3R - Model RAMP -Intelligent Software for the Automation and Optimization

RAMP is an intelligent software for the automation and optimization of pipe spool fabrication. It enables you to increase your pipe-shop’s efficiency from construction to assembly. The primary goal of RAMP is to balance the flow of material as well as the utilization of the various machines and manual welding stations, and to control the entire flow of material.

RAMP is the 3R software framework’s core application package for pipe-shop automation. It is composed of a central system and any number of client modules, spread throughout the pipe-shop (at the storage rack, the cutting stations, the bending machines, etc.). RAMP receives all relevant material, drawing and fabrication data from IsoBuilder or interfaces to alternative isometric drawing software.

Pipe-Shop Control
Each installation of RAMP is customized to cater for our customers‘ individual requirements, as every workshop holds different storage options, machines and transport systems. Furthermore every fabrication process needs to address different key aspects. The fabrication status assigned to a component by the RAMP-system can be checked retroactively in IsoBuilder. This way the up-to-date progress in the pipe-shop for finished isometries can be determined at any time.

Material Planning & Management
For RAMP each drawing (e.g. from IsoBuilder) contains not only the displayed drawing, but all fabrication relevant contents, such as welding points, bending values, pipe lengths, spool weight, as well as all installed materials. The entire order process, allocation of material, the welding documentation, as well as following material statistics can be realized by RAMP.

Monitoring of Progress and Dates
By connecting the various work stations to a centralized fabrication database, and recording the appropriate status of each processing step, the current progress of fabrication can be checked at any time.

Calculation of Work Time
In the RAMP master file a time value, contigent on the material, is assigned to each work step, and the various stations know the appropriate maximum use of capacity. This way bottlenecks at individual stations in fabrication can automatically be detected and avoided early.

Work Preparation
The entire work preparation process is facilitated by RAMP. By using various filter and sorting criteria the user can create optimized packages for fabrication in the pipe-shop. These packages always take maximum use of capacity of individual machines and stations into consideration, as well as current availability of material.

Modification Management
In practice modifications of drawings are a daily occurence. Because of the modular method of operation of the RAMP system it is possible to stop modification relevant isometries directly and automatically at the current fabrication process, until the planning engineer has decided the extent to which the modifications impact already completed components. RAMP recognizes modified parts of drawings, and provided the user with a detailed display of all modifications.

Machine Control
Every CNC machine can be equipped with a RAMP-Client. This way CNC data can be transferred directly to the machine, and after the relevant fabrication step is executed, the status of the component can be updated. Afterwards the software specifies the next operation, and the pipe spool is transported to the next station if required. Fabrication at each workstation can thus be reduced to a simple push of a button.

• Pipe-Shop Control
• Material Planning & Remnant Management
• Workload Balancing for all Machines
• Monitoring of Progress and Dates
• Calculation of Work Time
• Material Nesting / Cutting Optimization
• Calculation of Capacities
• Paperless Pipe Processing