City of turlock improves interoperability

The City of Turlock recently used FME's new Map 3D Object Data support to help improve interoperability between the engineering and maintenance departments. Acting as an efficient gateway between MapGuide and Map 3D users, FME is helping streamline the updating of sewer infrastructure data. Field technicians now redline sewer changes through a MapGuide interface which stores the geometry as SDF files and associated attributes in Microsoft SQL Server. These data files are accessed by FME's graphical authoring environment, FME Workbench, and written directly as an AutoCAD DWG with Object Data, enabling engineers to easily modify the original drawings and generate updated run books (maps) for the field.

FME brings several benefits to this process. First, it allows engineering to more quickly provide updated data to the field. "What used to take multiple edits on paper now only takes two edits online," says Dan Lourenco, IT Analyst at the City. "The new process also includes edit logs so users can clearly understand what changes have been made and when they were completed. This has significantly reduced frustration in the field."

With FME, the City's field technicians are no longer operating with incomplete or inaccurate information. "Data accuracy is paramount," comments Dan. "This new process is mission critical in that it prevents the field team from making high impact mistakes. Our GIS engineers are happy too as they no longer face the risks associated with trying to interpret hand drawn map changes."

FME 2008's new Map 3D Object Data support is available in all FME Desktop editions on the Windows platform. For examples on how you can use this new capability, visit www.safe.com/ObjectDataSupport.