The Process, Power & Offshore division of Intergraph Corporation recently announced the 6.0 version of INtools lifecycle instrument engineering and design software.

INtools 6.0 includes improved integration capabilities, tools to evaluate multiple process cases and a number of productivity enhancements.

Integration with Smartplant Electrical, The Engineering Framework and Emerson Delta V helps engineers streamline workflows, improve accuracy and increase quality. Process case evaluation assists engineers in assessing design efficiencies while other new features improve usability. The 6.0 version further expands support for plant operation and maintenance as well as design engineering tasks.

Integrates with SmartPlant Electrical

To further synchronise engineering between two closely-related workflows and eliminate re-keying and data checking, INtools 6.0 integrates with Intergraph SmartPlant Electrical 2.0. Integration includes exchange of PLC or other control signal data and definition of associated wiring connections in INtools. INtools also exports load data for instruments and cabinets requiring power and the propagated SmartPlant Electrical load information is transferred back to INtools with the correct power distribution data for display in loop diagrams.

Supports The Engineering Framework

INtools 6.0 supports The Engineering Framework (TEF), the enterprise-wide engineering integration architecture. TEF integration helps to improve interdisciplinary communication, facilitates concurrent engineering and eliminates re-keying data thereby increasing accuracy and quality while shortening schedules.

Populate Emerson Delta V DCS Data

Integration enhancements include a link to Emerson Delta V, a leading distributed control system (DCS). INtools users can download Delta V configuration data on the I/O card level directly from Emerson via the Web. Engineers use the information to populate DCS specifications and assign tags, create loops and wiring connections in INtools and perform related control system design or maintenance tasks. Integration eliminates re-keying data and helps ensure accuracy since Emerson information is regularly updated online.

Other improvements

The new version also includes a number of improvements designed to provide more information, greater ease of use and more flexible access. Improvements to the Enhanced SmartLoop feature includes expanded graphical and report capabilities. Users can save symbol and connector positions, run custom macros, move symbols between pages and create graphics that represent instruments. Reports now include those for telecom and fieldbus segments for more complete information for chromatographs, pH meters, viscometers and other instruments crucial to monitoring and control. Using the Microsoft Windows authentication capabilities, INtools provides improved user access control for greater access flexibility and security.

For more information contact Pat Thomson, Intergraph Systems, 011 313 1222, pthomson@intergraph.co.za