Creating or modifying a piping specification (Specon) in 2.1 requires a deep understanding of the underlying catalog structure. There is very little GUI hand-holding. Expect to spend days training a dedicated administrator just to manage bolt lengths and gasket thicknesses.
The out-of-the-box isometric drawings are usable, but customizing the ISO style files is a dark art. To get company-standard title blocks, material take-offs, and line breaks, you will likely need a dedicated customizer or external support. Version 2.1 does not simplify this process compared to PDMS. aveva e3d 2.1
Version 2.1 handles both parametric primitives (PDMS-style) and direct 2D/3D sketch-based modeling well. For structural steel modifications or creating custom equipment nozzles, the ability to sketch and extrude directly within the 3D view saves significant time. Creating or modifying a piping specification (Specon) in 2
Unlike later versions of E3D (2.2+) or the new E3D Design, version 2.1 lacks native cloud collaboration tools. If you have remote teams, you still rely on traditional database locking, which leads to "reservation clashes." Performance & Stability Generally stable. Crashes are rare if you have certified graphics drivers. However, I did experience occasional corruption of the user session file ( .uds ), requiring a manual delete from the temp folder. Auto-save recovery is present, but not as forgiving as modern software like Revit. Verdict AVEVA E3D 2.1 is a safe, reliable workhorse. It doesn't try to innovate in ways that break your workflow. If your company lives in PDMS but wants better 3D visuals and a less rigid modeling experience, this is the perfect upgrade. Version 2
If you are coming from PDMS 12.x, the database structure is familiar. Migration tools in 2.1 work smoothly, meaning you don’t have to remodel your legacy projects. What’s Frustrating (The Cons) 1. The Drawlist & Hierarchy Hangover Despite the graphical facelift, the underlying hierarchy (WORL, SITE, ZONE, etc.) and the Drawlist remain clunky. Managing visibility via the hierarchical tree is still slower than the layer systems found in AutoCAD Plant 3D or SmartPlant. For new users, the "Site/Zone" logic is unintuitive.