Automated systems for designing fire alarm systems.
Designing fire alarm systems at large facilities can take quite a long time, — it all depends on the scale of the facility, the number of systems installed on it, interaction with subcontractors and many other factors.
The main part of the design time is not spent on developing the ideology, but on its implementation, that is, its design.
Almost always, during the design process, the initial data changes, which entails the reworking of the project.
The larger the object and the more systems it includes, the greater the likelihood of changing the initial data. Sometimes these changes occur at the most inopportune time — when there are only a few days left before the project is delivered.
This contributes to making irrational decisions, increasing the likelihood of making mistakes and not delivering work on time.
All this makes the heads of large companies think about automating production in general or its individual processes.
The software market today offers many solutions, most of which are foreign-made.
This is no coincidence, since in capitalist countries enterprises have long been privately owned, and this fact has prompted their owners to take care of optimizing production costs.
The cost of foreign programs is high, and they also require adaptation to our standards.
There are also domestic developments. Their cost is significantly lower than that of foreign analogues, but since they were developed not so long ago, these programs have not yet been tested well enough and are imperfect.
Of the domestic developments, the most widespread are the design automation systems (CAD), working together with the AutoCAD and NanoCAD programs.
NanoCAD is a domestically produced graphic editor, made similar to AutoCAD. NanoCAD, compared to AutoCAD, is distributed free of charge, which is undoubtedly its advantage. But NanoCAD was developed relatively recently, and AutoCAD has existed for several generations.
CAD for AutoCAD and NanoCAD are no different for users, and their work looks the same. But the cost of CAD for AutoCAD exceeds the cost of CAD for NanoCAD by about 4-5 times.
There are several types of CAD:
— RasterID – an application for AutoCAD. It is used to convert a paper archive into electronic form;
— Project Studio – a series of applications for AutoCAD. They are used for designing water supply, architecture, electrical engineering, SCS, OPS;
— SPDS – an application for NanoCAD. It is used to develop design and technical documentation in strict accordance with the requirements of SPDS;
— Topoplan – an application for NanoCAD. It is used to create and maintain topographic plans;
— OPS, SCS, Elektro – an application for NanoCAD. It is used to design OPS, SCS, electrical systems.
Let's take a closer look at some of the applications.
NanoCAD SPDS
NanoCAD SPDS is designed to prepare design documentation in accordance with SPDS standards. Provides high speed and automation of design operations due to the use of intelligent drawing technology. Contains the functionality of NanoCAD for work on creating two-dimensional drawings.
Output documentation is saved in DWG format. All design elements and program settings strictly comply with SPDS standards, which is confirmed by the certificate of conformity ROSS RU.SP15.N00260 dated 09.09.2009.
NanoCAD OPS
The NanoCAD OPS software product is designed for automated design of fire alarm systems, access control systems for buildings and structures for various purposes.
NanoCAD OPS combines a convenient, specially designed interface, precisely selected and configured graphical display tools, and the ability to perform the necessary calculations when selecting equipment.
The presence of its own graphic core makes NanoCAD OPS independent of other graphic systems, and support for the DWG format facilitates the exchange of information with subcontractors and customers.
NanoCAD OPS allows automatic placement of fire alarms in rooms, taking into account various conditions for their installation and room parameters in accordance with the requirements of SP 5.13130.2009;
NanoCAD OPS also allows you to place security alarms and video cameras with the assignment of the angle of installation of the equipment directly during installation on the floor plan of the building.
NanoCAD OPS allows you to perform an estimated calculation of the cable for alarm loops. To perform an estimated calculation, it is enough to place the equipment and include it in the loops.
Next, the program itself will calculate the length of the cable taking into account the coordinates of the equipment installation, as well as taking into account the installation heights of the connected equipment.
If it is necessary to carry out an estimated calculation of the cable for a multi-story building, it is sufficient to install the UGO of the interfloor transitions and combine them into a single riser.
In this case, the program will calculate the cable taking into account the transition from floor to floor at a given mark of the floor plan.
When creating a 3D view, each element is placed on its own layer, which allows you to adjust the visibility of objects on DWG files.
For example, if fire alarm and video surveillance equipment are placed on one plan, these systems can be displayed separately on different sheets.
The created 3D views can be used as additional control over the correctness of the equipment installation on the floor plan.
NanoCAD OPS allows you to automatically generate a structural diagram, both of the project as a whole and with the ability to split it into systems.
NanoCAD OPS provides the creation of several types of reports, including:
— structural diagram;
— cable log of alarm loops;
— cable log of interface loops;
— list of drawings of the main set, list of reference and attached documents according to GOST 21.101-97;
— explication of premises according to GOST 21.501-93;
— equipment and materials specification according to GOST 21.110-95. Data is entered into the specification according to the principle «what is entered into the floor plan is also included in the report» with the ability to correct the output document;
— it is possible to create floor-by-floor system specifications;
— a table of used UGOs, with the ability to create it both for the entire project and for each floor plan;
— various tabular documents: address table, loop table, distribution box connection table, security detector installation table.
Uploading of tabular reports and specifications is carried out in NanoCAD or AutoCAD, as well as in MS Office or OpenOffice.org.
In general, it is not a program, but a dream. As a designer, I have long wanted «the sleigh to go by itself»: cable and equipment on the plans appeared by themselves, growing like mushrooms after the rain, and everything was calculated and displayed in the specification — everything that proper CAD systems allow to do happened.
But not everything is so simple.
If you do not take into account the cost and imperfection of the software package, there is one more important aspect — implementation.
During the implementation process, you will have to spend time training employees.
Even if the developer assures that the program is very easy to use, difficulties are still unavoidable. There will definitely be employees who get confused by three keys.
There will be plenty of such users, and they will not be mediocre engineers.
Employees will master the program sooner or later, but it's not just a matter of mastering it. With the new program, you'll have to change your work style.
For example, apply the blocks offered by the program and set parameters in special tables, and not just anyhow, but in a strictly defined order. This is, of course, a matter of habit. But habit is a very strong thing, and it's not easy to give it up.
Since the program is imperfect, failures in its operation are inevitable, which may appear unexpectedly and at the wrong time. The consequences of failures will not always be detected immediately, which may lead to a critical situation.
Each organization has its own developments and a well-established style of interaction between departments. When implementing innovations, inconsistencies are inevitable.
You will have to re-establish work, create templates, which previously took a lot of time and effort.
The most painless implementation will occur in young companies, where work is carried out from scratch.
Do not forget that design is creativity, and new ideas often visit designers in the process of creation.
No, I am not against the automation of design, but if you completely switch to machine labor, you can lose the creative component.
The final product will become akin to things manufactured for mass consumption: a project made using templates will not take into account all the features of the object.