Bentley i-model Overview
Bentley i-model is a container for open infrastructure information exchange and enables bidirectional feedback in dynamic workflows. An i-model can be information rich, reliable, and optimized for purpose. A key differentiator of i-models is “provenance,” knowledge of its origin and evolution – essentially this is an i-model’s change history.
Information Rich
- Multidisciplinary: Includes 2D/3D geometry and business data
- Provenance: Contains full knowledge of its origin and evolution
- Self describing: Needs no source application logic to display content
Reliable
- Secure: Information is protected via digital rights management
- Digital signatures: Validate and reconfirm an i-model's status for use
- Accurate: Includes complete engineering precision for material estimation
Optimized for Purpose
- Flexible: High performing, schema independent, and portable
- Reusable: Reference, repurpose, and republish content for broad use
- Open: SDKs enable third parties to create i-models from other software
Creating i-models
On the desktop, directly produce i-models from your preferred design environment, including MicroStation, other Bentley software products, via a free
plug-in for Autodesk Revit, and otherwise through the Bentley i-model Composer (technical requirements) licensed using a ProjectWise Passport.
For significant operational advantage, a dynamic project team collaboration environment powered by ProjectWise collaboration servers will enable greater awareness through notifications to subscribing team members so that they are kept aware of subsequent changes to their work. For larger projects, all publishing and transformation steps can be automated – according to a schedule or by event – using the Dynamic Composition Service.
Viewing i-models
Bentley provides a number of software products for viewing i-models, including Bentley View, Bentley Navigator, and MicroStation.
Taking a Closer Look
You can compose information-rich i-models from multiple 2D and 3D geometry and data sources in a single lightweight container. Every i-model includes provenance – its origin and evolution – to record change history over time. And i-models are self describing, which means that source application features are not required to display or describe the rich information stored within.
Bentley i-models store information reliably. Every i-model can invoke industrial-strength digital rights management to secure access and reuse permissions. Digital signatures can be applied to validate and verify an i-model’s status. Complete engineering precision can be maintained, between source and rendition, for reliable measurement and dependable material estimation.
i-models are optimized for purpose, enabling streamlined information exchange between collaborating teams. An i-model can be data-independent to store information using multiple industry standards, including CIS/2, IFC, and ISO 15926. And they are customizable to include the preferred level of information richness for different project and workflow uses.
Bentley i-models are widely reusable, enabling teams to reference, repurpose, and republish content for broad information access. And with the availability of SDKs,
i-model is made open so that third-party software developers can create i-models from many applications.