Ple4Win 4.8.0 released

We are happy to announce the release of Ple4Win version 4.8.0. This version is a feature release, introducing new functionality. Furthermore, enhancements, stability improvements and bugfixes are also incorporated. For a detailed description of all that is new and changed, please see the change log. As always, we advise customers to upgrade to the latest version, even if no issues have been encountered using version 4.7.2. Click here to download Ple4Win Professional 4.8.0 right away. The highlights of this new release are:

• Alternating Yield calculations.
• Predefined materials properties.
• Clarifications and additions to the help file.
• Numerous small improvements throughout the whole program.
• Quite a lot of bugs have been fixed.

Alternating Yield calculation

The program has been expanded to perform alternating yield calculation as described in the norm NEN 3650-2, paragraph D3.4. It is a linear material calculation giving insight into whether a pipeline might be damaged because deformations introduce material-plastic deformations. The NEN norm describes two ways to check for the alternating yield criterion, a simple one only applicable if the direction of the principal stresses does not change, and a complex one for all situations. Ple4Win always calculates according to the full, generally applicable procedure. Alternating yield calculations can be performed in “General” calculations and if the “NEN 3650-2” analysis type is selected. These are not available with material non-linear calculations or Belgian Law / ASME norms.

Two user-selected load cases are compared, both load cases must be (re)calculated with the “Alternating Yield Load Case” project property enabled. Generated data can be viewed in the new DF6.2 output tables “Maximum alternating yield check stresses” [ASTRMAX] and “Detailed alternating yield check stresses” [ASTRESS]. The program also automatically warns if the limit value is surpassed. The new functionality is implemented as a new program module “M1” (the existing “M” module has been renamed to “M0”). Please contact us for information about costs and licence change/update. Please note: If you decide to buy the new module within 3 month after the release of this version, you will get a price reduction of 1/3 on the price of this module!

Predefined material properties

In Design Function 3.1 “Pipe Data” functionality has been added to aid the user with entering correct materials data in the input tables “Material location” [MATL], “Isotropic materials” [ISTROP] and “Anisotropic materials” [ANTROP]. It is now possible for the user to store material properties outside the project and use these definitions in different projects. Also, material properties of all steel types mentioned in the norm NEN 3650 are included as system predefined materials.

User predefined materials can be added, updated and deleted, both for isotropic and anisotropic materials; the user of course always has the possibility to enter data by hand as before. This new functionality is provided as part of the basic program, so no licence change or additional program module is necessary.

Other program changes

A lot of existing functionality has been updated, streamlined or improved. Please see the change log for all details. Some of the more noticable changes are:

• Help file additions about e.g. types of tees, max. rotations in joints, project phase limitation, and more.
• Step change detection of the soil model wizard has been improved, resulting in less cluttered Design Function 3.2 “Soil Data” input tables.
• Corrosion allowances above 50% are now allowed.
• If the program has previously started on a no longer present monitor it now shows on the main screen.
• Part of the notices in DF5 and DF6 have been converted to the longer, more readable format used e.g. in DF3 and DF4.

Licence agreement changes

A first announcement to inform all our customers: We are working on modernising our software licence agreement. We are planning to move away from individual licence agreements (per customer) to a general licence agreement that will be valid for all customers. Also, the contents will be updated to reflect modern rules and to allow for easy introduction of other licensing types in the future, if required. The new licence agreement will affect all users, existing and new. We plan to have a starting date of January 1, 2025 to start using the new licence agreement. We will inform our customers about the content of the new agreement and its implication as soon as feasible. See also the announcement on our website.

Courses for Ple4Win users

The performance, accuracy and speed of a project calculated using Ple4Win depends for not a small part on how the project is modelled. More often than not, a good pipeline model has greater benefits than e.g. a faster computer and may prevent lots of calculations on model variations. We are providing for a course on the art of making a good functional pipeline model. This half-day course is primarily intended for experienced users. For more detailed information, contact us. We also offer courses for inexperienced users and dedicated training for individuals or small groups, focused on specified wishes of the attendees and/or going into details of specific problems the attendees have encountered. The combination of a course together with a project to be calculated is also possible. Again, contact us for more information.

Ple4Win forum

For support or advice, please visit the Ple4Win forum. There you can also read the FAQs, tips & tricks, report your findings or tell us your views.