Weiler Engineering Corporation (WEC) clients benefit from our ability to seamlessly integrate the latest Information Technology (IT), including Computer Aided Design & Drafting (CADD), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Automated Mapping/ Facilities Management (AM/FM), and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies.

WEC utilizes the industry-leading CADD and geospatial software for all of our projects, along with the latest survey and mapping grade GPS equipment and survey instruments for field data collection, in order to ensure interoperability with our customers’ specific CADD & GIS systems, databases, geospatial infrastructure, and ultimately their business processes and workflows. Using these capabilities and tools, we are able to coordinate our customers’ site specific project plans and data together with the most current information, maps, and databases that are available from USACE, FDEP, WMD, FWC, FDOT, USGS, EPA, FEMA, USDA, and others.

Our information technology infrastructure utilizes Microsoft’s Windows Small Business Server (SBS) with SQL Server to provide relational database, intranet, and internet access & management to our staff, locally as well as remotely through the Remote Web Workplace. Our staff’s workstations are also equipped with the complete suite of Microsoft Office business productivity tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, PowerPoint) and Microsoft Project.

Autodesk’s AutoCAD products are the primary design and drafting tools available to our staff. For GIS and geospatial imagery, we utilize ESRI’s ArcView, the ArcGIS product suite, and the various ESRI industry-specific geodatabase models, as well as client provided geospatial databases in other formats and/or legacy data in ESRI shapefile or ESRI coverage formats.  AutoCAD and ArcGIS products include a wide range of data import/export, data management, processing, analysis, modeling, visualization, and map production capabilities which allow our staff to efficiently integrate our client’s project databases with site-specific engineering and survey data from the field, as well as with other databases available from local, state, and federal government agencies. Our experience ranges from simple data conversions to more complex geometric networks to complex municipal utility designs, from compelling geospatial visualizations to complex 2D and 3D spatial modeling and analysis. For civil and structural design, we employ a variety of tools for modeling and database development.

For stormwater modeling and design we routinely use Streamline Technologies ICPR (Inter-Connected Pond Routing) Stormwater Modeling System and Scientific Software Group’s MODRET (Computer MODel to design RETention ponds) with MODFLOW, a 3D finite-difference ground-water flow model.  For floodplain modeling we use FEMA’s CHAMP (Coastal Hazard Analysis Modeling Program) and WHAFIS (Wave Height Analysis for Flood Insurance Studies) along with our own in-house geospatial modeling in ArcGIS. For structural modeling, we use Autodesk’s Robot Structural Analysis Professional (RSA) and Meca Enterprises’ MECAWind for detailed wind load design and modeling.  For wastewater design and modeling we use Bentley Systems’ SewerCAD. For Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), we use ESRI’s ArcGIS, the ESRI geodatabase, Microsoft’s SQL Server, and Azteca Systems’ Cityworks (a GIS-centric asset management system that utilizes the ESRI geodatabase as the asset registry). For field data collection and database development, we use Trimble GeoXH GPS handheld computers, with Trimble’s Terrasync and Pathfinder Office, along with ArcGIS for GIS database development and management.  We also use ArcGIS and AutoCAD extensively for developing database inputs into the above modeling environments, creating GIS-based asset inventories from CAD as-built drawings and field data collection, data processing, data quality control and assurance, and data management.  For geospatial visualization, 3-D rendering, and animation, we use the ArcGIS product suite as well as Google Earth Pro and Maxon’s Cinema 4-D.

These tools are essential to improved design, communication and decision making related to a wide variety of civil and structural design and construction projects, and well as effective planning, resource management, and communication/public outreach during any project or program lifecycle.  WEC has over 200 years of civil & structural engineering & design experience providing solutions to our clients’ needs with these tools. WEC is unique as a small engineering firm, with a strong highly experienced team of structural, civil, and wastewater engineers working closely with in house surveying and geospatial professionals.

One interesting local example of our ability to integrate the City of Punta Gorda’s GIS data with other data was the geospatial visualization for the Mayor’s annual “State of the City 2009” Presentation.  This geospatial visualization was developed by Weiler Engineering Corporation (WEC) with creative input and data from the City’s Mayor and Urban Planner. This fly-through animation highlighted the construction projects that were completed or under construction in 2008-2009 which are transforming the City since it was devastated by Hurricane Charlie in 2004, including the Charlotte County Convention Center, Wyvern Hotel, Laishley Marina, Sunloft Center, Harold Street Garage, Sheraton Four Points, and the Interactive Fountain in Laishley Park.  Geospatial data from the City’s GIS was integrated with project photos, AutoCAD site plans, and high resolution aerial imagery using ESRI’s ArcGIS and Google Earth Pro to create a geo-story animation that highlights the various projects within the City.

More recently WEC has relied on cloud-based mobile GIS. In 2017, for the Sarasota County Repetitive Loss Area Analysis (RLAA) project, WEC developed an ArcGIS On-Line (AGOL) hosted feature service for Mobile Tablet IOS/Android-based field data collection using ArcGIS Collector. Over 2,600 buildings were inspected by WEC using this cloud-based mobile GIS in only one month of field work! WEC delivers all databases, computerized reports, drawings, plans, etc. on CD-ROM or DVD in formats compatible with the clients’ version of AutoCAD, ArcGIS, and relational database (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, DB2, Access, or other as required).  We also have the capability to deliver project data in other formats if so required by client.