Engineering progress tracking at the BDAII biodiesel plant with CADMATIC eShare
Italian engineering company streamlines construction progress tracking and documentation management
In the recent BDAII biodiesel plant project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Trillini Engineering used CADMATIC eShare effectively to streamline processes and enhance collaboration. The project, developed for Argent Energy, involved the construction of a new biodiesel production facility. The project started in 2020 and included an early start-up phase for one of the plant’s units.
BDAII biodiesel plant project in a nutshell
Customer challenge
- Difficulty in presenting clear and accurate progress reports
- Lack of centralized access to construction documentation and project data
- Coordinating multiple contractors and integrating their progress track
Cadmatic solution
- Customizable progress tracking directly from the 3D model, allowing teams to mark fabrication stages and automatically generate clear progress reports.
- Documents are connected directly to 3D model objects, providing instant access to critical information and creating a comprehensive knowledge repository.
- Seamless import of external progress sheets, visualized completion percentages with color codes, and unified tracking across different contractors.
“From project inception to commissioning, eShare is a versatile and powerful tool that allows for direct and easy project collaboration between owner, engineers, and contractors.”
Luis Madruga
Civil Engineer
Trillini Engineering was responsible for the basic and detailed engineering design using Cadmatic’s integrated 3D-P&ID system. Their scope expanded during construction to include progress tracking, documentation management, supporting the mechanical construction team, training on eShare usage, and coordinating the definition and tracking of systems and subsystems critical for mechanical completion and commissioning.
eShare is more than just a 3D model viewer
Michael Rijk, Construction Manager involved in the project since August 2024, states, “eShare is a powerful tool during the construction phase where supervisors can check the status of completion for systems. It is easy to use with visual overviews of systems, with documents required for construction available per system.”
eShare is designed to be more than a mere visualizer for federated 3D models. It functions as a comprehensive database that connects essential documents directly to 3D objects within the model. This unique capability allows project teams to click on specific pipelines or components and access all relevant information – ranging from isometric drawings to piping layouts and P&IDs – instantly. By doing so, eShare enhances accessibility and context, empowering teams to work more efficiently and effectively.
The BDAII biodiesel plant project
Building on their initial design work with Cadmatic’s integrated 3D-P&ID system, Trillini Engineering expanded their use of eShare during construction to further optimize project execution. Over the past two years, they fully integrated eShare into their workflow, using it as a key tool to track engineering and construction progress, enhance team coordination, and simplify data management. This approach supported a smoother transition from construction to mechanical completion and commissioning, while fostering closer collaboration between Argent Energy, engineers, and contractors.
Luis Madruga, Civil Engineer at Argent Energy and involved in the BDAII project since May 2021, adds, “From project inception to commissioning, eShare is a versatile and powerful tool that allows for direct and easy project collaboration between owner, engineers, and contractors.”
The BDAII project construction began with an early start-up phase for one of the plant’s units, during which Trillini Engineering provided hands-on training to the mechanical construction team on utilizing eShare for tracking installed lines and extracting progress data directly from the software. This step was crucial for generating accurate reports, including the Progress Report presented to the client.
David Branchesi, Project Engineer at Trillini and currently involved in field engineering in the Netherlands, comments: “After speaking with the team on-site, I noticed they faced challenges in presenting progress reports clearly. I thought eShare could be the solution for them. I knew there was a way to track progress with fully customizable entries, so I got to work. By discussing with those who had been managing these reports for years, I identified the key information to extract from the 3D model. I created a tool that allows users to simply select an isometric view, enabling them to mark ‘Pre-fabricated line,’ ‘Installed line,’ and ‘Tested line,’ and then generate a report in eShare showing the weighted progress (30% Pre-fabricated, 60% Installed, 10% Tested).”
Following this initial phase, the systems and subsystems for the BDAII project were defined through close collaboration between Trillini Engineering and their client, Argent Energy. This crucial stage is foundational for achieving mechanical completion and commissioning. By clearly defining these systems and subsystems, Trillini Engineering ensures that each component is meticulously tracked. Once multiple subsystems have been successfully installed and tested, the project can move into the commissioning phase. Upon completing the commissioning of all individual subsystems, the focus shifts to the commissioning of entire systems. This systematic approach continues until all systems are commissioned, allowing for a seamless handover of the plant to operational teams.
Currently, construction progress is reported by the mechanical contractor, who adheres to their established project standards. These progress sheets are created externally; however, eShare’s versatility enables Trillini Engineering to import them seamlessly for comprehensive tracking of advancements, using color codes for various completion percentages (0%, <20%, <40%, …, 100%). Additionally, progress sheets from the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) contractor are also integrated into eShare. By cross-referencing these datasets with the defined systems and subsystems, Trillini Engineering and Argent have gained valuable clarity regarding their status in the mechanical completion phase, which is essential before transitioning to line testing and commissioning activities.
John Van Egmond, Quality Manager and part of the construction team since January 2024, notes, “eShare really surprised me. As a quality engineer, I have a lot of interfaces with local authorities and notified bodies. The aspects of making systems visible make it really helpful to generate reports and work instructions, such as hydrotest packs and future inspection plans. The possibilities are endless.”
eShare as a client-focused knowledge repository
Harry Gregan, Senior Process Engineer at the Leaven Team and involved in the project from the start, says, “At the beginning of the construction, we were able to monitor progress using the field app CADMATIC eGo, which aided contractor management. Ad hoc modifications were quickly implemented. Subsequently, in collaboration with Trillini, we discovered its functionality to keep ourselves and project stakeholders updated on various progress fronts.”
Moreover, eShare serves as a vital knowledge repository, enabling clients like Argent Energy to access essential documents independently. This functionality enhances transparency and allows clients to monitor project progress effortlessly, fostering a collaborative atmosphere that benefits all stakeholders involved.
The BDAII biodiesel plant project illustrates how Cadmatic’s eShare can revolutionize the management of engineering progress and documentation in large-scale industrial projects. As the project is still under construction, Trillini Engineering continues to seek ways to maximize the potential of eShare and Cadmatic, striving to push the boundaries of efficiency and collaboration.
