# Introduction

**3D SymbolDesigner** enables customers to create symbols graphically for plant design software such as Intergraph® SmartPlant® 3D, without requiring programming knowledge.<br/>
**3D SymbolDesigner** is designed to support customer symbol development activities, including an interactive graphical design environment and export to a range of data formats, for example Visual Basic projects and Excel bulk-load sheets for Intergraph SmartPlant 3D.<br/>
**3D SymbolDesigner** is based on an open, scalable architecture. Symbol data and symbol variants are stored in Excel files and can be edited with Microsoft® Office or external automation software.

## Symbol examples

Piping symbol in different variants with an operator symbol.

+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
|In SymbolDesigner:                                       |In SmartPlant 3D:                                        |
+=========================================================+=========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image1.png" width="376" height="292"> |<img src="./media/2_image2.png" width="378" height="293"> |
+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Piping symbol with an additional operator symbol.

+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
|In SymbolDesigner:                                       |In SmartPlant 3D:                                        |
+=========================================================+=========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image3.png" width="376" height="292"> |<img src="./media/2_image4.png" width="377" height="294"> |
+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
|Piping symbol in SymbolDesigner:                         |Operator symbol in SymbolDesigner:                       |
+=========================================================+=========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image5.png" width="376" height="293"> |<img src="./media/2_image6.png" width="376" height="293"> |
+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

This symbol was exported by SymbolDesigner with the insulation aspect included:

+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
|<img src="./media/2_image7.png" width="369" height="286"> |<img src="./media/2_image8.png" width="369" height="286"> |
+---------------------------------------------------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+:--------------------------------------------------------+:---------------------------------------------------------+
|Piping symbol in SymbolDesigner:                         |Operator symbol in SymbolDesigner:                        |
+=========================================================+==========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image9.png" width="376" height="292"> |<img src="./media/2_image10.png" width="376" height="292"> |
+---------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+
|These symbols in SmartPlant 3D:                          |                                                          |
+=========================================================+==========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image11.png" width="376" height="292">|                                                          |
+---------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+---------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+
|Flow direction arrows:                                   |                                                          |
+=========================================================+==========================================================+
|<img src="./media/2_image12.png" width="377" height="293">|                                                          |
+---------------------------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+