaluate the work of others.



Piping Designer VI

Perform initial project planning in regards to project scope, design basis, labor hour budget, staffing requirements, deliverables and execution procedure.
Knowledgeable of company, department and project procedures and ensure all are followed throughout a project.
Develop and/or participate in Plot Plan and Equipment Arrangement activities.
Establish design areas and assign piping team personnel to design responsibilities.
Establish and trend estimate quantities.
Participate in all design reviews.
Monitor the progress for all piping design activities in regards to budget, schedule and staffing and report results to Project Management and Department Management.
Ensure the deliverable verification process, and that all deliverables are issued according to schedule.
Participate in weekly project discipline team meetings, and conduct weekly piping design team meetings.
Ensure all piping design team members are working according to Jacobs safety guidelines, and that all have successfully completed project specific safety training.




Piping Designer VII

Review initial planning performed by Piping Design Team Leads in regards to effort hour budget, staffing requirements, and project execution.
With the lead, attend such project meetings as Kick-off, Interactive Planning (IAP), Operational Reviews (OPR), and project phase Pass Gates.
Ensure leads are aware of and meet all safety requirements.
Monitor the progress, budget and staffing of projects.
Assist the Piping Design Department Manager in performing piping design discipline audits.
Perform annual performance evaluations for Piping Design Team Leads.
Assist the Piping Design Department Manager in performing interviews for potential hires, and staffing assignments.
Monitor the leads performance in issuing deliverables on per the project schedule.

I am a principal piping designer with about 32 years of experience in the piping design profession. The P&IDs are the "roadmap" to quality piping design, so I suggest that someone just starting out in the field learn how to properly read P&IDs. Get familiar with the piping and instrumentation symbology... each of those symbols, bubbles, signal lines, line numbers, etc. actually MEAN something. The symbols may change from client to client, so be flexible and try to look at the overall logic of the P&IDs, then apply the client or project specifics to what you see on the diagrams.

A P&ID (along with an associated Line List) will tell you where the pipe originates, where it terminates, the various in-line components and instrumentation that are part of the piping design, the branching sequences, whether or not the line is sloped. The line number (with the help of the associated Line List) will tell you what's in the line (oil, gas, water, etc.), the operating and design temperatures and pressures, whether the line's insulated or not and what the insulation thickness is. Some Line Lists will even let you know whether or not a line requires formal stress analysis or if it's a multi-phase line (i.e. steam that flashes from vapor to liquid). In short, the P&ID and Line List offer much information regarding early considerations before actually routing the line from one point to another.

Call this crazy, but it's my practice to actually pretend that I am the fluid in the piping. I study the P&IDs, Line List, Tie-In List and get familiar with all of my physical properties prior to "jumping" into the actual piping. I pretend that I am traveling through the piping and that all of the components and configurations of the piping system allow me to "be myself" without blowing something up or burning the plant down. Yeah, I know... I need to get a life (smiling)... hope this helps!

Bob

Anton, I believe your guy is looking for a more Philosophical definition, and to that objective I have generated one! ....Like it or not!

…A Piping Designer is the “middleman” on a project. He has to operate between the worlds of engineers with lofty ideas on one side, and construction people who want to build as simply and as fast as possible on the other side. He has to “translate” an engineering concept into a “real world” map for construction people, who would like nothing better then to build a straight line from point “A” to point “B” …to “save” time, work, & fittings …despite what the drawing you have prepared indicates. This requires designers to be a negotiator as well, to try to get ALL interested parties to agree on the best way to accomplish the task (this occurs on just about every aspect of the design and not as a blanket endorsement of your overall design). Being in the middle is a trying location, because better then 50% of the time when problems occur at either end, inevitably they’ll turn to you for a cause and or a fix! So you have to be keenly aware of every aspect of your design, how it intereacts with other disciplines, and to be willing and able to defend every part! Piping Design can be a very trying occupation, you are not in complete control of the project, and because you know how things “should” be done, it does not grantee that “they” will see it that way. You need to know when its time to let go of the little things and to continue on, or fight like hell when “short cuts” could mean safety issues for operating personnel. Ultimately you need to remember that everybody’s efforts, from engineering down to construction, are for the “operators” of the facility! At times it’s a thankless position, you’ll learn what C.Y.A. means, you could develop ulcers and or high blood pressure, and after 30 yr.s or so you'll be crabby and short tempered …BUT it’s the best job in the world!

Hi guys,

I got a reply from the guy who originally asked the question:

Hi all,

Having spent close to 20 years in the oil&gas industry, and more recently in recruitment, i can share my thoughts as well as try and summarize a good definition of a piping designer:-

- S Simplifies piping design
- U Understands piping safety aspects
- P Plots piping schematics, isometrics and layouts
- E Exerts influence over client to adopt latest technology
- R Re-check and revisits design considerations
- B Bundles the design properly

Any more ideas to improve the definition are most welcome!

with regards,

Vikram Razdan
Manager
PetroJobRecruit.co.uk
United Kingdom
www.petrojobrecruit.co.uk

As per me Piping Design is not just all about PIPE......it is literally all about the whole PLANT.
So we can say Piping Design is not just the design of the PIPE it is PLANT DESIGN.

PIPING ENGINEERING plays a role of central co-ordinator in between all the ENGINEERING disciplines working for the design of the whole plant.

For me this explaination to the students can create unlimited curiosity in their mind to learn PIPING seriously otherwise they will think that PIPING is just a PIPE nothing more than that......which is simply not good..!

Regards,
Abhijit

hai can any one help me .. as a piping engineer what are the things we have to know .

manojkumar.g86
You wrote:
"can any one help me .. as a piping engineer what are the things we have to know."
A Piping Engineer?
Which one?

A Piping Material Engineer?
A Piping Design (Plant Layout) Engineer"
A Pipe Stress Engineer?
or
All three?

i want to know about piping layout engineer

A new article on this subject has been submitted to Anton for publishing on the "Training" page of this web site. Look for it.
In the meantime go to the "Tips" page and read the article on "Job Descriptions"

When I worked as a piping engineer, my manager and supervisor told me : " as a piping engineer, you should be a piping material engineer, a piping design engineer, and you also should be a piping stress engineer. You should know all of these."

minnie,
I suggest you go to the "Tips" page on this web site and read the article "Thoughts on Job Descriptions"
http://www.pipingdesigners.com/Tips/Job ... ptions.htm

The point your Manager and Supervisor made may be valid for your present company and a few other isolated examples, but that is NOT true for ALL companies in the world.
The article noted above reflects the majority