The document describes MPDS4, a plant design software system from CAD Schroer. MPDS4 allows design teams to efficiently design large industrial plants involving piping, mechanical, electrical systems and steelwork. It combines 3D CAD, information management and applications for piping, mechanical handling, engineering review, steel design, ducting, electrical design and more. The software aims to improve productivity for plant designers in industries like process, power and marine.

1. CAD Schroer UK Ltd
39 Newnham Road
Cambridge, CB3 9EY
Tel. +44 1223 460 408
E-Mail: info@cad-schroer.com
www.cad-schroer.com
© CAD Schroer GmbH 07/2010
Technical modifications reserved.
All rights reserved. All brands or product names are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective owners. www.cad-schroer.com

2. Meeting the challenges of plant design
The MEDUSA4®
Plant Design System (MPDS4) is a suite of powerful, multi-user plant engineering
applications, which combine the speed and precision of interactive 3D CAD with extraordinary
information management capabilities. MPDS4 allows design teams to build extremely large
assemblies with ease.
MPDS4 provides the complete solution for complex projects involving the design and management
of equipment, and the layout of piping, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the supporting
structural steelwork. It addresses today’s need for efficiency, productivity and cost control in the
competitive installation design arena. MPDS4 is an industry-proven solution, delivering significant
productivity gains to plant designers in the mechanical machinery, power, process and marine
industries.
PIPING DESIGN
Comprehensive professional 3D
piping software with a very rich
feature set, including intelligent
auto routing and dynamic route
editing. Optional P&ID and
ISOGENTM
integration.
MECHANICAL HANDLING
Materials handling equipment
and design software. From
conveyor belts to cranes to fork
lift trucks, installation designers
can easily select, lay out,
configure, visualise and add
intelligence to process
machinery in their plant.
ENGINEERING REVIEW
Software for 3D plant or factory
visualisation and realistic design
reviews within the MPDS4
environment. Generate movie-
like walk-throughs of your
installation, complete with eye
movement controls.
3D REVIEW Tool
E-mail very compact versions of
your plant models to clients or
managers who use this external
tool to conduct plant walk-
throughs or inspect designs in
detail.
Integration
“It’s just the click of a button and
a file is created – a parts list that
you can open in Excel, and take
straight into the procurement
system. So you can track any
one item, with its own special
code, from the model to the
drawing and throughout the
procurement process, until it is
delivered to the site.”
Paul Munns, Senior CAD Engineer,
Christ Kennicott Water Technology Ltd
www.cad-schroer.com
STEEL DESIGN
3D steel design software for
dynamically and intelligently
constructing steel frames for
buildings and equipment
supports.
DUCTING DESIGN
3D HVAC design software with
powerful routing tools for ducts
and supporting components.
ELECTRICAL DESIGN
3D electrical routing software
for routing electrical and control
systems throughout your plant,
ship or factory.
P&ID
A complete solution for creating
intelligent process and
instrumentation diagrams; data
extraction, and creating and
cross-checking the 3D world.
HANGERS & SUPPORTS
A professional solution for
accurately modelling 3D
supports between pipes and
steelwork in your installation.
3D COMPONENT DESIGNER
A tool for creating custom
parametric 3D catalog
components from 3D elements.
Components can be animated,
and are extremely configurable.

3. Competitive
Advantage
“No other plant design product
can meet our demands like
MPDS4. Its reliability, flexibility,
speed, ease of use, compatibility
with third party systems, and
ability to deliver data for our
downstream QA and financial
control processes is a huge
benefit to our business.”
Mike Lyon, Project Director,
Christ Kennicott Water Technology Ltd
MPDS4 Design Applications
MPDS4 provides an extensive range of integrated modules covering all the major plant design and
factory planning disciplines. Comprehensive add-on applications address such areas as mechanical
handling, piping, steel design, HVAC (ducting) and electrical design.
You benefit from a rich feature set, including the ability to conduct real-time walk-throughs, giving
customers an overview of an entire installation. You can animate your 3D components to illustrate the
functions performed by certain equipment, and add intelligence to interconnected components to
automatically route conveyor systems, for example. It is quick and easy to automatically create detailed
documentation for downstream processes, from manufacturing instructions to installation guides.
Advanced Information
Management
MPDS4 provides complete
control over the total project,
regardless of its size or the
number of designers working on
it. The single, integrated
database can handle massive
amounts of data: Most system
vendors talking about large-
scale assemblies mean a few
hundred or thousand
components; CAD Schroer’s
customers are using MPDS4 on
design projects consisting of
hundreds of thousands of
individual components.
Stepping into the Breach
Turnkey installation designers
who work with 2D drawings,
which are ideal for quick and
easy industrial layouts, often
miss the ability to visualise their
designs or detect clashes in 3D
space. They find that 3D
modelling systems, perfect for
creating individual machinery
designs in great detail, are not
intended for easily producing
large 3D layouts of complete
installations. So although 3D
really brings ideas to life for
clients, the expertise, time and
cost required means that it is
rarely deployed in the pre-sales
stage, when time is of the
essence, and work is non-
chargeable.
MPDS4 steps into this breach by
allowing designers the freedom
and ease to quickly generate
3D installations from 2D
layouts, or work directly in the
3D plant environment.
www.cad-schroer.com
Flexible and Efficient
Data Architecture
MPDS4‘s multi-user relational
database allows entire design
teams to work on large
assemblies simultaneously. Its
flexible structure allows users to
assign a great deal of
additional information, such as
component cost, weight, or
delivery timescales. The
system’s open architecture
means companies can integrate
their engineering data with
corporate process flows,
including back office systems.

4. Pre-Sales Configuration
While most initial layout for
project quotations is done in
2D, often by others, many
project engineers long for 3D
visualisations that bring designs
to life for customers, helping to
win bids. Yet large-scale 3D
work can be very time-
consuming, especially at the
iterative stage, where much is
thrown away before arriving at
a workable solution. Or
visualisation is only achieved
with tools that don’t deliver
CAD content.
The skill is to use minimum
resources while achieving
maximum effect and accuracy.
MPDS4 FACTORY LAYOUT
works with your existing CAD
and catalogue data and allows
you to switch the design
environment seamlessly from
layout drawings to 3D
visualisations, offering time-
saving automation.
The fastest way from large industrial layouts to 3D visualisations
MPDS4 FACTORY LAYOUT is a whole new concept for interaction between the world of industrial
layouts and the world of services and space management, giving installation designers and
suppliers a rapid, flexible design environment for the entire design process, from tender to concept
to build order – fully integrated with their existing 3D strategy.
FACTORY LAYOUT offers the ideal solution by combining drafting power tools with the advanced
capabilities of a plant design system, all integrated with your 3D environment. It offers the optimum
solution for each step of the design process, and the ability to use 3D simply and effectively early in
the tender stage. This means you don’t have to leave spatial detail to post-contract design, or
spend an immense amount of time and effort prior to gaining an order.
Creating the Initial Layout
Import DXF/DWG drawings, or
even scanned paper-based
designs, using raster backdrop
to create a layout drawing. The
system’s power tools make it
quick, easy and intuitive to add
symbols and geometry to reflect
current ideas.
Floors and Ground
Add floor height texts at any
point on the drawing to show
the various spot heights across
a site or building.
Modelling the Architecture
FACTORY LAYOUT takes the
tedium out of a lot of
architectural modelling. Simply
add a Z attribute to selected
line geometry and the 3D solid
model is automatically
generated when switching to
3D. Insert intelligent
architectural components, such
as doors and windows, with
detailed control over their
behaviour.
Auto Update
Any changes made to the
drawing are automatically
reflected in the 3D world, and
vice versa.
Productivity
”The exceptional degree of
productivity we have been able
to achieve with MEDUSA lends
us a truly competitive edge… in
the field of design automation,
MEDUSA is simply outstanding.“
Heinz Büchen, CAD System Manager,
Atlas Copco Energas GmbH
Innovation
“CAD Schroer’s software is a key
project enabler, and … has put
us in a strong position for further
growth in a buoyant market
place. We have benefited
immensely from CAD Schroer’s
dedication to product
innovation, and the unremitting
personal commitment of its team
of technical consultants.”
Richard Schilliger, responsible for PLM strategy,
Burckhardt Compression
www.cad-schroer.com

5. Pre-Sales Configuration
While most initial layout for
project quotations is done in
2D, often by others, many
project engineers long for 3D
visualisations that bring designs
to life for customers, helping to
win bids. Yet large-scale 3D
work can be very time-
consuming, especially at the
iterative stage, where much is
thrown away before arriving at
a workable solution. Or
visualisation is only achieved
with tools that don’t deliver
CAD content.
The skill is to use minimum
resources while achieving
maximum effect and accuracy.
MPDS4 FACTORY LAYOUT
works with your existing CAD
and catalogue data and allows
you to switch the design
environment seamlessly from
layout drawings to 3D
visualisations, offering time-
saving automation.
The fastest way from large industrial layouts to 3D visualisations
MPDS4 FACTORY LAYOUT is a whole new concept for interaction between the world of industrial
layouts and the world of services and space management, giving installation designers and
suppliers a rapid, flexible design environment for the entire design process, from tender to concept
to build order – fully integrated with their existing 3D strategy.
FACTORY LAYOUT offers the ideal solution by combining drafting power tools with the advanced
capabilities of a plant design system, all integrated with your 3D environment. It offers the optimum
solution for each step of the design process, and the ability to use 3D simply and effectively early in
the tender stage. This means you don’t have to leave spatial detail to post-contract design, or
spend an immense amount of time and effort prior to gaining an order.
Creating the Initial Layout
Import DXF/DWG drawings, or
even scanned paper-based
designs, using raster backdrop
to create a layout drawing. The
system’s power tools make it
quick, easy and intuitive to add
symbols and geometry to reflect
current ideas.
Floors and Ground
Add floor height texts at any
point on the drawing to show
the various spot heights across
a site or building.
Modelling the Architecture
FACTORY LAYOUT takes the
tedium out of a lot of
architectural modelling. Simply
add a Z attribute to selected
line geometry and the 3D solid
model is automatically
generated when switching to
3D. Insert intelligent
architectural components, such
as doors and windows, with
detailed control over their
behaviour.
Auto Update
Any changes made to the
drawing are automatically
reflected in the 3D world, and
vice versa.
Productivity
”The exceptional degree of
productivity we have been able
to achieve with MEDUSA lends
us a truly competitive edge… in
the field of design automation,
MEDUSA is simply outstanding.“
Heinz Büchen, CAD System Manager,
Atlas Copco Energas GmbH
Innovation
“CAD Schroer’s software is a key
project enabler, and … has put
us in a strong position for further
growth in a buoyant market
place. We have benefited
immensely from CAD Schroer’s
dedication to product
innovation, and the unremitting
personal commitment of its team
of technical consultants.”
Richard Schilliger, responsible for PLM strategy,
Burckhardt Compression
www.cad-schroer.com

6. Competitive
Advantage
“No other plant design product
can meet our demands like
MPDS4. Its reliability, flexibility,
speed, ease of use, compatibility
with third party systems, and
ability to deliver data for our
downstream QA and financial
control processes is a huge
benefit to our business.”
Mike Lyon, Project Director,
Christ Kennicott Water Technology Ltd
MPDS4 Design Applications
MPDS4 provides an extensive range of integrated modules covering all the major plant design and
factory planning disciplines. Comprehensive add-on applications address such areas as mechanical
handling, piping, steel design, HVAC (ducting) and electrical design.
You benefit from a rich feature set, including the ability to conduct real-time walk-throughs, giving
customers an overview of an entire installation. You can animate your 3D components to illustrate the
functions performed by certain equipment, and add intelligence to interconnected components to
automatically route conveyor systems, for example. It is quick and easy to automatically create detailed
documentation for downstream processes, from manufacturing instructions to installation guides.
Advanced Information
Management
MPDS4 provides complete
control over the total project,
regardless of its size or the
number of designers working on
it. The single, integrated
database can handle massive
amounts of data: Most system
vendors talking about large-
scale assemblies mean a few
hundred or thousand
components; CAD Schroer’s
customers are using MPDS4 on
design projects consisting of
hundreds of thousands of
individual components.
Stepping into the Breach
Turnkey installation designers
who work with 2D drawings,
which are ideal for quick and
easy industrial layouts, often
miss the ability to visualise their
designs or detect clashes in 3D
space. They find that 3D
modelling systems, perfect for
creating individual machinery
designs in great detail, are not
intended for easily producing
large 3D layouts of complete
installations. So although 3D
really brings ideas to life for
clients, the expertise, time and
cost required means that it is
rarely deployed in the pre-sales
stage, when time is of the
essence, and work is non-
chargeable.
MPDS4 steps into this breach by
allowing designers the freedom
and ease to quickly generate
3D installations from 2D
layouts, or work directly in the
3D plant environment.
www.cad-schroer.com
Flexible and Efficient
Data Architecture
MPDS4‘s multi-user relational
database allows entire design
teams to work on large
assemblies simultaneously. Its
flexible structure allows users to
assign a great deal of
additional information, such as
component cost, weight, or
delivery timescales. The
system’s open architecture
means companies can integrate
their engineering data with
corporate process flows,
including back office systems.

7. Meeting the challenges of plant design
The MEDUSA4®
Plant Design System (MPDS4) is a suite of powerful, multi-user plant engineering
applications, which combine the speed and precision of interactive 3D CAD with extraordinary
information management capabilities. MPDS4 allows design teams to build extremely large
assemblies with ease.
MPDS4 provides the complete solution for complex projects involving the design and management
of equipment, and the layout of piping, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the supporting
structural steelwork. It addresses today’s need for efficiency, productivity and cost control in the
competitive installation design arena. MPDS4 is an industry-proven solution, delivering significant
productivity gains to plant designers in the mechanical machinery, power, process and marine
industries.
PIPING DESIGN
Comprehensive professional 3D
piping software with a very rich
feature set, including intelligent
auto routing and dynamic route
editing. Optional P&ID and
ISOGENTM
integration.
MECHANICAL HANDLING
Materials handling equipment
and design software. From
conveyor belts to cranes to fork
lift trucks, installation designers
can easily select, lay out,
configure, visualise and add
intelligence to process
machinery in their plant.
ENGINEERING REVIEW
Software for 3D plant or factory
visualisation and realistic design
reviews within the MPDS4
environment. Generate movie-
like walk-throughs of your
installation, complete with eye
movement controls.
3D REVIEW Tool
E-mail very compact versions of
your plant models to clients or
managers who use this external
tool to conduct plant walk-
throughs or inspect designs in
detail.
Integration
“It’s just the click of a button and
a file is created – a parts list that
you can open in Excel, and take
straight into the procurement
system. So you can track any
one item, with its own special
code, from the model to the
drawing and throughout the
procurement process, until it is
delivered to the site.”
Paul Munns, Senior CAD Engineer,
Christ Kennicott Water Technology Ltd
www.cad-schroer.com
STEEL DESIGN
3D steel design software for
dynamically and intelligently
constructing steel frames for
buildings and equipment
supports.
DUCTING DESIGN
3D HVAC design software with
powerful routing tools for ducts
and supporting components.
ELECTRICAL DESIGN
3D electrical routing software
for routing electrical and control
systems throughout your plant,
ship or factory.
P&ID
A complete solution for creating
intelligent process and
instrumentation diagrams; data
extraction, and creating and
cross-checking the 3D world.
HANGERS & SUPPORTS
A professional solution for
accurately modelling 3D
supports between pipes and
steelwork in your installation.
3D COMPONENT DESIGNER
A tool for creating custom
parametric 3D catalog
components from 3D elements.
Components can be animated,
and are extremely configurable.

8. CAD Schroer UK Ltd
39 Newnham Road
Cambridge, CB3 9EY
Tel. +44 1223 460 408
E-Mail: info@cad-schroer.com
www.cad-schroer.com
© CAD Schroer GmbH 07/2010
Technical modifications reserved.
All rights reserved. All brands or product names are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective owners. www.cad-schroer.com