CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

5 March 2007

Product News

Dassault Systèmes and BCP Team Up to Bring Focused PLM Solutions to the Nuclear Industry

Dassault Systèmes and BCP Engineering & Consulting, one of the world's premier nuclear engineering firms, announced a partnership to deliver dedicated 3D PLM solutions that support major plant retrofits and new projects. This partnership offers energy companies a single source for extensive consulting experience in major modifications and replacement of critical plant components, some of which have price tags of half a billion dollars or more, as well as the best design, collaboration and simulation technology for project planning and execution.

The Dassault Systèmes-BCP partnership comes as the majority of nuclear facilities in the United States have received, or are applying for, license renewal. Dassault Systèmes and BCP see an opportunity to offer companies going through the re-licensing process a more versatile and effective management system to comply with new license requirements, while offering those utilities building new facilities even greater advantages.

"Schedule overruns and unforeseen problems are big issues in major plant retrofitting projects. Using PLM minimizes the risk of revenue loss from extended outages," said Chris Staubus, BCP's general manager of utility services. "When a company can model and simulate a capital improvement project right down to coordinating supplier schedules and equipment usage, operating plant managers can make sure there is improved collaboration and minimal conflict during all of these processes. That applies to routine maintenance, as well as to capital projects."

Dassault Systèmes PLM solutions enable plant operators and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms to model their facilities in a virtual 3D environment and then simulate the construction process of replacing a major piece of equipment, such as a steam generator. Such a project typically requires tearing down or moving structural elements, piping, cabling, etc. Simulating the project in a 3D environment enables plant operators to coordinate operations and anticipate problems before physical work begins, avoiding time and cost overruns. In addition, managing design, configuration and construction of new facilities in a 3D environment will pay dividends over the entire plant lifecycle.

BCP's knowledge of nuclear and conventional power plant engineering will help clients easily adopt Dassault Systèmes software solutions to meet their individual needs. BCP is one of the top names in nuclear engineering, counting among its clients large regional nuclear plant operators such as Entergy, Exelon and Pacific Gas & Electric, in addition to major power equipment manufacturers such as General Electric and Westinghouse.

"Our solutions are designed to handle complexity, and it doesn't get much more complicated than a nuclear plant," said Al Casas, Dassault Systèmes' nuclear industry specialist. "Modeling a facility in 3D, using an enterprise collaboration solution as a common knowledge repository and a digital manufacturing solution to simulate processes is more efficient than paper-based management systems by orders of magnitude. Working together with BCP, we offer nuclear plant operators and EPCs management systems that match the sophistication of their facilities."

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