FME Realize in the Real World - The Power of Spatial Computing in Action

Successful organizations run on data – and when that data lives in scattered PDFs, outdated drawings, or hard-to-find records, it creates more headaches than help. That was the reality at Philadelphia International Airport, where managing underground utilities meant digging through 75+ pages of outdated, confusing records that were rarely updated and hard to trust.

Building on our first FME Realize webinar, we’re bringing you a customer story from the field.

We’ll kick things off with a quick demo showing how to bring your data into the FME Realize app. Then, hear Philadelphia International Airport’s journey from paper-based chaos to a living, interactive system their teams trust every day.

Using FME, the airport modernized its Master Utility Drawings into a single source of truth. With FME Realize, they took it further: inspectors and crews now visualize underground utilities in AR, capture notes on-site, and keep everything updated in real time.

This is the power of spatial computing with FME Realize: connecting digital information with the physical environment. From smarter QA/QC to real-time field access, discover how FME Realize is helping organizations like Philadelphia International Airport bridge the gap between office and fieldwork, and ushering in a new era of data you can see, use, and trust.

2. Sanae
Mendoza

Customer Solutions
Specialist
Safe Software
Dan
Minney

Customer Solutions
Specialist
Safe Software


Meet the Presenters
Posh
Supupramai

Aviation Digital
Delivery Lead
HDR

3. Welcome to Livestorm.
A few ways to engage with us during the webinar:


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troubleshooting steps.

4. Agenda
1Introduction
2FME Platform
3Preparing Data for AR
4Creating Realize Workflows
5Spotlight: Philadelphia International Airport
Intro & Master Utility Drawings (MUD)
CAD & GIS Workflows
FME Realize in Action
6Key Takeaways
7Resources & Next Steps
8Q&A

Agenda

5. 1
Introduction

6. Poll:
Where does most of your
utility or asset data
currently live?

7. What if you could experience your data.
Live and in the real world?

●Not in charts
●Not in dashboards.
●But in the actual world where the data lives.

8. A New Way to Experience
Your Data
FME Realize

9. •FME Realize completes the
FME Spatial Computing Platform.
•See, understand, and interact
with your data in the real world.
•Powered entirely by FME Form
and FME Flow.
Augmented reality
for the FME Platform
FME Realize:

10. Delivering the
Immersive
experience of
Spatial
Computing

11. 1.Author
workspace
in FME Form
2. Deliver
with FME Flow
Experience
in FME Realize
From Data to Workspaces to Experience. Seamlessly.
Data flows between Flow
and Realize deliver a
complete data Experience

12. Discover how Philadelphia Airport
are transforming project
workflows through smarter
integrations with FME.

13. 2
FME Platform

14. The only All-Data, Any-AI Platform.
FME Form FME Flow
Data Movement and transformations
(“ETL”) workflows are built here.
Brings life to FME Form workflows
FME Flow Hosted
Safe Software managed FME Flow
fme.safe.com/platform
FME Enterprise Integration Platform
Safe & FME
FME Realize
Experience data in real world
context, in real time.

15. With 500+ supported data types in FME.
Unrivalled Data Support





GIS
CAD
Database
XML
Raster
3D
BIM
Web
Point
Cloud
Cloud
Big Data
IOT
Graph
BI
Indoor
Mapping
AR/VR
Generative
AI
Cloud
Native
Tabular

16. 3
Preparing
Data for AR

17. The FME Realize Process
1 2 3 54
Gather
data
QA/QC Transform in
FME Form
Publish to
FME Flow
Create
Realize App

18. The FME Realize Process
1 2 3 54
Gather
data
QA/QC Transform in
FME Form
Publish to
FME Flow
View in
Realize App

19. Why Preparing Data for AR
Matters
●FME Realize is only as good as the
data you feed it!
●Low quality data could mean:
○Models in FME Realize are
misleading
○Loss of trust from stakeholders
○Decision-makers act on
incorrect information

20. How Can Data be Prepared for
AR?
●Like any other FME workflow, data
preparation is a process that occurs
prior to writing to AR
●Understand your goals - who is
audience, which information is
needed?
○Distill information for the
appropriate audience
●Understand your data - is it already fit
for FME Realize or does it require
adjustments?

21. ?????? Spatial Validation
●Check for topology issues
○GeometryValidator
●Spatial containment
○SpatialFilter, Clipper
●Check for consistent coordinate
systems


How Can Data be Prepared for AR?
?????? Clean the Data
●Standardize units before
converting geometry to 3D
●Handle missing values & verify
spatial attributes (diameters,
heights, etc)
●Optimize geometry
○Generalizer

22. FME Realize as a QA Tool
Visual validation:
●Instantly see how spatial data appears
in Augmented Reality vs the real world

Field verification
●Let users confirm the data quality and
report errors back to the office

23. Demo

24. 4
Creating
Realize
Workflows

25. The FME Realize Process
1 2 3 54
Gather
data
QA/QC Transform in
FME Form
Publish to
FME Flow
Create
Realize App

26. The FME Realize Process
3 4
Transform in
FME Form
Publish to
FME Flow
5
Create
Realize App

27. Transform in FME Form
Convert 2D GIS data into 3D models,
cleanly and efficiently.
●Input: points and lines
●Output: surfaces, solids, meshes

Transformers: Extruder,
2DEllipseReplacer, PipeReplacer,
Offsetter

Step 3

28. Add Spatial Context and
Metadata
Define where the model belongs and
what information it carries.
●Anchor point = model origin in the
real world (fmear_location_feature)
●Summary annotations = interactive
labels
●Appearance settings = color,
sininess, transparency

29. Writing to the FMEAR Format
Package geometry + appearance + attributes
into one portable scene.

FMEAR Writer Parameters:
●Initial Model Scaling: Full Scale
(real-world size)
●FME AR Asset Name: Feature grouping
(e.g. WaterMain)
●Output: .fmear file

30. Publish to FME Flow
Turn your workspace into a cloud-based
AR service.
Publishing is easy…
●Upload data files
●Register with Data Streaming
●Confirm writer: FMEAR
Step 4

31. Create an FME Flow AR
App
Configure your workspace as an
interactive app
●Title, icon, description
●Set device geolocation
●Control parameters shown to users
●Run Immediately for one-tap AR
Step 5

32. What comes next?
When run from Realize:
●App streams AR model from FME
Flow
●User places and aligns model on-site
●Summary annotations + links
become interactive

33. Visualizing
Underground
Utilities in AR

34. Goal Block Key Result
Help field crews
see
underground
water and sewer
assets before
digging.
2D maps don’t
show depth or
alignment clearly.
Use FME Form
to create 3D
hydrants and
pipes, then
publish via Flow
as an AR App.
Realize streams
the model to
mobile devices
for accurate,
real-world
visualization.


Visualizing Underground Utilities in Augmented Reality

35. Workflow Walkthrough
1.Read and filter utility data.

2.Transform 2D lines and points into 3D pipes and hydrants.

3.View Feature Caches at each key step to verify geometry.

4.Write to FMEAR format and publish to Flow.

5.Stream to FME Realize for on-site visualization.

36. Demo

37. Key Takeaways
●Start simple — small models first, then add detail.
●Match detail to performance needs (OBJ vs extrusion).
●Keep all data in the same coordinate system.
●Use feature caching to verify data before publishing.
●FME Form defines the logic; FME Flow delivers the experience.

38. Key Takeaways
●Start simple — small models first, then add detail.
●Match detail to performance needs (OBJ vs extrusion).
●Keep all data in the same coordinate system.
●Use feature caching to verify data before publishing.
●FME Form defines the logic; FME Flow delivers the experience.
Prepare, Transform, Publish, Experience

39. 5
Spotlight:
Philadelphia
International
Airport

40. The Department of Aviation
Philadelphia International & Northeast Airports
A self-sustaining enterprise, operating 2 airports
Philadelphia’s Commercial Airport Philadelphia’s General Aviation Airport

41. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
126
GATES
30,896,572
ANNUAL
PASSENGERS
(in 2024)
450,000
SQUARE FEET OF
CARGO SPACE
15,726
PARKING
SPOTS
16,674
BADGED
EMPLOYEES
2,598
ACRES
7
TERMINALS
4
RUNWAYS

42. DOA’s Spatial Services Team
We support the whole enterprise!

43. •CAD to PDF record set
•75+ pages of confusion
•Not frequently updated
•Updated every 10 years
•Not easily accessible
Master Utility Drawings (MUD) - Legacy System

44. •Legacy system relied on printed
paper/PDFs
•Numerous one-off GIS & CAD projects
•Data scattered across multiple storage
locations
•Unclear source of latest data
•No standardized workflows or
documentation
•PDFs couldn't be searched or queried
Legacy System Pain Points

45. •Transformed record PDF
and 2D CAD to Civil3D
Pipe Networks
•Civil3D to GIS
•Change management
with one source of truth!
MUD - NEW System

46. •QA/QC of pipe network data fields
•Seamless conversion from Civil3D
to GIS
•Upkeep of future edits using
AutoCAD’s Handle ID
The NEW Way with FME!

47. Setup a CAD to GIS Data Schema

48. •Validate property set data
in C3D’s pipe network
data fields, checking for:
•Missing data
•Expected data
•Slope and elevation
•Generate a report to send
back to consultant
•FME allows us to check
the data repeatedly as
edits are made
FME – MUD Data Validation

49. •C3D import into ArcGIS Pro
doesn’t bring in all the data
fields (i.e. materials and
certain dimensions)
•Maps and rename the
attributes to match the data
schema
FME – MUD CAD to GIS

50. FME – MUD Change Management

51. We went from THIS…

52. To THIS…

53. Then to THIS!

54. Variety of Cards:
•9 utility system apps
•1 utility composite app
•Everything has a date for last
updates

MUD on ArcGIS HUB

55. •We asked ourselves, what more can
we do with this data?
•Our Wishlist:
•We wanted to take this data and make it
accessible to those on the field
•Something to easily locate underground utilities
•Upkeep field inspection notes and status
FME Realize Use Case

56. FME Realize in Action!

57. FME Realize in Action!

58. •Spatial Context and Real-World Insight
• AR places data directly in the environment, helping users understand spatial
relationships and real-world context that’s lost in 2D maps.
•Improved Field Awareness and Safety
• Field crews can view underground or hidden assets
•Enhanced Collaboration and Communication
• AR visualizations make it easy for non-technical stakeholders to understand
complex spatial data.
•Seamless Integration with FME
• FME Realize leverages FME’s ability to connect to hundreds of data sources,
meaning you can bring in CAD, GIS, BIM, or IoT data seamlessly.
Benefits of FME Realize

59. •Tie in Scan2BIM model into FME
Realize
•Trimble Unity Construct
documentation – project
information look up
•As-built data
•Owner’s manual
•Shop drawings

What’s Next?

60. Thank you
Posh Supupramai
Aviation Digital Delivery Lead
[email protected]

61. 30+
40K+
128
140+
25K+
years of solving data
challenges
FME Community
members
countries with
FME customers
organizations worldwide
global partners with
FME services
200K+
users worldwide
200K+
users worldwide

62. 7
Resources

63. Resources
●Tutorial: Getting Started with Augmented
Reality | FME Realize: This series explores the
potential of AR technology, how it works, and
the FME products that bring it to life.

●9 minute video: Watch FME Realize in action
– more scenarios and ideas!

●Tutorial: Data Validation and QA with FME

●New Blog by Dmitri

64. Get our Ebook
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Enterprise

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65. 8
Next Steps

66. Now an All-Data,
Any-AI Spatial
Computing Platform
FME Realize is available now
on the Apple App Store.
Available at no cost for unlimited
numbers of users and devices.

67. We’d love to help you get
started.
Get in touch with us at
[email protected]
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commodity but a catalyst for
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69. 9
Q&A

70. Thank You
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