Framework of enabling concurrent process engineering system for process design support

Due to complexity in design procedure of process engineering, it has been noted that integration of process design process should be realized based on the concept of concurrent engineering, known here as Concurrent Process Engineering. This paper describes a framework of enabling a concurrent process engineering system as a model for a concurrent engineering in chemical engineering process plant design. It stresses on the current development of a concurrent process-engineering environment in which the process design tasks are supported. In this framework, data and design information-exchange and process design document handling, design teams organization and allocation as well as the tools integration to accommodate the process design information, are discussed and the architecture of the model named as CPEDSYS is explained. A layout process in which three kinds of engineers are involved was applied as a case study in order to show how concurrent process engineering can be implemented in chemical engineering process plant design, under CPEDSYS.