Founded in 2007, Plant Design and Project Services Pty Ltd (PDPS) is a South Africa-based engineering and construction company specializing in the design and maintenance of petrochemical plants. By integrating BricsCAD®, they’ve found the ideal all-in-one solution to power their projects.
The Challenge
Multiple Disciplines Requiring a Unified Solution
As the firm expanded, PDPS faced increasing challenges in software management. Operating across a broad spectrum of engineering disciplines—from mechanical, civil, and process, to control, instrumentation, and electrical design—PDPS found they had to juggle multiple software solutions. This led to significant interface challenges and unexpectedly high costs. Additionally, each software package required separate databases, adding to operational inefficiency and complexity.
Jaco Conradie, Engineering Manager at PDPS, highlighted the issue:
“Across the different disciplines at PDPS, we needed a solution that was versatile enough to meet our diverse needs, yet simple enough to ensure seamless integration. BricsCAD was the right fit.”
To address process inefficiencies and software costs, PDPS sought a consolidated software solution—a one-stop-shop that would help streamline their operations and boost productivity.
The Solution
BricsCAD’s Comprehensive Suite Offers Flexibility and Functionality
PDPS’s emphasis on quality, integrity, safety, collaboration, and sustainability found a match in BricsCAD’s reliable, cost-effective, and comprehensive software solution, highlighting how fundamental principles can drive significant operational changes.
Communicator for BricsCAD® stood out by providing a seamless solution to meet the challenge of multi-CAD environment data exchange. Stefan Prinsloo, Senior Designer and CAD Software specialist at PDPS, was tasked with the responsibility of implementing the new solution:
“Communicator for BricsCAD has proved instrumental in managing the exchange and sharing of our 3D data across different CAD platforms, which have immensely simplified our workflows.”
Satisfied with the capability of the BricsCAD suite, PDPS made the strategic decision to integrate this software into their operations. They aimed to create a unified digital environment that would fully serve their multidisciplinary engineering needs.
Implementation: Smooth Transition and User Training
PDPS approached their integration of BricsCAD in a structured and methodical manner. Their primary focus was customizing the suite to suit their unique needs, streamlining internal processes, and enhancing user proficiency through comprehensive training. PDPS undertook the transition process to BricsCAD with well-structured training programs.
Over four weeks, employees underwent hourly training sessions every week. These sessions were bolstered with Bricsys® Learning, self-paced online classes to help them better understand the software’s intricacies. To prevent productivity losses, the switch to BricsCAD was phased over three to six months, allowing employees ample time to familiarize themselves with the new environment without disturbing their workflows.
The phasing out of previous software was another crucial aspect of the process. Over a span of three to six months, PDPS gradually disengaged from their previous software. They also worked closely with their local Bricsys Official Partner, Chempute, in implementing the transition. With Chempute's assistance, they were able to simplify the database setup transition across multiple users. Stefan Prinsloo reflects on the transition:
“The transition to BricsCAD was relatively smooth, thanks to the support from Chempute.”
Results
Smooth Transition and User Training
PDPS witnessed transformative changes following the integration of BricsCAD:
- 30% increase in time efficiency
- 50-70% increase in project quality and standardization
- 50% savings in licensing costs
The BricsCAD suite offered an effective solution to deliver superior, more accurate, and quicker engineering outputs, increasing client satisfaction. Stefan Prinsloo states:
“Our team delivers quality results with higher precision, thanks to BricsCAD.”
The flexibility and power of the BricsCAD suite enabled PDPS to achieve their goal of offering high-quality and efficient services to their clients while reducing their operational costs.
Multidisciplinary Professional Development
Offering professional development, the CB Legacy Artisan & Draughting Academy is a division of PDPS providing specialized courses for artisans, draftspersons, electricians, welders and more. They train with BricsCAD® Ultimate, moving from concept to creation with all the tools needed to design, build and manufacture—all in one platform. Philemon Kgoloko, Academy Director, notes:
“We need to push to give young people more opportunities and training on industry-leading software like BrisCAD.”
“When we approached Chempute about our software requirements for the draughting academy, we were delighted to hear about BricsCAD Ultimate. Using BricsCAD Ultimate allows us to train students using the same software they will use during their practicals and after completing their training. This also enabled us to use the same database in the training facility as what we use at PDPS, without having to create new databases for other software.”
Looking Ahead: Continued Growth with BricsCAD
As PDPS looks to the future, they aim to further streamline their operations and amplify productivity. Stefan is optimistic about their future with BricsCAD, saying,
“The complete suite of BricsCAD tools is a valuable addition to our workflow. We’re excited to continue taking on challenging projects with the right design platform.”
PDPS envisions a bigger role in engineering and construction, with a significant focus on South Africa and beyond. Their journey to BricsCAD shows how the right design platform and tools can bring industry-leading results to customers facing similar challenges with software complexity and cost.
To see how BricsCAD® can support your company’s success, download a free 30-day trial today.
South Africa
Manufacturing & Mechanical
Plant Design and Project Services Pty Ltd (PDPS)
- pdps.co.za
