P&ID Generation from Natural Language Using LLM Subsystem Retrieval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Creating Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process due to the complexity of accurately representing industrial processes, requiring deep understanding and multiple revisions to ensure accuracy and compliance with industry standards, even with the use of pre-defined subsystem databases.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that automates the creation of P&IDs using large language models (LLMs) to process natural language inputs, retrieving and combining subsystem data in a standardized format, such as DEXPI XML, to generate complete P&IDs, leveraging techniques like few-shot prompting and supervised fine-tuning to enhance accuracy and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual methods are used to create P&IDs with expert knowledge, then accuracy and compliance with industry standards are ensured, but time consumption and labor intensity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveaccuracyVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system comprising a natural language processing module and a P&ID generation module that mediates between the user's natural language input and the standardized P&ID output. This intermediary automatically transforms process descriptions into structured P&ID diagrams, eliminating the need for manual expert intervention while maintaining accuracy through predefined templates and industry standard compliance rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing users to generate accurate P&IDs through simple natural language input without requiring expert knowledge. The automated generation module independently handles the complex tasks of interpreting process descriptions, selecting appropriate subsystems from databases, and generating compliant P&ID diagrams, making the service accessible to non-experts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Stability of the object's composition

If databases of common subsystems are used to simplify P&ID creation, then consistency and adherence to standards are improved, but the complexity of identifying and combining required subsystems increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconsistencyVSAvoidcomplexity of identifying and combining subsystems
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of identifying and combining subsystems with an automated information processing system. The natural language processing module extracts requirements from user input, and the P&ID generation module automatically queries subsystem databases, retrieves appropriate components, and combines them according to industry standards, eliminating the complex manual task of subsystem identification and assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If multiple revisions are performed to ensure accuracy and compliance, then quality of P&ID is improved, but productivity and output per unit time decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovequalityVSAvoidoutput per unit time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining standardized subsystem templates and compliance rules in the database. When generating a P&ID, the system automatically applies these pre-established templates and rules, ensuring quality and compliance in the initial generation without requiring multiple revision cycles. This preliminary preparation of standards and templates enables high-quality output in a single pass.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4657239A1Method and arrangement for building a piping and instrumentation diagram
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 SIEMENS AG
  • EP4657239A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4657239A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4657239A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for building a Piping and Instrumentation Diagram, "P&ID", (P&ID_SYS), characterized in that a) first data (P&IDn_SYS) representing data structured according to a standardized description format (XML) at least describing a part of subsystems (P&IDn_SUB) of said P&ID (P&ID_SYS) representing a process, in particular industrial process, to be established, is automatically built based on a formalized textual input (RQS), said formalized textual input (RQS) being automatically generated based on a natural language input (NLI) representing said process, in particular industrial process, to be established, whereby c) said natural language input (NLI) being automatically transformed to a second data representing formalized textual input (RQS), c) said first data (P&IDn_SYS) is retrieved and/or combined based on said second data (RQS) in such a manner that third data (P&ID_SYS) representing said P&ID can be generated for further processing, for example at least temporally stored, displayed and/or edited, d) said building of first data, transformation to second data, retrieval, combination and/or generation of third data (P&ID_SYS) is achieved through prompting at least one large language model (LLM1...LLM3). It also relates to an arrangement for carrying out the method, a computer-program product and a provisioning device.