In the fast-evolving world of industrial design and engineering, the demand for high-efficiency tools that combine precision, flexibility, and collaboration is greater than ever. Among the most advanced solutions today is AVEVA E3D Piping, an integral module of the AVEVA Everything 3D (E3D) platform, which is reshaping how piping systems are designed and managed across industries.
This comprehensive blog by Multisoft Systems explores AVEVA E3D Piping online training in detail — what it is, its features, benefits, real-world applications, and why it's become a go-to tool for industries such as oil & gas, chemicals, power generation, marine, and more.
What is AVEVA E3D Piping?
AVEVA E3D Piping is the piping design module within the AVEVA E3D Design suite — a next-generation 3D engineering and design software. Specifically tailored for complex industrial facilities, E3D Piping empowers engineers and designers to create intelligent 3D models of piping systems, embedded with engineering data, standards, and business rules. AVEVA E3D builds upon its predecessor, PDMS (Plant Design Management System), with modern advancements like:
- Cloud-based collaboration
- Enhanced graphics and rendering
- Integrated laser scanning capabilities
- Parametric and rule-based design
- Interoperability with engineering databases and other AVEVA applications
By providing an integrated platform for design, validation, and collaboration, AVEVA E3D Piping certification streamlines the end-to-end piping design process — from concept through construction and maintenance.
Why Is Piping Design Critical?
In industries such as oil & gas, chemicals, and power, piping systems are the arteries of a plant — responsible for transporting fluids, gases, and slurries between equipment and across process units. The complexity of piping design involves:
- Handling various piping specifications and standards
- Routing pipes around existing equipment and structural constraints
- Ensuring proper support and stress analysis
- Achieving optimum safety and maintainability
- Managing interfaces between disciplines (civil, structural, mechanical, instrumentation)
Manual and 2D approaches often lead to design clashes, rework, and delays. This is where intelligent 3D piping design tools like AVEVA E3D Piping excel.
Core Features of AVEVA E3D Piping
Here’s an in-depth look at the key capabilities of AVEVA E3D Piping:
1. Rule-Based Design Environment
AVEVA E3D Piping provides a rule-based design environment where users can embed piping specifications, engineering standards, and business rules directly into the 3D model. This ensures that every piping component, route, and connection complies with predefined design codes (such as ASME, ISO, DIN). The system automatically validates the design against these rules in real-time, helping prevent errors and non-compliance. By driving consistency across designs, this feature reduces the need for manual checks and costly rework. Engineers can easily define branch tables, connection compatibility, bolt lengths, gasket rules, and wall thicknesses — ensuring that the final piping system is safe, efficient, and aligned with both project requirements and global standards.
2. Advanced 3D Piping Modeling
AVEVA E3D Piping offers a comprehensive 3D modeling environment with intelligent, parametric tools for designing complex piping systems. Designers can quickly create pipelines by dragging and dropping pipes, elbows, flanges, tees, reducers, valves, and more. The system enables automatic routing suggestions, flexible pipe placement, and easy alignment with structural or equipment geometry. Components are parametric, allowing users to modify sizes, orientations, and attributes without redrawing. The 3D visualization is highly interactive with realistic graphics and smooth navigation. This feature allows teams to visualize piping in context, identify space constraints early, and create models that are optimized for both performance and constructability.
3. Clash Detection and Resolution
One of the most powerful features of AVEVA E3D Piping is its real-time clash detection and resolution capability. As piping models are created, the software continuously checks for clashes with structural elements, equipment, electrical cable trays, HVAC ducts, and other piping systems. Detected interferences are automatically highlighted, allowing designers to take corrective actions immediately. A clash management dashboard lets users classify clashes (hard, soft, tolerable), assign them for resolution, and track their status. This proactive approach prevents costly rework during construction, reduces delays, and enhances overall project quality. Clash reports can also be generated for design reviews and approvals, keeping all stakeholders aligned.
4. Integrated Laser Scanning
For brownfield projects or plant revamps, AVEVA E3D Piping offers seamless integration with laser scan point clouds. Designers can import 3D laser scans of existing facilities and overlay new piping designs directly onto them. This ensures accurate modeling in environments where as-built drawings may be outdated or incomplete. The software allows point cloud manipulation — users can clip sections, measure distances, and validate clearances. Designers can visually verify that new piping will fit within the real-world space, avoiding clashes with existing equipment, cable trays, supports, or civil structures. This capability accelerates design cycles, minimizes site visits, and improves project accuracy for complex retrofit or upgrade projects.
5. Automatic Isometric Drawing Generation
AVEVA E3D Piping can automatically generate fully-dimensioned isometric drawings from the 3D model. These fabrication-ready isos include pipe spools, weld details, dimensions, tags, and material lists (BOM). Users can configure drawing styles to match project or client standards. The automated process eliminates the time-consuming manual drafting of isometrics, reducing errors and speeding up document delivery. Changes in the 3D model are automatically reflected in updated drawings, ensuring consistency between design and fabrication. Features like automatic spool splitting, weld numbering, pipe stress annotations, and customizable title blocks make this a highly efficient tool for delivering accurate shop drawings that contractors and fabricators can rely on.
6. Collaborative Cloud Environment
Modern engineering projects often involve distributed teams across multiple locations. AVEVA E3D Piping supports cloud-based collaboration, allowing multiple designers, engineers, and contractors to work on a shared model simultaneously. The central project database ensures that changes made by one user are instantly reflected for others. Features like work breakdown structures (WBS) and user access controls help manage roles and responsibilities. Teams can conduct live model reviews, track revisions, and use version control for better project governance. AVEVA’s cloud platform, AVEVA Connect, further extends collaboration by enabling web-based access, remote project monitoring, and integration with AVEVA’s digital twin and project execution solutions — empowering global workshare.
7. Integration with Engineering and Analysis Tools
AVEVA E3D Piping is designed to integrate seamlessly with engineering and analysis tools to support an end-to-end project workflow. It synchronizes with AVEVA Engineering to maintain consistency between 3D models and engineering databases. Piping models can be exported to pipe stress analysis software such as CAESAR II or Bentley AutoPIPE, with intelligent data mappings to avoid manual rework. After analysis, results (like stress-critical supports or flexibility requirements) can be imported back into E3D for design updates. The system also integrates with procurement, construction, and asset management platforms — ensuring that engineering data flows smoothly across all project phases, enabling data-driven decision-making and supporting digital twin initiatives.
Benefits
The advantages of adopting AVEVA E3D Piping training are extensive:
- Automated placement, routing, and validation reduce design time
- Rule-driven design minimizes manual checks and rework
- Integrated clash management results in fewer field modifications
- Intelligent isometric outputs ensure fabrication consistency
- Parallel working by multiple designers
- Streamlined workflows from design to procurement to construction
- Optimized piping routes reduce material usage
- Minimized fabrication and construction rework
- Real-time model sharing across design centers and contractors
- Cloud-based design review and markups
- Use of laser scan data reduces site survey times
- Speeds up design and validation of retrofit projects
Real-World Applications of AVEVA E3D Piping
AVEVA E3D Piping is used across a wide range of industries. Here are some key application scenarios:
- Design of onshore and offshore facilities
- Piping networks for refineries, FPSOs, gas processing plants
- Complex reactor and distillation piping
- Handling of hazardous and corrosive fluids
- Boiler feedwater and steam piping in thermal plants
- Cooling water and balance-of-plant piping in nuclear and renewable plants
- Shipboard piping for fuel, bilge, ballast, HVAC
- Integration with marine structural and HVAC design
- Water treatment plants
- District heating and cooling systems
- Industrial manufacturing facilities
Typical Piping Design Workflow with AVEVA E3D Piping
Let’s walk through a high-level workflow of a typical AVEVA E3D Piping project:
1. Project Setup
- Import P&IDs and engineering data
- Define piping specifications
- Configure work breakdown structure (WBS)
2. 3D Modeling
- Model equipment and structures
- Route primary piping (main process lines)
- Add secondary and utility piping
- Place supports and hangers
3. Validation
- Perform clash detection
- Conduct design reviews
- Check compliance with codes and standards
4. Documentation
- Extract isometric drawings
- Generate material take-offs (MTO)
- Create construction work packs
5. Handover
- Provide as-built 3D models and documentation
- Export data to asset management systems (AVEVA Asset Information Management, SAP PM, Maximo)
AVEVA E3D Piping vs PDMS Piping: Key Differences
AVEVA E3D Piping represents a significant evolution over its predecessor, PDMS Piping, offering a modern, more powerful, and user-friendly environment for 3D piping design. While PDMS was built on older technologies with a standalone desktop-based architecture, AVEVA E3D Piping utilizes a modern graphics engine with high-performance visualization, enabling smoother model navigation and realistic rendering. E3D also supports native laser scan point cloud integration, which was limited in PDMS, making it ideal for brownfield projects. Its real-time clash detection, cloud-enabled collaborative workflows, and intuitive rule-based design provide superior efficiency compared to PDMS’s more manual processes. AVEVA E3D integrates seamlessly with BIM, digital twin platforms, and analysis tools, whereas PDMS was largely a closed system. The advanced automation in isometric generation and open architecture of E3D empower users to deliver projects faster, with higher accuracy, and in a globally connected environment — making it the future-ready choice over PDMS.
The Future of Piping Design with AVEVA E3D
The piping design discipline is undergoing transformation, driven by trends such as:
- Digital twin adoption
- Cloud-based engineering
- Data-centric project delivery
- AI-powered design optimization
AVEVA E3D Piping is well-positioned for this future, thanks to its open architecture, cloud readiness, and integration capabilities. Moreover, the platform is continuously enhanced with:
- Machine learning-based design assistance
- Enhanced collaboration features (AVEVA Connect)
- Better mobile and VR/AR support for immersive design reviews
Conclusion
AVEVA E3D Piping represents a significant leap forward in 3D piping design technology — empowering designers to create intelligent, rule-based, and collaborative piping systems for complex facilities. Its ability to streamline workflows, improve design accuracy, enhance collaboration, and reduce project costs makes it an indispensable tool across industries.
As the industry embraces digital twin-driven engineering and data-centric project execution, mastering AVEVA E3D Piping will be a valuable asset for any piping designer or engineer. Enroll in Multisoft Systems now!