Piping Stress Analysis Software 2

[Alex Matveeff]

Which software is the best for pipe stress analysis?
Price ($), maintenance price ($), how friendly is user interface (1-5), functionality
Need objective comparison of as many as possible software.

 

[XL83NL]

You can find all the info you want via google or contact various suppliers (which you can find via google as well). The one thing they can’t tell you is user experience. There are numerous topics about that here on ET. Suggest you read those first and then return in case you have any specific questions.

The questions you posted are too obvious and require us to do your work. We’re not a bunch of freeware consultants here ...

 

[Alex Matveeff]

Ok, more detailed question
What software is better if compare features, price etc.?
I can use google. I need opinion of engineers

 

[XL83NL]

As always, it depends. It depends on what you require the software to do, and what you want to achieve.
Nevertheless this issue has been discussed a dozen times before om ET. Do a search, read existing topics and if you have any specific questions left, feel free to post them.

 

[Gator]

Is OP Alex Matveev of PASS/START-PROF?

 

[XL83NL]

Yeah I was thinking the same. Could be me but there’s a smell to it.

 

[IRstuff]

Seriously, you "need" "objective comparison," but ask for "how friendly is user interface," and "opinion of engineers"?

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[Alex Matveeff]

Yes it's me
And yes I need the objective comparison. Strong and weak points. I want to create the best piping stress analysis software. To do this, I need to know which features are most important for engineers and which are not.
All other similar threads are closed. I can't ask anything else there! If you miss some features in software you use to do your job, let me know. I will collect all the information and make technical task for the future development.

 

[RVAmeche]

As others have said, this isn't something where you can likely just merge features and have a hit software package on your hands. It also vastly depends on personal preferences and what you first used/learned on. Furthermore, these packages have been proven and upgraded for years. I think a fresh new software would be slow to be received, unless there was some groundbreaking new feature or low price.

I'm most familiar with Caesar. Piping input is very good, defining load cases is okay/average, reviewing/printing results is above average, overall features/abilities are very good.

My biggest complaint with Caesar is ironically unrelated to the software usage itself. Since being acquired by a new company, it seems focused on cranking out yearly updates and changing their licensing model and increase pricing. Due to these items, I'd prefer it if they released a freeware "viewer" that'd allow you review an existing model/nodes, review/print existing calculated results, and all that stuff.

 

[IRstuff]

And yes I need the objective comparison. Strong and weak points. I want to create the best piping stress analysis software.

So, firstly, user experience, friendliness, etc., are subjective, not objective; secondly, because of the first part, "best" is, at best, a marketing hyperbolic, when applied to the subjective measures, which should not exist in an engineering forum. Is it faster or more accurate? Those are objective measures, and if you can be both faster AND more accurate, then you've got something to talk about.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[Gator]

Perhaps a better starting question is: What do you dislike about your current piping stress software and why.

 

[Alex Matveeff]

Gator, yes this question is interesting for me too

 

[Janimi]

Check out Rohr2 by Sigma (german company). Seems like this will fit most of your requirements.
Attention: When you also do business in oil and gas market it may be required to go with CaesarII because this is common used and sometimes required to use per project specification.

 

[Alex Matveeff]

I'm pipe stress software developer, I don't have a requirements. I need to hear the requirements from engineers. And yes, I know rohr2, caesar ii software.
It's curious, why caesar ii is so popular in worldwide market? I think functionality and user interface is not the best and modern, but everybody use it. What is the secret?

 

[Janimi]

Ah okay, now I got it.

I think it has nothing to do with the program itself. Maybe a big company made a decision to use it and small companies start to follow.
I have never used CaesarII but some calculation companies I know in Germany prefer Rohr2 when they are free to use what they want. I heard some reasons like better support, easier to make changes, etc.

 

[MickMc]

I don't personally use Stress packages so I cannot comment on pro & cons but after 15 years of working on client side in Middle East Oil & Gas Projects I can tell you that the client will dictate which software is to be used in Scope of Work based on its preference and regarding stress I have only ever seen Caesar being stipulated. Note that I am referring to Piping not Pipeline.

 

[XL83NL]

Our scope of work sometimes requires us to apply client specs to our projects. We're in oil&gas, (bio-)chemicals, (bio-)pharmaceutcials, all the green stuff (pyrolysis, bio-energy), all the plastic stuff. Almost anything you can think of, except maybe for solar. Ive seen a lot of client specs, also some of the major ones. Ive never had to use CII. We use AutoPIPE, and Im confortable with it. It's not the best, but it fits our needs. Then again, for the scope of work we do (pilot units), client specs are fortuantely not always (to the full extent) applicable, since they kill a lot of potential projects.

 

[Alex Matveeff]

Thank you for your replies!
Our software is the same standard as Caesar II, but in Russia and other Russian speaking countries, about 3000 users. Almost all companies who deal with piping stress use it. It is developing since 1965. But we are a late comers in international market. Translation into English was done 4 years ago. The English software name is PASS/START-PROF.
Why clients choose Caesar II? What is the secret? There are a lot of other software.
Do you have any advice? Maybe there's any specific requirements that only Caesar II can satisfy? We can develop and cover it quickly.

 

[RVAmeche]

Caesar II has just become the "standard" software package to use in general industry. I believe it was an early adopter of 3D graphics which was a big step, and their newsletters and training have been very good in the past. I get the impression of lot of other software packages just let you "figure it out". Historically I think Caesar was ahead of its time w/ features and capabilities of their software.

Additionally, at least in the states, CadWorx is one of the big 3D pipe design programs so being able to export your piping design directly to Caesar is an advantage.

Autopipe and Caepipe also have large user bases, Caesar II is by no means the only one. But just as AutoCAD has become the go to drafting tool (in my experience), Caesar has become the go to stress analysis tool.

If you're beginning to branch into the international market, I assume you will have a hard time convincing large firms/customers to suddenly switch software packages unless yours does something spectacular.

 

[Alex Matveeff]

RVAmeche, thank you for your reply. I understand the situation using analogy with AutoCAD.
AutoCAD development still continues. They still offer more and more a lot of new interesting products and features. What about CII?