Conflation Services

Rubber sheeting:

Rubber sheeting is a technique used in cartography and GIS to spatially adjust a map to align with a more accurate reference map or coordinate system. While it’s a helpful method for correcting distortions, there are some shortcomings associated with rubber sheeting:

Accuracy: Rubbersheeting is generally used for minor geometric adjustments. The accuracy of the adjustments depends on the quality and distribution of the control points used. If control points are not accurately placed or are unevenly distributed, the resulting adjustments may not be precise.

Distortion: The process can introduce new distortions, especially if the transformation is applied over a large area or the original data has significant inaccuracies. This can affect the spatial relationships and attributes of the features being adjusted.

Data Integrity: There’s a risk of compromising the integrity of the original data. Rubber sheeting modifies the actual coordinates of features, which might not be desirable for certain datasets where the original position is essential for historical or legal reasons.

Complexity: The process is intricate and time-consuming, especially for large datasets or when numerous control points are required. The role of control points in rubber sheeting is crucial, as they guide the transformation and ensure accuracy. It necessitates a profound understanding of the underlying spatial relationships and meticulous placement of control points.

Limitation to Features: While rubber sheeting is typically applied to vector data, it can also be adapted for raster data with additional processing steps. This adaptability empowers GIS professionals to use rubber sheeting across various data types, enhancing its versatility and utility.

Interpolation Methods: The method of interpolation (linear or natural neighbour) used in rubber sheeting can affect the outcome. Linear methods might be faster but less accurate than natural neighbour methods, which are slower but can provide better results if control points are sparse.

These limitations highlight the advantages of using nfoldROI Conflation over Rubber sheeting.

Conflation Software, Methodology and Management:

Conflation services are essential and the backbone of industries like utilities and telcos, where data from different sources often conflict. For instance, one dataset might have more accurate geometry while another has richer attribute information. Conflation tools play a pivotal role in effectively combining these datasets.

We have 20 years of utility and telco industry Conflation experience. We are ISO9001 and ISO27001 Certified to provide high-quality and low-cost Conflation Right shoring services remotely and directly on the customer’s GIS.

adjust.IT is a proprietary solution developed by nfoldROI that specializes in conflation and advanced spatial data analytics. The software is designed to improve the spatial accuracy of asset information, which is particularly beneficial for utilities and telecommunications companies managing their networks in relation to a changing land base due to spatial accuracy improvements (LIDAR, Digital Orthophotos, GPS, …).

Here are some key features of adjust.IT:

Conflation: It adjusts highly inhomogeneous vector and raster data to any number of spatially accurate control points while preserving the network shape.

Efficiency: The software uses mathematically rigorous least-squares adjustments, sparse matrix algebra, and Natural Neighbourhood interpolation to solve 300,000+ unknowns per second.

Compatibility: adjust.IT is available on GE Smallworld GIS, Esri ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap (including ArcFM), and ArcGIS Online, sharing the same highly efficient adjustment engine.

Since its first commercial release in 2000, the software has been recognized as the #1 conflation solution for utilities and telcos, with more than 400 million coordinates successfully adjusted to date. It is especially beneficial for broadband network planning for the telecommunications industry’s FTTx and 5G roll-outs.