Question: I am majoring in materials science and plan to work in piping design; what should I learn first?

You can go to the site to take a look, view the company’s previous drawings, and consult relevant standards and materials. If you have questions, just ask – it’s easy to get the hang of it quickly :)

Keep learning*:victory: :victory:

There is a lot to learn, but one must start with the basics first. I recommend several professional books on pipeline installation design: \"Practical Questions and Answers on the Installation Design of Petrochemical Process Pipelines\", \"Training Materials for Personnel Responsible for the Approval of Pressure Pipeline Designs Nationwide\", and \"Manual for the Installation Design of Process Pipelines in Petrochemical Plants\". It is also important to study relevant standards and specifications, and to visit construction sites frequently to gain practical experience

Thank you all for your help. I plan to buy a book titled \"Practical Questions and Answers on the Design and Installation of Pipelines in Petrochemical Processes\" in order to do my best

At first, I couldn’t bring myself to read those books; it was as if they were written in an incomprehensible language. I recommend that you find a file with renderings for a similar project; if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask the designer – they will usually tell you! Start by examining the design; if something is not clear, consult the specifications. Or if you feel there is a problem with the design, refer to the specifications or ask the person in charge for clarification. Not everyone knows all the details of a design, and many simply imitate what others have done! I’m not saying that imitation is a bad thing; when starting out on projects, we can only imitate and don’t dare to be innovative. But as we work on more projects, not all designs are created with full care, and it’s also possible that projects are done in a hurry and not properly completed.

Learning from seniors has little to do with the specialty

This enthusiasm deserves to be encouraged. In my opinion, there’s no need to panic; one should do what is appropriate for each stage of life. Since you are still a student now, you should focus on completing your graduation project well. If you manage to achieve an excellent grade, that’s great; but if you only get a good grade, will you be able to live up to the efforts your teachers have put into guiding you? After starting work, one has to learn a lot of things – it’s an inevitable part of everyone’s journey. The projects will provide you with plenty of materials that you need to understand, and your mentors will guide you through things and have you read relevant books. You’ll find that work requires more practical skills than the pure theory learned in school; it’s sufficient to have a good grasp of chemical principles

Reading books alone is too slow; it’s better to look at projects that others have already worked on, and then consult books or seek advice from those with more experience when something is unclear

Besides first learning *AUTOCAD and MicroStation, then...

Thank you so much! This is very important for us beginners in this field..... This forum is really great; it wasn’t a waste of coming here....

It’s recommended not to make changes; there is too much to learn. The design institute has a materials engineering department, which is great

I’m also from a materials science background, and I don’t think there’s any issue with crossing disciplines – materials science falls under the category of engineering disciplines as well. The poster is still young, so they should maintain a positive attitude. As for what to study, once you’re in this field, you need to study hard; if you don’t understand something, ask questions. But don’t expect others to teach you voluntarily – if it were me, I wouldn’t do that either. In many cases, knowledge is acquired by learning from others, but regardless of how it’s obtained, what really matters is acquiring the skills. When you first enter this field, practical experience is very important; I suggest asking your company’s management to allow you to spend a few months on the construction site with experienced workers – that way you’ll understand things better, haha. After gaining some practical experience, you need to read more books on your own. I’ve noticed that many young people are reluctant to look up information on their own; they prefer to have everything prepared for them to be reviewed. Damn, it’s impossible to learn properly like that. Reading more, thinking more, and asking more questions – these are essential steps. Only after building a solid foundation can you start thinking about future plans: lol

The work in the piping field is very demanding, covering a very wide range of tasks. In addition to understanding the process flow and knowledge related to pipeline design, it is also necessary to be familiar with the standards and specifications related to related specialties such as structure, water supply and drainage, electrical systems, and automatic control. In the design, professional requirements should be set for them. So be prepared to endure hardships! In addition, it is necessary to study the pipeline design and installation manuals (a total of 4 volumes) as well as the previous design drawings from the institute, in order to master the methods and standards for drawing.

Many design firms these days use 3D software; when starting out, one needs to create various models, so it’s necessary to master software like PDS first (if 3D software is being used). There is so much to learn about piping; one can only learn while working at it – there’s no rush. There’s a book titled \"Practical Questions and Answers on the Design and Installation of Pipelines in Petrochemical Processes\", which is really good; it’s available on the Haichuan Forum. Those who work on piping should definitely go to the site more often, study other people’s designs by referring to the blueprints – it really saves a lot of time.

Large design institutes all have their own piping specifications; it’s useful to take a closer look at these. They’re available on forums, so give them a try – I couldn’t find them