Using FME to Develop Self-Service CAD Applications for a Major UK Police Force

Using FME to Develop
Self-Service CAD
Applications for a
Major UK Police Force
1Spatial U.K.
The Peak of Data
and AI 2025

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Ian Fletcher
Senior FME Consultant
1Spatial UK
www.linkedin.com/in/ian-ﬂetcher-uk

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
1Spatial Australia
1Spatial Tunisia
1Spatial Inc. US
1Spatial Ireland
1Spatial France
1Spatial Belgium
1Spatial UK
Global leaders in location data management
Customers
US
France & Belgium Australi
a
UK & Ireland
Industrie
s
Partners
Utilitie
s
Street
Works
Defence
National
Mapping
Land
Management
Transport &
Infrastructur
e
Government
Built
Environmen
t

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
The Client – A major UK Police Force
● A major UK Police force with a substantial estate:
● Over 1 million sq m of real estate to manage and
maintain – 1000 ﬂoors and 30 000 individual
rooms
● 400+ locations, 700+ individual ﬁles

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
The Data
● Key data is held within two isolated
systems:
● 700+ dwg files in a Technical
Document Management
System (DMS)
● An internal Integrated
Workplace Management
System (IWMS)
Example redacted Autocad DWG file showing floorplan of a police station.

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
● Limited Autodesk licences and
skilled users
● Increasing requirements to access
and query this data
● Data quality issues
● 743 files – 1 hour on average to
perform checks/answer queries – 20
weeks of manual work each year
Example redacted Autocad DWG file showing floorplan of a police station.
The Challenges

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
“How many Male vs Female bathrooms do
we have in Building X.”
“What is the current office capacity of
Building Y and what is the average
occupancy rate?”
“How many Electric Vehicle charging points
do we have at site Z?”

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Integrating CAD using FME

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
FME Form components specific to Autodesk content:
• 5 Readers
• 4 Writers
• 2 Safe transformers
• 4 Community transformers
Screenshot of existing AutoCAD FME Reader
FME and AutoCAD

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Example redacted AutoCAD DWG ﬁle displaying room content as blocks
Example redacted AutoCAD DWG ﬁle displaying room content as entities
Entities Blocks
Blocks vs Entities

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Example redacted AutoCAD DWG ﬁle displaying room content in page space
Example redacted AutoCAD DWG ﬁle displaying room content in model space
Model Space Page Space
Page vs Model Space

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate
DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract
relevant
metadata and
spatial
elements into
SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool
from SQL
Create Asset
reporting
tools
FME Workﬂow – General Plan
*This sequence has been shortened

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
Extracted rules describing the correct format of a floorplan
Existing floorplan documentation example screenshot
FME Workflow – Rule Interpretation

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Example – 3.4.1: “North Arrow Exists”
Example of an existing rule as described in documentation provided to suppliers

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
Example rule in FME: Rule 4.2 - North Arrow Exists Example output ﬂoorplan quality report
FME Workﬂow – Rule Interpretation

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Custom HTML in the HTMLReportGenerator
A quick word on HTML Formatting

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
Details of the CAD Plan Processor workspace Example output in SQL Server – Internal Rooms table
FME Workﬂow – Data Extraction

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Details of the parent Floorplan processor workspace – the FMEJobSubmitter
FME Workﬂow – Data Extraction
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
Example output from the Floorplan reporting tool (with redactions)
FME Workﬂow – Export tools

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
FME Workﬂow – Reporting tools
Room Reporting Tools – Flow Webapp front end Room Reporting Tools – Example result (with redactions)
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
• Used FME Flow to standardise ﬂoor plans despite coming from a range of suppliers
• Rules ensured Blocks like desks and lockers are standardised and can be counted
• Created a PDF exporter for self-service in the secure intranet
• Created Room Exporter for summing Blocks (desks, lockers, toilets etc) in ﬂoors/offices
Summary

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
Validate DWGs
received from
suppliers
Extract relevant
metadata and
spatial elements
into SQL db
Create PDF
Export Tool from
SQL
Create Asset
reporting tools
• Enable HTTPS and integrate with Azure Entra/Active Directory to add additional
security
• We can then roll-out the validation app to external contractors.
• Understanding space utilisation by incorporating sensor data to review office
capacity and utilisation in significant cost saving exercises.
• Additional use cases – Risk assessments for Asbestos removal?
Next Steps

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
A shout out to the FME ideas page
The FME Hub Community Ideas Page

2025
The
Peak
of
Data
and
AI
ThankYou
Ian Fletcher
1Spatial UK
www.linkedin.com/in/ian-ﬂetcher-uk
Ian.ﬂetcher@1spatial.com

Using FME to Develop Self-Service CAD Applications for a Major UK Police Force

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Using FME to Develop Self-Service CAD Applications for a Major UK Police Force