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figuration implies more than simply automating previous manual proced 
ures. The current NMD mapping process as shown in figure 4 is largely a 
linear sequence of operations, all of which must be accomplished to 
produce the final product—a printed map. Appended to the process are 
several digitizing operations that spin off some categories of data for 
the embryonic digital cartographic data base. The proposed future 
mapping process, shown in figure 5, emphasizes the digital cartographic 
data base and the independent assemblage of data categories, each ac 
cording to its own requirements for currency and by methods most 
appropriate to the category. Another effect of emphasizing data cate 
gories in a data base will be the ability to manage a particular category 
according to the full range of its applications and not be constrained 
by the printed representation. 
TYPICAL NMD DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT 
Each of the four NMD mapping centers has been equipped (with some slight 
variations) with the equipment shown in table 1. In addition, the Divi 
sion has other digital cartographic equipment shown in table 2 that is 
available only at a single location. There is also a larger mainframe 
computer facility at the USGS National Center in Reston, Va., with addi 
tional computers in Denver, Colo, and Menlo Park, Calif. Each mapping 
center has telecommunication facilities to these computers. They are 
used for final processing and formatting of the digital cartographic 
data and subsequent archiving in the digital cartographic data base. 
Table 1.—Typical digital cartographic equipment 
in each NMD mapping center (1982) 
Number Omit Remarks 
4 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
3 
Altek AC-30SM Graphic Digitizing System 
Datapoint 6600 ARC System 
Intergraph IGDS-8 Digital Data Edit System 
Gerber 4477 Hi-speed Photoplotter 
Versatec 4285 Electrostatic Printer 
Perkin-Elmer 3230 Minicomputer 
Altek AC-189 3-Axis Data Acquisition System 
2 with angle digitizing 
capability 
For data transmission 
to/from Amdahl 
DEC PDP 11/70. 256K words core 
3 WORK STATIONS 
2 - 300 mb disks 
.003" PRECISION 
42" WIDE - 200 points/inch 
32 bit - 2 mb core 
Interfaced to various 
Photogrammetric stereoplotters 
2 Threshold Voice Data Entry Terminals 
Table 2.—Other NMD digital cartographic equipment (1982) 
Numbfr 
2 
Unit 
Gestalt Photomapper (GPM-2) 
Location 
EMC 
Rfmarks 
1 
Scitex Response 250 Cartographic Raster System 
RES 
2 Scanners 
2 Edit Stations 
1 User Plotter 
1 
DEC PDP 11/60 Minicomputer 
RES 
Linked to Sciтех 
1 
Kongsberg 1216 Automated Drafting System 
EMC 
Symbol Photoplotter 
,003" precision 
1 
Gerber 1232 Photoplotter 
EMC 
.001' precision 
4 
Interstate Programmable Voice Data Entry Terminal 
MCMC 
Audible Response