Fabricators

Setup

You need to turn on the Total Station and connect to your laptop. If you are not sure how to do this, head here.

Process

As a fabricator, you have a 3-step process for using automet successfully: Design input - Survey - Analysis.

Step 1: Design Input

Automet requires a design to survey against. There are two ways to do this in automet.

Design Input Method 1	Design Input Method 2
The quickest and easiest way to get a design into automet is to upload an IDF or PCF file of your spool straight into the system. If you do this, automet will create the design input file (.DES) using all the data in the file and you can survey straight away. Most plant design systems can export this file type. For a video on this process, go here.	You can also enter designs manually by using the design input module of the software. You should learn how to do this, regardless of the availability of IDF and PCF files. You will need to edit design files at some point, so make sure you know how to do this by using the Wiki and YouTube or through direct training from MLTech. A full playlist of how to create designs is located here.

Off-Grid Mitres

If you have an off-grid spool which also has a deflection, check on the drawing for how the deflection is oriented. You should see something along the lines of: ALL FLANGE DEFLECTIONS ARE SHOWN SQUARE TO THE GRID. In this case, follow the instructions on the video here.

Step 2: Survey

Once you have a design in the system, you're ready to survey.

Start the Survey

Start the Survey
Start a survey by clicking the Run Survey button.
Start New	Continue Existing
When you click the START NEW button, a survey file with the same name as the design file will be generated that includes the survey stage and revision.	If a survey is not completed or needs to be continued, the CONTINUE EXISTING option can be used to reload all the observations. For this to be a valid option, the spool and instrument must not have moved or the file must have control points that can be remeasured.

Load Design File

Select a design file for the survey using the three dots.

Survey Stage

• The In-Situ Survey Stage can be used for any survey not performed in the pipe fabrication shop.
• The Tack Weld Survey Stage can be used for any pipe spool survey that is performed during fabrication at the pre-weld stage.
• The Post Weld Survey Stage can be used for any pipe spool survey that is performed after fabrication.

Preparing to Survey

Below are some preparatory steps to take before selecting the Start Capture button.

• Select the Isometric button to review the spool's isometric view. This allows you to verify that the file loaded is the correct pipe spool. The order of observations can be customised, however the flange numbers must match the isometric, otherwise there will be calculation mistakes where the distinction between design and survey flanges has been lost.
• Point the instrument telescope towards a good starting point. This is a point that is easy to get to. Activate the laser by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse to guide the instrument telescope. If the prism lock is lost, you can recover the lock by putting your prism back at the start point and facing the laser.

🎬

Video Tutorial:During a survey, you may move the start point to any location. This may be required for measuring a large pipe spool. To see this in action, see this video: (0:55 mins)

▶ Watch Video

• It is a good idea to mark the flange numbers on the physical flanges.
• Be organised by examining each flange to select where you will begin measuring. Do not begin in the middle of the potential locations around the circumference. Instead, begin at one end and work your way around in one direction. Try to plan where you will move from and to before you start.

Survey

🎬

Video Tutorial:This video shows how a spool flange is measured using the automet® FAB system and provides details of the general spool flange survey process: (3:28 mins)

▶ Watch Video

Surveying supports

🎬

Video Tutorial: See this video to review how supports are surveyed within automet®. (2:23 mins)

▶ Watch Video

Orientation Points

The orientation point (OP) indicates the top dead centre (TDC) of a straight pipe spools in the as installed orientation.

You must measure an OP point on any straight spool - this allows the system to know which way the spool should be oriented. This is important when there are flange deflections, and the orientation is crucial to the installation.

The system will ask for this point first.

Take a single point on top of flange 01 at the TDC point between the top two bolt holes; then you can carry on with your survey as normal.

Regardless of spool orientation during the survey, the pipe spool will be orientated on the final report with the orientation point at the top, or north if the spool is vertical. If the pipe centre line is vertical in the design file, then the orientation point will be set north.

Head to Orientation Point (OP) for a detailed explanation.

🎬

Video Tutorial: Videos showing this orientation point process can be found here: (2:56 mins)

▶ Watch Video

To make sure everything is installed correctly on site, mark the OP point on the spool itself.

Step 3: Analysis

Overview

The analysis section has been designed to allow the user to review and compare captured survey data against the design data.

automet® terms:

• Vector error is the difference between a measured work point and the design coordinates.
• Alignment error. The touch point is the point on the flange face that will come into contact with the adjoining flange if a flange is not aligned as intended. The value displayed represents the gap in millimetres opposite the touch point.
• Rotational error is where a flange's bolt holes are not oriented as intended.

Errors and Fit

When the fabricated pipe spool exactly matches the design, all vector arrow values will be zero. Otherwise, the arrows show the measured error in your selected units and in a particular vector direction. The below flange was measured 1.4 mm too high, 0.6 mm too far north and 0.8 mm too far east. Fixing these errors means moving the flange in the opposite direction to the arrows by the stated amount.

• 

Bolt Hole Rotation

The blue arrow shows the rotational error in mm and the direction of the error.

• 

Touch Point

The adjoining flange will touch here first - this is the high point. Move the flange back towards the pipe, by the stated amount to fix the error.

• 

Open Pipe Ends Touch Point

The adjoining pipe will touch here first – this is the long point.

• 

Final Report

• 

Analysis Tools

For a video on the analysis controls, head here.

PDF Preview

You can create a PDF of your report to provide to other members of your team or clients by selecting the PDF preview button.

automet® for Fabricators

Three steps: design input, survey, analysis. Follow them in order and you have what you need to check a spool. Everything else the software can do is in the Automet Guide on the Main Page.

← Main Page

1 · Design input
Get the spool design into automet®.

2 · Survey
Measure the spool against the design.

3 · Analysis
Read the errors and fix them.

Before you start: turn on the Total Station and connect it to your laptop. Not sure how? 🎬 Watch the setup video

Step 1: Design Input

automet® needs a design to survey against. There are two ways to get one in.

Method 1 · Import an IDF or PCF file

The quickest and easiest way. Upload the IDF or PCF file of your spool straight into the system. automet® builds the design input file (.DES) from the data in it, and you can survey straight away.

Most plant design systems can export this file type.

🎬 Watch the import video

Method 2 · Enter the design manually

Use the design input module. Learn this even when IDF and PCF files are available, because you will need to edit design files at some point.

Learn it from this wiki and YouTube, or through direct training from mltech.

🎬 Watch the full design playlist

Off-grid mitres

If an off-grid spool also has a deflection, check the drawing for how the deflection is oriented. You should see something like ALL FLANGE DEFLECTIONS ARE SHOWN SQUARE TO THE GRID. In that case, follow the instructions in the video.

🎬 Watch the off-grid mitres video

Step 2: Survey

Once you have a design in the system, you're ready to survey.

Start the survey

Click the Run Survey button.

Start New

Click START NEW. A survey file is created with the same name as the design file, including the survey stage and revision.

Continue Existing

If a survey wasn't finished or needs to continue, CONTINUE EXISTING reloads all the observations. This only works if the spool and instrument have not moved, or if the file has control points that can be remeasured.

Load the design file

Select the design file for the survey using the three dots.

Choose the survey stage

• In-Situ: any survey not performed in the pipe fabrication shop.
• Tack Weld: a spool survey during fabrication, at the pre-weld stage.
• Post Weld: a spool survey after fabrication.

Prepare to survey

Before you select Start Capture:

1. Check the isometric. Select the Isometric button and confirm you have the right spool loaded. You can change the order of observations, but the flange numbers must match the isometric. Otherwise the calculations will be wrong, because the distinction between design and survey flanges is lost.
2. Mark the flange numbers on the physical flanges.
3. Point the telescope at a good starting point, one that is easy to get to. Hold the right mouse button and move the mouse to guide the telescope and activate the laser. If the prism lock is lost, put the prism back at the start point and face the laser to recover it.
4. Plan your measuring. Look at each flange and choose where to begin. Don't start in the middle of the possible locations around the circumference. Start at one end and work round in one direction. Plan where you will move from and to before you start.

🎬 Moving the start point during a survey (0:55) – useful for large spools

Orientation point (straight spools)

The orientation point (OP) marks the top dead centre (TDC) of a straight spool in its as installed orientation. You must measure one on any straight spool. It tells the system which way the spool should be oriented, which matters when flanges have deflections and the orientation is crucial to the installation.

The system asks for this point first:

1. Take a single point on top of flange 01, at the TDC point between the top two bolt holes.
2. Carry on with your survey as normal.

Whatever the spool's orientation during the survey, the final report shows it with the OP at the top (or north, if the spool is vertical or its centre line is vertical in the design file).

Mark the OP on the spool itself, so it can be installed correctly on site. For a detailed explanation see Orientation Point (OP).

🎬 Watch the orientation point process (2:56)

Measure the flanges

🎬 How a spool flange is measured, and the general flange survey process (3:28)

Surveying supports

🎬 How supports are surveyed in automet® (2:23)

Step 3: Analysis

Analysis lets you review and compare the captured survey data against the design data.

Terms you'll see

• Vector error: the difference between a measured work point and the design coordinates.
• Alignment error: the touch point is the point on the flange face that will touch the adjoining flange first if the flange isn't aligned as intended. The value shown is the gap in millimetres opposite the touch point.
• Rotational error: a flange's bolt holes are not oriented as intended.

Errors and fit

When the fabricated spool exactly matches the design, all the vector arrow values are zero. Otherwise the arrows show the measured error, in your selected units, in a particular direction.

The flange shown was measured 1.4 mm too high, 0.6 mm too far north and 0.8 mm too far east. To fix it, move the flange the stated amount in the opposite direction to the arrows.

Bolt hole rotation

The blue arrow shows the rotational error in mm, and the direction of the error.

Touch point

The adjoining flange will touch here first. This is the high point. To fix the error, move the flange back towards the pipe by the stated amount.

Open pipe ends touch point

The adjoining pipe will touch here first. This is the long point.

Final report

Analysis tools

🎬 Watch the analysis controls video

PDF preview

Create a PDF of your report to share with your team or clients by selecting the PDF preview button.