From Static PDFs to SmartPlant - Structured P&ID Data
By Anand George
Challenge
The client was preparing for a large offshore handover involving hundreds of vendor P&IDs. These drawings were delivered in PDF format — scanned, unstructured, and unusable in SmartPlant P&ID without significant rework.
Manual redrafting into SmartPlant would have taken:
- ~3–4 hours per P&ID
- Weeks of labor
- High risk of data loss or inconsistency
“We needed a way to go from PDFs to editable, structured data — not just visuals.”
Solution
Storm Consulting deployed its graph-based annotation and export pipeline, designed to:
- Detect and classify P&ID elements: instruments, lines, vessels, and valves
- Trace flow and signal logic using chevrons and line style analysis
- Build a semantic graph of equipment and connections
- Export to a DEXPI-compliant format, readable by SmartPlant and other ISO 15926-compatible tools
Implementation Highlights
- Used hybrid OCR + symbol detection for tags and inline elements
- Implemented chevron-aware line tracing to define flow direction
- Constructed a network graph (nodes = equipment/instruments, edges = lines)
- Translated extracted metadata into DEXPI XML format using a custom schema mapper
- Output files validated with SmartPlant P&ID import tools before delivery
Results
| Metric | Manual Redraft | Storm Consulting Pipeline |
|---|---|---|
| Time per P&ID | ~3–4 hours | ~15–20 minutes |
| P&IDs processed | 300+ | 300+ |
| Output format | Native SmartPlant only | DEXPI XML (SmartPlant-ready) |
| Manual rework post-import | Extensive | < 10% |
| Traceability/Auditability | Manual notes | Fully logged graph output |
“This saved us more than just time — it gave us machine-readable traceability, which no redraw could provide.” — Engineering Data Manager, Client Organization
Why It Worked
- PDFs were first converted into logical models, not just cleaned-up images
- DEXPI export maintained relationships, attributes, and flow logic
- Output was compatible with downstream tools, without data loss
- Local-first processing respected client security and IT constraints