12d Model v15.0: Major Release for Civil & Survey Engineering

12d Model v15.0 is a significant milestone for the civil engineering, land surveying, and water engineering software, introducing a redesigned user interface, enhanced workflows, and a host of new features to improve productivity and project collaboration .

Key New Features in v15.0

Revamped User Interface

• Project Launcher: A new front screen for faster creation and access to projects, with quick links to documentation and tutorials .

• Themes: Customizable workspaces with specific menus and toolbars for different disciplines like BIM, CAD, Design, and Survey, including scalable icon sizes for high-resolution monitors .

• Object Tree: A hierarchical, folder-like structure for organizing models, TINs, functions, and templates, improving navigation in large projects .

Core Functionality Enhancements

• BIM & Digital Engineering: New MetaConnex tool for creating and validating attributes directly from models to support BIM workflows . Enhanced IFC file support for importing and exporting IFC 2x3, 4, and 4x3 formats to improve interoperability .

• Water & Stormwater: Sub-Grid Sampling (SGS) for 2D hydraulic models (e.g., TUFLOW) to improve flow accuracy and allow larger cell sizes . Concept Stormwater Design tools, Quick Water Networks for fast layout, and new MUSIC (Model for Urban Stormwater Improvement Conceptualisation) file support .

• Survey: New support for the Leica AP20 Smart Pole, support for LINZ rules in New Zealand, and new GNSS vector reports .

• Alignment & Design: A new Parts editor in Super Alignment, speed-ups and additions to the MTF (Model Transformation Framework), and simplified road design via Quick Starts .

• Markup & Review: A new Markup feature for reviewing designs and sharing comments within 12d Model and the free 12d View tool, with a full audit trail .

Important Upgrade Information

• One-Way Upgrade: Projects opened and saved in v15.0 cannot be opened in v14 or any earlier versions. A backup of the original project is automatically created during migration .

• New Authorization File: Version 15 requires a new authorization file (nodes.12d15n) .

• 64-bit Only: Only a 64-bit installer is available for v15.0 .

• AutoUpdater: A new service allows future sub-version installations without administrator privileges .