Miner & Miner Launches the 8.2 ArcFM™ Solution for Utilities
Expanded functionality provides enhanced solution for energy and water/wastewater utilities around the world
Fort Collins, CO -- Miner & Miner (M&M) announces the release of the 8.2 ArcFM Solution for electric, gas, and water/wastewater utilities. This latest version expands existing functionality and offers the broadest GIS enterprise solution for utilities on the market.
The 8.2 ArcFM Solution incorporates ArcFM, Designer, ArcFM Viewer, Conduit Manager (previously called Conduit System Manager), and Network Adapter (previously called DistOps) modules. It is certified against ESRI's ArcGIS 8.2 family of products. The following components are included in the ArcFM Solution:
Designer 8.2
Designer 8.2 is an integrated environment for preparing construction work sketches, job cost estimates, and an automated means to update the baseline corporate GIS database. It leverages a unified solution platform using a single, configurable architecture. Building on the ArcGIS 8 architecture, Designer improves the accuracy and consistency of corporate data assets, optimizes design, provides engineering calculators, and several automated layout tools.
Designer 8.2 introduces the following enhancements:
- Enhanced CU handling:
- CU Finder: significantly improves the time it takes for users to search through extensive CU lists, favorites, templates, and macros and send them to the Attribute Editor Targets tab.
- Auto complete function (patterned after Microsoft Outlook).
- Intelligent sending to the Target or Design tab: hitting the Enter key selects the CU and sends it simultaneously.
- Enable Quick Estimate button: when enabled, the user may send CUs to the Design tab by double-clicking them on the CUs tab. This tool may be used in conjunction with the Designer Cost Estimate Engine to quickly estimate design costs.
- Selected CU goes to top of the TOC window and automatically expands the tree below it.
- Improved navigation using up or down arrow keys.
- Customize search: right-click on folders to disable categories from inclusion in CU searches and improve performance.
- Work Function Tool: streamlines removal, replacement, and upgrades of GIS features. Users can add and remove non-GIS CUs and quickly update site condition data.
- Add Non-GIS Compatible Units: a right-click menu makes it easy for users to add one or more non-geographic CUs to one or more features.
- Workflow Manager: provides powerful strategies for managing work requests and associated designs. Work requests and designs progress through a series of states such as "In Design" or "Pending Approval" that are linked to user roles and permissions. Utility companies may choose to integrate with an existing ERP/WMS or use Workflow Manager provided with Designer. Workflows and user roles are customizable with the Process Framework Administration Tool.
- Cable Pulling Analysis: users can quickly calculate cable pulling tensions and perform "what if" scenarios for pulling conductors of various sizes through sections of conduit. Cable Pulling Analysis provides maximum tensions, sidewall bearing pressures, and cable clearances of several pulling methods including pulling-eye and basketweave grip.
ArcFM 8.2
ArcFM 8.2 is a complete enterprise utility solution for modeling, editing, managing, and maintaining facility and land base information for electric, gas, and water/wastewater utilities. ArcFM takes advantage of an industry-standard architecture and programming environments, an easy-to-use interface, and powerful cartographic tools, for an enterprise-wide solution. It provides the framework to maintain consistent business rules and data quality in an intuitive editing and viewing environment.
ArcFM 8.2 enhanced functionality includes:
- Autoupdaters for Relationship Classes: ArcFM 8.2 now lets you assign autoupdaters to relationship classes.
- Autoupdaters for managing relationship create and delete events: an additional sample COM autoupdater objects updates rated kVA of transformer units comprising a bank. The total kVA of transformer bank is automatically recalculated when a unit is added or deleted.
- ArcFM Squeeze Off Trace Task determines whether pinching a pipe at selected locations will disrupt the flow of gas or water to a specific area.
- Process Framework Administration Tool: allows an administrator to create new workflows for use in Session Manager (in ArcFM) and Workflow Manager (in Designer). The Process Framework Administration Tool can be used to add/remove users and change role permissions.
Network Adapter 8.2
Miner & Miner's Network Adapter 8.2 provides utilities with a convenient, seamless interface between the ArcFM solution and third-party modeling and planning applications or analysis engines. Network Adapter provides tools to extract a model from the GIS and load the data to an analysis engine via XML. Network Adapter also exports results from the analysis engine and displays them in any ArcFM Solution application including ArcFM, Designer, and Responder. As feeders are modified, planners can quickly analyze the network with analysis software and display the results directly in the GIS workspace. Standard templates for Cyme's CYMDIST and Advantica Stoner's Electric Solver are included.
Conduit Manager 8.2
Conduit Manager is an integrated set of tools and dialogs to add, annotate, and maintain the underground infrastructure of the utility network system. With Conduit Manager, users can define and manage underground conduit systems and display cross-section annotation that describes their contents, including trenches, duct banks, underground conductors, and underground access structures. Duct availability trace queries can now be performed within or outside the Conduit Manager extension.
ArcFM Viewer 8.2
Miner & Miner's ArcFM Viewer, based on ESRI's ArcView 8.1, provides a high-performance, cost-effective query and display tool without the expense of a full editing package. ArcFM Viewer provides a read-only interface to view, trace, and query data both at the office and in the field. With ArcFM Viewer, utility personnel can view, trace, and query data to help minimize cost or optimize the investment in maintenance and construction to get the most from the facility network.
The 8.2 ArcFM Solution is M&M's eighth release based on ArcGIS 8. This release also includes new online Help features significant to the user community. All Help files were converted to HTML for this release. Conversion reduced the size of the installation files, making them easy to view on any browser and reducing download time. Text or graphics can be selected and copied for customized components. The ArcFM Solution documentation includes a new gas chapter and gas tracing configurations.
“We at M&M always strive to provide our clients with high-end quality enterprise solutions,” said Mike Daniels, Miner & Miner VP of Product Development. “The 8.2 release contains vital enhancements to provide utilities with fast, easy, and powerful functionality.”
Miner & Miner is also launching a unified marketing strategy with a more consistent look-and-feel for the ArcFM Solution. Product names have been adjusted to leverage on the ArcFM brand equity and new logos have been introduced to express a consistent appearance. This enhances the integrated solution platform for utilities benefiting the entire enterprise.
The 8.2 ArcFM Solution leverages technology that is configurable and easily aligned to multiple processes using a unified strategic platform. It fits into the overall information technology architecture of modern utilities through the use of open databases, industry-standard programming environments and COM and XML technologies. It provides a scalable architecture for the full range of utility business needs, and can be used for a single departmental installation or as a multi-departmental enterprise configuration for creating, managing, and disseminating utility information.
About Miner & Miner
Miner & Miner (M&M) is a world leader in the development and implementation of GIS software for utilities. M&M ArcFM Solution and extended services assist electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities in increasing productivity, lowering costs, and improving services by allowing them to effectively manage spatial information. Founded in 1946 as a full-service electrical engineering firm, M&M has been a business partner of ESRI since 1987. This partnership has enabled M&M to become the world's leading developer of ArcGIS applications for the utility industry. M&M services include implementation and customization of software to fit the needs of individual utilities. For more information, please visit www.miner.com.
About ESRI
For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,200 business partners. ESRI's goal is to provide users with comprehensive tools to help them quickly and efficiently manage and use geographic information to make a real difference in the world around them. ESRI can be found on the Web at www.esri.com.
Designer, Responder, Conduit System Management, and DistOps are trademarks of Miner & Miner, Consulting Engineers, Inc. ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, GIS by ESRI, ArcGIS, ArcSDE, ArcFM, ArcFM Viewer, ARC/INFO, ArcIMS, www.esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.
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