Creating Hydraulic Schematics in Excel (or other programs)

[XaeroR35]

I am looking to develop hydraulic system schematics in Excel (feel free to suggest other software that can do this!!!). Im not looking for exactly how to do this, but rather different ideas to accomplish the end goal.

I created a basic sketch of what I want to achieve in the program, although the method of creating the design is flexible (fill in cells, using drawing symboles, etc).

In the diagram below we have 4 inputs/outs: AAAA, BBBB, CCCC, DDDD

The numbers in the hexagons are links (02 from AAAA links to 02 into V1)

There are 5 valves (V1, V2,...V5)

I want to designate which valves are closed and which are open, then see the fluid path based on this criteria.

In the attached image, we are putting pressure into the system at BBBB. It then enters through valve 3 (V3) and passes through the OPEN V2. All other valves are closed, so the green paths beyond those valves are where we check for leakage. So in this diagram we are testing that V1, V4, and V5 are completely sealed.

Red path is under pressure, and green path is not under pressure.

The next step would be to change which valve is being tested, and the pressure paths should change colors dynamically.

This may be too ambitious of a project to do in Excel, but I would like to know if it could be done (reasonably). The end product should be somewhat reasonably edited for different configurations and products.

 

[GregLocock]

At first glance it seems to me that building a CAD-GUI inside Excel is possible, but not easy. Obviously there are heavyweight alternatives such as simulink, which is probably overkill for your rather binary circuits (lines are either high pressure or low pressure I take it), but depending on what you think your time is worth it may make sense.

http://www.mathworks.com.au/products/simhydraulics/

This is not strictly relevant as it is electronic but I think it is the sort of thing you are aiming at

http://www.virtualbreadboard.com/Main.aspx?TAB=Home

A google search turned up many possibilities including

http://www.hypneu.com/

and

http://automsim-premium.software.informer.com/8.9/

There are many languages and toolboxes around that support drag and drop GUIs, visual basic being the only one I have worked with.



Cheers

Greg Locock


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[zdas04]

You are an Engineer, right? This is not the last drawing or simulation you will ever have to do. Locking your mind into this simplistic paradigm will certainly cost you way more man hours over the years than you would have spent on AutoCAD for God's sake (I've done a similar simulation in AutoCAD). Engineering drawings require engineering programs, not Excel. I keep seeing people trying to do what you are doing and regularly see them regret it (change management, version control, multiple views, and what-if are all a LOT easier in an engineering drawing package)

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. —Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[MintJulep]

I've considered trying exactly what you want. Even made a very simplistic start once or twice.

I abandoned the effort for the reasons noted above.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Excel is nearly always the wrong tool for any job that doesn't involve spreadsheet calculations. Just having it already on your (corporate) PC is no reason to go to it as the first tool of choice.

- Steve

 

[XaeroR35]

I will say that I agree with most of what you are saying, however I consider this a learning project as well as something I enjoy doing on the side (developing new tools, websites, coding, etc..)

As I stated in the first line of the topic, I am open to software package recommendations. I have not found one that would meet my basic requirements yet. I am biased and would prefer to do this in Excel or some other language.

The problem I have encountered over and over with off the shelf tools is that they almost never do exactly what you want. So you are either left with a tool that only does 80-90% of what you need, or you pay a whole lot of money to have custom code written on top of the software you just purchased. You end up paying for a lot you may not need.

 

[MintJulep]

If your task is primarily graphic, and you want to constrain yourself to VBA, then consider Visio. In whole, or in part.

VB.net, or one of the other languages.net will introduce a much broader toolbox, while still allowing you to use Excel, Visio or other programs to do what they do well.

 

[GregLocock]

OK. First I'd start with the non eye candy. There are many ways of describing networks or circuits, rather than inventing your own you should select one that exists (I know nothing more than that about network descriptions).

Then you need to be able to parse an existing network, and write out a new one.

Now you can do the fun GUI bit. You could certainly do that in Excel, but by and large GUIs tend to be written in horrible languages, this thread helps,

http://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/15730/

you might like javascript since you do web development. All your GUI program is doing is moving icons around, it isn't rocket science. I'd have a grid and then just define connectivity in the grid.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[Tunalover]

I know a guy who is an expert with LISP programming who automatically generated very complex P&ID diagrams using AutoCAD given an external list of components and connectivity. I think AutoCAD can do what you want but, as previously suggested, why not just go to AutoCAD and draw the lines and component symbols? I'm certain that industry standard hydraulic schematic symbols are available from third party software vendors as AutoCAD blocks.


Tunalover

 

[XaeroR35]

I know a guy who is an expert with LISP programming who automatically generated very complex P&ID diagrams using AutoCAD given an external list of components and connectivity. I think AutoCAD can do what you want but, as previously suggested, why not just go to AutoCAD and draw the lines and component symbols? I'm certain that industry standard hydraulic schematic symbols are available from third party software vendors as AutoCAD blocks.

We already do this^^. The initial schematic is easy. However when we go to setup our test procedure, we have to do 40-50 separate schematics showing each individual pressure test (we pressure test each component of the system). This is a very tedious process, and I am trying to semi-automate it.

What I want to do is be able to select which valve is being tested, then the script will automatically select the best input, pressure, and monitoring paths, and color them accordingly.

 

[IDS]

The "real engineers don't use Excel" crowd are in fine voice today I see.

I agree with Greg, the hard part is describing the network, for which there are already tools available I presume.

It seems to me that Excel would be a perfectly fine tool for generating a graphic like the one shown from the network description, whatever form that takes.

If you really want to end up with an engineering drawing, then yes, and an engineering drawing package would be better (but Excel might still be a good interface for generating it from whatever form the network description takes).

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[zdas04]

IDS,
I use Excel a lot. I also use crescent wrenches a lot, just not for turning screws or hammering nails. When I used to teach database theory in the 1980's, I made a major distinction between "sources of data" and "uses of data". Excel is an amazing use of data and a seriously crappy source of data. Looking at the OP's spreadsheet, it looks like a seriously crappy flow modeling tool as well.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. —Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist

 

[IDS]

David - he's not looking for a database management system, nor is he looking for an engineering drawing creation/management system. He's looking for a way to automate revisions to fairly simple diagrams, based on user input. For that application I don't see the advantage of any of the suggested alternatives over a spreadsheet with an integrated programming language and the ability to create and modify lines and shapes.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[WhatIfYNot]

As mentioned by MintJulep, Visio as well as AutoMation Studio and EZ Schematics all would work or if the use of Excel with images is preferred then have a look at Picture Manager for Excel application.