McDermott leverages AI to save hours identifying mistakes in P&IDS

About McDermott

McDermott is a leading fully integrated global provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry, operating in over 54 countries. They leverage a technology-driven approach to design and build infrastructure solutions to transport and transform oil and gas in a responsible manner.

Deep Learning in the Process Industry

P&IDs are detailed and congested engineering drawings used in the process industry, some of which can consist of up to 100 pages. For safety, planning, and cost reasons, it is important to check and approve these drawings several times throughout a project. These checks are usually performed by highly experienced engineers and can take hours to complete.

Using Artificial Intelligence, McDermott has now automated this workflow, saving valuable engineering hours and reducing the risk of errors.

Making machine learning accessible

The ReCo tool is made with Python on the VIKTOR platform and leverages a Deep Learning model for identifying mistakes in piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). Although the logic behind the ReCo tool might be complex, using the application is straightforward thanks to the simple and user-friendly interface.

“The app is very simple in terms of the user interface, so it’s easy to use for any process engineer. Most of the complicated work is done in the background," Ya-alimadad adds.

Engineers use the app by uploading their P&ID files, then the AI starts checking for common mistakes using an image recognition algorithm. If a mistake is identified, the engineer is notified and decides whether it is actually an error and how to correct it.

“This way, the app supports engineers in their work. It even serves as a learning facility for junior engineers, as the ReCo tool provides a downloadable reference manual of common mistakes that occur in P&IDs and indicates common mistakes and how to avoid them,” confirms Ya-alimadad.

It’s interesting to note that the ReCo was initially developed in collaboration with a Controls and Instrumentation Engineer. According to Ya-alimadad this is important because “most of our ideas come from our engineers. Which is how it should be, as they understand the struggles best.”

AI for every process engineer

With offices in over 54 countries and 20 to 150 process engineers per engineering office, the ReCo tool has a vast potential user base.

ReCo tool for isometrics

After the success of the ReCo tool for P&IDs, McDermott decided to release another version: the ReCo tool for isometrics (ISOs). This version helps engineers identify typical drafting mistakes by analysing drawings and identifying design errors. Additionally, it can spot mistakes on PDF drawings provided by a third party.

AI on the VIKTOR platform

With several more VIKTOR-hosted AI applications in the pipeline, we asked Ya-alimadad about the reason why McDermott chose the VIKTOR platform to develop their tools.

According to Ya-alimadad, "We chose VIKTOR.AI for our application development because of their focus on engineering. We speak the same language. VIKTOR.AI immediately understood our business needs and the needs of our end-users – who are ultimately our engineers.”