DIN Norm Project Design and Drawing
Introduction
DIN norm compliant project design and drawing has two main components:
- Project pages DIN norm type
- Symbol DIN norm name type
DIN Norm Compliant Page Types
In DIN norm projects, the page definition must be structured in the following hierarchy:
- Plant designation —
=sign (sub-page) - Location designation —
+sign (sub-page) - Page number (sub-page)
Addressing Logic
DIN norm compliant project structuring can be compared to defining a building address. The address of an office building can be expressed in two different ways:
Traditional method:
5th Avenue, Empire Building No: 42/8
Manhattan – New York
More structured method:
Empire Building
5th Avenue 42/8
10036 Manhattan
The second method contains fewer words yet is more functional, because the postal code uniquely identifies a location and can be used directly by automation systems.
If we had to write this address in DIN norm format, it would look like this:
=10036.1+5AVE.42/8
We can also address a specific unit within the building:
=10036.1+5AVE.42/8.B
With this structure, direct access to the location is possible without any name information — which greatly simplifies the work of automatic address identification systems.
Importance of Project Type Selection
Although the example above may seem simple, the addressing structure must be carefully considered before starting the design of a facility. An incorrect choice can lead to bottlenecks or complexity issues during project implementation.
- Selecting Type 2 for highly complex projects may create bottlenecks.
- Selecting Type 3 for a very simple project will introduce unnecessary complexity.
DIN Norm Project Types in COFASO
Type 2 — DIN: HLA (descr. LOD)
2 = Plant and descriptive location designation
In this project type, the defining element for a page is the value written in the = (equals) sign. The value written in the + (plus) sign is not used for page addressing — it serves only as a description.
In this project type, the = (HLA) sign or the page number must be able to uniquely address the page. Otherwise conflicts arise and many errors may occur in the project.
Example: Drawing pages for the packaging unit of a cement factory:
=CRU.1+PANEL.1/1
=CRU.1+PANEL.1/2
In the example above, =CRU.1 identifies the crushing unit. The following +PANEL.1 is a location designator used only for descriptive purposes for this unit — it has no logical identifying value. The actual determining elements are the /1 and /2 page numbers. All values of both pages are identical except for the page numbers.
Note: This feature is specific to Type 2 projects only; it does not apply to other types.
Type 3 — DIN: HLA and LOD
3 = Plant and location designation
In this project type, both the = (equals) and + (plus) signs are used together for the definitive identification of a page.
Using the same example in this type:
=CRU.1+PANEL.1/1
=CRU.2+PANEL.1/2
=CRU.1+PANEL.1/1
=CRU.1+PANEL.2/2
=CRU.1+PANEL.1/1
=CRU.2+PANEL.1/1
combinations can be created.
Type 4 — DIN: LOD Only
In this project type, only the location designation and page number are used for addressing.
Example:
+PANEL.1/1
+PANEL.2/1
Type 5 — DIN: HLA Only
In this project type, only the plant designation and page number are used for addressing.
Example:
=CRU.1/1
=CRU.2/1
Type 6 — KKS
This project type is used in large-scale critical facilities such as power plants. The addressing logic goes several steps further than the types above. It is not recommended for conventional projects.
Note: Types 4 and 5 are equivalent in terms of usage logic. The only difference is that one uses the
=sign and the other uses the+sign for addressing.
Project Type Selection Recommendations
| Recommendation | Configuration | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Recommendation 1 | 3, 2, 3, 3, 3 | High complexity projects |
| Recommendation 2 | 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 | Low complexity projects |
| Recommendation 3 | 4, 5, 7, 7, 7 | Low complexity projects |
| Recommendation 4 | 5, 4, 5, 5, 5 | Low complexity projects |
| Recommendation 5 | 6, 2, 3, 3, 3 | High complexity projects |
| Recommendation 6 | 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 | Medium complexity projects |
COFASO is designed in accordance with the recommendations listed above.
Important Notes
- When generating terminal and cable plans from COFASO drawings, it is recommended to evaluate the results of the selected project type from both positive and negative perspectives.
- When generating terminal and cable plans, ensure that these pages are saved under the correct plant and location designations.