Open source ASME calculation program 2

[McJe]

Short intro:

Last year, I wanted to learn C#. And what's better to learn a language then programming something 'usefull', so I started programming on a simple ASME calculation program. Nothing fancy with 3D and so on, but plain calculations in a nice (Windows) environment, with the ability to generate nice looking calculation reports.
At this time I completed basic shell and head calculations for internal and external pressure, with a complete material database, the basic code to generate reports and the possibility to save and load calculations.

At this moment, I do not have the time anymore to spend as much time to this project as a few months ago, and to program something like this only for myself is a kind of waste of time. At the speed I can program now, a usefull result will be ready in 5 years or so ;-)

I'm willing to give my program to the open source community, but there are some questions attached.

1) Is somebody interested in a project like this?
2) Am I allowed to do this? (ASME)
3) Does somebody know how to do this? (open source development)
4) Are there people out there who want to write code for a project like this?


Thenks,
Jeroen.

 

[gr2vessels]

McJe,
The best way to learn the pressure vessel design is definitely your way;- you will learn every article of the ASME (I'm assuming the ASME VIII).
Yes, you are allowed to make your own program and the satisfaction will be immense. You can also introduce it to the engineering comunity, in this or other forums.
Just be aware of the existance of a number or ASME VIII design software like Compress, PV Elite who got some 10-15 years advantage over your endeavour. They also got an army of programmers, experts in ASME VIII, who will try to compete against you. Simple business issues, they don't tolerate competition. Sadly. I have to tell you that you will get a few enthusiasts to follow your work, but the Clients are rutheless and they want proven software, regardless how good is yours. It will take a while to prove that your software is better than those internationally recognised as the best and reliable ones.
However, your endeavour is commanding and the end benefits will exceed what anyone would expect only reading the design code. Keep up the good work, it will not be wasted if you persevere.
Good luck,
gr2vessels

 

[McJe]

You are right about the big ones, they have much experience and very skilled programmers.

But they are also expensive.
And for many people and situations, these big programs offer way to much possibilities. Sometimes it is only necessary to check some basic calculations, or to quickly calculate the minimum wall thicknesses of a simple vessel for a quotation.
In that case, Compress and PVElite are no competition...

I have built a basic framework that can be extended to calculate all basic components of a pressure vellel. (shells, bottoms, cones, nozzles, all for int and ext pressure, including stiffening rings and reinforcements.) The components can be linked ( to take over data, headX on shellY, nozzleZ is on shellY or head X, ...)

I think if there are a few people out there who are willing to complete this program, it is a nice addition next to Compress or PVElite.
Basic, yet powerfull ;-)

 

[JStephen]

I made up Excel worksheets to do similar calculations.

What I found was that the basic calculations were quick and simple, but the bulk of the work was in the details and the numerous options. Generating programming to do "any vessel" (or close to it) would be a major challenge.

It is also a challenge to verify that such a program is working properly in every detail.

I also discovered that as soon as you have it all working properly, somebody will need one more feature, one more material, one more geometry or whatever. "Feature creep", I believe they call that.

 

[Crompto29]

Putting all of ASME on Spreadsheet took 6 weeks. Including WRC 107 and Zicks saddles calcs etc, etc. I then checked it against a ripped off software for my first few projects. (It amazes me how there are simple errors in commercial software.)

As JStephen says, adding options is the tricky part.

The trick is to keep the core of each spreadsheet as general as possible. You then add extra features for you particular industry which makes your spreadsheets magic compared to the commercial software.

4 weeks to create easily customisable spreadsheets or years developing software? I'll stick to spreadsheets. Writing them teaches you allot about the code as well.

 

[sbrockp]

Crompto29, are you interested in making your spread sheet program available to others?

 

[adamuk]

It wouldn't be too difficult to do this as a web app rather than a bit of proprietary software. You could do it in javascript or php depending if you wanted to do it on a browser or on the back end on a server.

The thing that would take the most time coding the graphs.

Good luck! I'd volunteer to provide advice on web programming but I don't have the time to do the detailed coding.

Adam Potter MEng CEng MIMechE

http://www.ax-ea.co.uk

 

[C2it]

Have a look at 'Pipemill' at

http://www.pipemill.com,

it does many of the common ASME VIII calculations, covers B31 codes and some EN such as EN1591 flanges.

 

[carnage3]

I would suggest that if you would like your work to be added to by the open source community that you check out

http://www.sourceforge.com

and see what sort of interest is out there. what your talking about seems like it would be very useful especially since you have an understanding of the material instead of just an understanding of programming languages.

 

[gr2vessels]

Hey, it seems the issue is how nice it is to have your own software/spreadsheet for some amazing calculations! It is a totally different issue when you are an EPCM contractor for static equipment on a large scale oil and gas project somewhere in the world. Would you accept a design made on a dubious 'perfect' spreadsheet or a recognised software like PV Elite, Compress and the like?! I'm not against the home made spreadsheet, but I cannot see any real use of it, apart of home made checks against an approved design software.
Cheers,
gr2vessels

 

[bhushan76]

Hi All,

I agree with gr2vessels. Also by developing your own program you would definetly have greater insight of code than by solving few examples using commercially available softwares

But issue is when a EPCM company looks for such program , main intention is to produce engineering drawings which are good for inquiry and also produce foundation loading data for civil dept so as to allow them start foundation design work.

So you need to consider following points need to be addressed as well:-

1) Does it have modules to calculate foundation loading for various international wind and seismic codes?
2) Does it allow to model trays / catalyst beds etc?
3) Does it have different types of skirt base arrangements? With different menthods of anchor bolt design like shifted neutral axis method , standard method.
4) Does it have module for performing local load analysis using WRC bulletins.

Don't get me wrong but you need to have a program that is "loaded" with all the requirements that a typical EPCM company / fabrication company will look for.

Instead a program that produces a dxf/dwg file vessel sketch taking input from simple excel file would be more helpful. I don't think there are much options available for this and considerable time is spent in these drawings from preparation to updating for incorporating nozzle orientations & elevations,tray orientations, platform and pipe support clips additions etc.

 

[sbrockp]

Here are some good spread sheets for pressure vessel calcs.

http://ifile.it/yoe491f/Mechanical Design Spreadsheets.rar

 

[cloa]

If it provides the calculation/code reference detail in the result, then it would be better than a commercial software which are black box calculators.

 

[TJOrlowski]

Off the top of my head I know 3 commercial software packages that not only reference the paragraph(s) in the code, but actually show the arithmetic.

-TJ Orlowski