Plant 3D is a powerful design tool with a database behind the parts you model. Using the reporting tool called Report Creator, you can create several types of reports like equipment data sheets, P&ID line lists, instrument lists, and piping bills of materials (BOMs). This post will dive deeper into creating a piping BOM. The main issues with getting a correct piping BOM are typically:

• Including classes
• Grouping

Including Classes

When starting a piping BOM, use the 3D Parts report that is already available in the stock reports folder. When the report configuration dialog opens, click Edit Query.

In the included classes list, make sure the classes you want to see in your report are added. In some cases, you will need to remove classes. For instance, in the stock 3D Parts report template, the socket weld class is included, which you would not show in a piping BOM.

Grouping

One of the hardest concepts to explain and visualize is how grouping affects your reports. Grouping is a way to control the rows that get shown by combining rows with the same property value together. To see how this works, let’s walk through some examples. The examples will illustrate how moving the BOM row to different group headers changes the rows displayed in the report.

Detail Row

The first example shows the summary in the detail section. The detail section, however, is a one-for-one listing of every row from the database. No grouping can occur in a detail row, so the report will display every pipe, fitting and valve in the model. Here you see a duplicate length value because our summary isn’t functioning correctly, but the report still displays one row for every pipe in the model.

Group Header 4

Next let’s look at the second highest group level. Higher rows in the group list get higher priority in displaying results. Our custom report has the ability to split based on elevation, but that’s dependent on some properties in the project, so that field will be skipped in this discussion.

The GroupHeader4 box at the top corresponds to the ACP_ClassOrder field in the Group and Sort panel at the bottom. Whenever a box under the Show Header column is checked, the report creator will add a GroupHeader row where you can place controls to change the grouping of values.

A special note about the ACP_ClassOrder property: Plant 3D uses this to drive the sorting of parts in BOMs. Because pipe starts with “P” it would typically be at the bottom of a list of parts. In order to meet industry standards and display pipe at the top of BOMs, the ACP_ClassOrder (which is hard-coded) is used. The values are driven by the program and apply to valves, fittings and all other 3D model parts.

Because the Summary table is placed in the GroupHeader 4 in the second image, we get one row for every value in the ACP_ClassOrder property.

Group Header 1

The next variation moves our summary table to GroupHeader1, which is not in sequential order. The group header already includes a label with the short description. Having moved the BOM table to a group header lower results in one row for each short description in the model.

Group Header 3

Using the Group Header 3 row allows more detail that splits out rows with the same short description but different long description properties, as evidenced in the ELL 90 LR and REDUCER (CONC) rows. Note that the use of the full description field means that items that have the same short description (Flange WN) but different pressure classes (150/300) would get separate rows (*hint* this is one of the main reasons to set up groups correctly).

Group Header 2

The final filter is RoundedElbowAngle. Because it is below the Engineering_NominalDiameter field, the sizes are sorted, and elbows with different cut angles would be grouped together.

Applied Software BOM

Plant 3D is a powerful design tool, and Report Creator allows you to customize reports to meet your specific needs. Applied Software offers a custom report template that handles all of these items for you. In addition, you’ll be able to group piping by classification of above-ground and underground. The experts at Applied would love to show you more. Request a discovery call today to learn how to put the strengths of Applied Plant 3D specialists to work for you.