- What is Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer (RSD)?
- What's New in Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer 9.0?
- How do I know if Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER cabling and piping solutions can help my company?
- What is RSDSimulate Lite?
- What is Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite, and how does it compare to the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD?
- Am I eligible to receive Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite, and how do I get the software?
- Today I am using Pro/DIAGRAM, the schematic diagram tool integrated within Pro/ENGINEER. How do Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite compare?
- I am the mechanical engineer, not the schematic designer. How can Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER cabling and piping solutions help me?
- Is Pro/ENGINEER a prerequisite for Pro/ENGINEER RSD?
- Our schematic designers currently use Microsoft PowerPoint for creating diagrams. How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD compare to these tools?
- How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD compare to software applications made specifically for schematic design?
- How is Pro/ENGINEER RSD "optimized for Pro/ENGINEER" compared to its interaction with competitive 3D MCAD systems?
- How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD communicate with 3D MCAD systems?
- How does adopting Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite affect my maintenance price?
- Will I be eligible to receive technical support for Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite?
- How can I migrate my Pro/DIAGRAM designs to Pro/ENGINEER RSD or Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite?
- Will PTC discontinue Pro/DIAGRAM?
- Can I still purchase Pro/DIAGRAM?
- What training is available for routed systems solutions?
- Can Pro/ENGINEER RSD files be managed by PTC data management solutions?
- Is Pro/ENGINEER RSD available in languages other than in English?
- Where can I find additional resources about Pro/ENGINEER RSD?
What is Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer (RSD)?
Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer (RSD) is a powerful 2D diagramming solution that enables the fast and easy creation of even the most sophisticated routed system diagrams. It has multi-discipline breadth, so it meets the functionality needs of piping as well as cabling design. And finally, RSD can automatically drive the routing of cables and pipes in virtually any 3D MCAD system that accepts the output format from RSD, and is specially optimized for use with the cabling and piping solutions within Pro/ENGINEER.
What’s New in Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer 9.0?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD 9.0 offers several customer–driven enhancements that improve cabling and piping design processes. Highlights of this release include:
- Streamlined design creation - Create and manipulate items such as draft groups, fibers in highways, inline connectors and dual ports up to 90% faster!
- Improved design presentation - Polish the appearance of your design with True Type fonts and fully customizable cross- sheet graphics and labels.
- Enhanced data exchange – Leverage new support for CGM and updated version of DXF and DWG.
- New support for CoCreate – Easily create 2D schematics for CoCreate 3D routed systems designs.
- Extended language support - Simplified Chinese is now supported.
Pro/ENGINEER RSD 9.0 contains more new capabilities that will make it easier for you to improve your productivity.
How do I know if Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER cabling and piping solutions can help my company?
If you develop products with any cabling or piping, Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension will help you to:
- Reduce time to market - Pro/ENGINEER RSD eliminates the manual, tedious process of recreating the 2D schematics in Pro/ENGINEER to create the 3D assembly
- Reduce total product cost - Pro/ENGINEER RSD enables the complete digital model to be defined, reducing the dependence on physical prototypes and therefore significantly reducing product costs
- Improve product quality - Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension can automatically check the completed 3D routed assembly for exact compliance with the 2D schematics from Pro/ENGINEER RSD, saving the engineer hours of manual tedious checking and eliminating mistakes before production, leading to improved product quality and confidence
What is RSDSimulate Lite?
RSDSimulate Lite is a free download for maintance paying customers who have the full version of Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer. RSDSimulate Lite helps you simulate and analyze the electrical performance of your design. RSDSimulate Lite is seamlessly integrated with Pro.ENGINEER RSD so you can quickly and easily simulate various current and voltage properties between components . . . For more advanced simulation and analysis capabilities, you can upgrade to the full vesion of RSD Simulate developed by Virtual Interconnect. For more information, visit the Virtual Interconnect website.
What is Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite, and how does it compare to the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite is a functionality-limited version of the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD. As shown in the table below, Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite is limited in the areas of design reuse, multi-user capabilities, customization for design automation, and export. In general, a company with 3 or more schematic engineers benefits the most by purchasing the upgrade from Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite to the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD. Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite, allows designers of routed systems to experience the benefits of the product with little or no risk. Both Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite are superior to Pro/DIAGRAM. Please note that Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite diagrams can be opened in the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD, but diagrams created in the full version of Pro/ENGINEER RSD cannot be opened in Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite. Maintenance-paying customers with certain Pro/ENGINEER routed systems solutions will be automatically eligible to receive Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite at no cost (see next question).
| Function | Pro/ENGINEER RSD | Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite | Pro/DIAGRAM |
| Piping Diagrams | |||
| Pneumatic |  |
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| Hydraulic | |
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| Process Flow Diagrams (PFD) | |
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| P & ID | |
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| HVAC | |
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| Cabling Diagrams | |||
| Block Design | |
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| Circuit | |
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| Wiring | |
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| Panel Design | |
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| Design Reuse Capabilities | |||
| Design Snippets | |
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| Design Sheets | |
||
| Design Catalog | |
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| Datables - tables of properties | |
|
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| Central Catalog | |
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| Diagram Conversion | |
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N/A |
| Full support for migrating legacy Pro/DIAGRAM data | |
|
N/A |
| Data Management | |||
| Pro/INTRALINK 3.X | |
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| Pro/INTRALINK 8.X | |
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| Pro/INTRALINK 9.X | |
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| Windchill 8.X | |
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| Windchill 9.X | |
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| CAD Integration | |||
| Can drive Pro/ENGINEER cabling | |
|
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| Can drive Pro/ENGINEER piping | |
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| Can drive other 3D MCAD cabling | |
|
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| Can drive other 3D MCAD piping | |
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| ProductView 8X and later | |
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| CoCreate 16.5 and later | |
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| Optimized for Pro/ENGINEER | |
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| Miscellaneous | |||
| Unlimited sheets per design | |
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| Multi-user capabilities | |
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| Java API customization | |
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| DXF, DWG export capabilities | |
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| Utilizes generic terminology | |
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| Full interoperability with RSD | |
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| RSDSimulate Lite | |
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| Function | Pro/ENGINEER RSD | Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite | Pro/DIAGRAM |
Am I eligible to receive Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite, and how do I get the software?
Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension and Pro/DIAGRAM licenses include one Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite license at no charge. Simply go to the Pro/ENGINEER RSD product page on ptc.com, click on the Learn & Try tab, and there you will find the link to download Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite. You will be prompted to enter your customer ID number, which checks which software packages you own, verifying that you are eligible to receive Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite at no charge.
Today I am using Pro/DIAGRAM, the schematic diagram tool integrated within Pro/ENGINEER. How do Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite compare?
As you can see from the table in question #3, Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite both offer diagramming functionality far superior to that of Pro/DIAGRAM, and are now the PTC recommended solution. For example, Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite provides diagramming tools for many more disciplines than does Pro/DIAGRAM, and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite has rich functionality for design reuse that Pro/DIAGRAM does not. Second, because Pro/DIAGRAM is locked to the Pro/ENGINEER license, the mechanical engineer's valuable Pro/ENGINEER license will be unavailable while the schematic designer is using the license for schematic designs. In contrast, Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite is a stand-alone product that can be run independent of a Pro/ENGINEER license. And finally, Pro/DIAGRAM is limited in that it can only create wiring diagrams and drive cabling designs modeled in the Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension. Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite can create multi-discipline diagrams, and can drive both cabling and piping designs.
I am the mechanical engineer, not the schematic designer. How can Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension help me?
Pro/ENGINEER cabling and piping solutions will help you to route the cables, pipes and wires virtually in 3D, rather than physically routing them on a prototype, which can be time-consuming, slow and inaccurate. With Pro/ENGINEER RSD, the logical information from the schematic diagrams can be read directly into Pro/ENGINEER, providing all the necessary information such as connection points, pipe specification, wire size and so on to help automate the routing of the cables and pipes. This speeds the 3D design significantly by removing the tedious, manual process of interpreting 2D schematic diagrams, and virtually eliminates errors.
Is Pro/ENGINEER a prerequisite for RSD?
No, Pro/ENGINEER is not a prerequisite for Pro/ENGINEER RSD. Pro/ENGINEER RSD is a stand-alone product. This improves user flexibility, since your schematic engineers, who do not typically need to use Pro/ENGINEER, can be licensed for the functionality they need, while mechanical designers can purchase the appropriate number of Pro/ENGINEER seats for their use.
Our schematic designers currently use Microsoft PowerPoint for creating diagrams. How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD compare to these tools?
Some schematic designers settle for the method of "overstretching" office tools, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, or AutoCAD LT, that were never intended for schematic design. This results in diagrams that consist of unintelligent lines, drawn manually, instead of selected from symbol templates, used to represent symbols and diagrams. Making changes to these types of diagrams requires considerable manual effort. These products' diagramming capabilities are primitive compared to Pro/ENGINEER RSD, which, in contrast, provides intelligent, schematic-specific tools that make creating and changing diagrams a quick and easy process. And, of course, these office tools have no ability to drive the downstream 3D routing of cables and pipes, as can Pro/ENGINEER RSD.
How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD compare to software applications made specifically for schematic design?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD provides rich diagramming functionality, similar to competitive schematic solutions, but it is superior to them all when combined with the Pro/ENGINEER Piping and Cabling Extension. This combined solution enables the routing of cables and pipes in Pro/ENGINEER to be driven by Pro/ENGINEER RSD, saving time, reducing costs and increasing quality by reducing errors. Most competitive schematic solutions do not have the ability to drive the downstream 3D routing, as can Pro/ENGINEER RSD. Of the competitors who can drive 3D routing, Pro/ENGINEER RSD is superior because it is optimized for interaction with Pro/ENGINEER.
In addition, competitive schematic software applications generally address only a single discipline's needs, forcing customers to purchase and maintain multiple software applications to meet their needs in different schematic disciplines. In contrast, Pro/ENGINEER RSD can handle multi-discipline designs (e.g. cabling, electrical, piping, hydraulic, pneumatic, heating venting & air-conditioning (HVAC), process flow, and process & instrumentation diagrams (P&ID)), so a company can perform all of their schematic design activities using a single solution. Thus, Pro/ENGINEER RSD proves to be the best choice because it eliminates the purchase and maintenance of multiple software applications, and reduces the training required.
How is Pro/ENGINEER RSD "optimized for Pro/ENGINEER" compared to its interaction with competitive 3D MCAD systems?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD is always updated to support the full range of capabilities of Pro/ENGINEER, including new enhancements added in each release. The XML export from RSD is designed to utilize all of the rich capabilities in cable and pipe routing within Pro/ENGINEER. For example, RSD can control the advanced functionality, such multi-layer cables, in Pro/ENGINEER. Additionally, Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER are tested and tuned for optimal performance in combination as well as in stand-alone operation, an advantage Pro/ENGINEER RSD competitors do not have. Pro/ENGINEER RSD also lets you same time by migrating and leveraging legacy data that was created in Pro/DIAGRAM. The combined use of Pro/ENGINEER RSD with Pro/ENGINEER allows the complete digital model to be defined, with no compromises. Therefore, PTC recommends deploying Pro/ENGINEER RSD with Pro/ENGINEER rather than with an MCAD system from another vendor.
How does Pro/ENGINEER RSD communicate with 3D MCAD systems?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD extracts all schematic information such as connector, pin and wire specifications from the Pro/ENGINEER RSD database and transfers it in XML (Extensible Markup Language), a very lightweight, standard format for communication between different software, to Pro/ENGINEER or other 3D MCAD systems. In order for a 3D MCAD system to import the XML, it must adhere to the XML output specifications from Pro/ENGINEER RSD in order to allow Pro/ENGINEER RSD to drive routed systems in their application. All Pro/ENGINEER RSD XML specifications are fully documented and available to these other systems.
How does adopting Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite affect my maintenance price?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite will have no impact on your maintenance price.
Will I be eligible to receive technical support for Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite?
With continued maintenance you will be eligible to receive Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite technical support.
How can I migrate my Pro/DIAGRAM designs to Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD 9.0 now offers the ability to migrate and reuse Pro/DIAGRAM design data in RSD.
Will PTC discontinue Pro/DIAGRAM?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD is PTC's strategic solution for all diagramming needs, but Pro/DIAGRAM will continue to be maintained.
Can I still purchase Pro/DIAGRAM?
Pro/DIAGRAM will remain available as an optional module. However, Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite provide superior functionality compared to Pro/DIAGRAM, so PTC recommends Pro/ENGINEER RSD and Pro/ENGINEER RSD Lite as the schematic diagram solution of choice for all Pro/ENGINEER customers developing products with cabling or piping.
What services are available for routed systems solutions?
PTC has Pro/ENGINEER RSD-trained implementation experts to provide consulting around Pro/ENGINEER RSD-specific tasks, from schematic engineering to driving the 3D routing of cables and pipes in Pro/ENGINEER. To locate these experts, contact your PTC sales representative or PTC Global Services representative.
Can Pro/ENGINEER RSD files be managed by PTC data management solutions?
Yes, Pro/ENGINEER RSD designs can be managed in either Pro/INTRALINK or Windchill PDMLink and Windchill ProjectLink. Please check the capability chart above for the latest version compatibility information.
Is Pro/ENGINEER RSD available in languages other than in English?
Pro/ENGINEER RSD is available in French, German, Japanese and Simplified Chinese.
Where can I find additional resources about Pro/ENGINEER RSD?
You can find more information about Pro/ENGINEER RSD on www.ptc.com/go/route/ or on www.rsdesigner.net, the independent Web site devoted to Pro/ENGINEER Routed Systems Designer.
