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Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 3:38 pm
by TravisBanger
I am somewhat familiar with CAD programs (3DS Max, Maya, Blender) but this is the first point cloud file (*.pts) that I handle. It comes from a Leica P20 laser scanner.
I am looking for best practices for what seems to be the proper route:
point cloud ==> Mesh ==> CAD
Another requirement: this is a Not-for-Profit, volunteer project and therefore the only expensive apps that I use are from AutoDesk, since they have a very generous offer, for 3 years, full versions.
NB: The other person involved so far (*) is a real professional designer, talented, experienced and uses Cinema 4D.
TIA
(*) Hint: We are badly in need for volunteers!
Re: Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:20 pm
by daniel
Hum, it's a simple yet complicated task... And frankly I'm not sure that CloudCompare is the best tool to do it. You may try with the PoissonRecon plugin (
https://www.cloudcompare.org/doc/wiki/i ... n_(plugin)).
Otherwise you can look at Meshlab or Blender maybe. And there may be some other free/cheap tools but I'm not an expert in this field.
Re: Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:49 am
by TravisBanger
daniel wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:20 pm
Otherwise you can look at MeshLab [...]
There must be a common confusion about MeshLab (or perhaps I am the confused one :-) I have been asking about this issue all over forumland and this is the 3rd. or 4th. time that I am told to try MeshLab. I did it but MeshLab takes meshes as input, whereas I am looking for a program that takes a point cloud file as input and generates a mesh.
Re: Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:53 am
by TravisBanger
Since I have been unable to use the Poisson Surface Reconstruction plugin, allow me to ask this. Once that plugin performs its cool magic and my ghost points become surfaces, will I be able to save/export the file as a mesh?
TIA
Re: Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:25 am
by daniel
Meshlab can import point clouds (ASCII, PLY, etc.).
And yes, you can export the resulting meshes as PLY, OBJ, STL, FBX, etc.
Re: Best way to go from point cloud to CAD?
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:41 am
by TravisBanger
daniel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:25 am
MeshLab can import point clouds (ASCII, PLY, etc.).
You are correct! All I had to do was the old trick: changed the extension from *.pts to *.xyz.
I don't have any results yet, it is taking a looooooong time.
"We are gonna need a bigger computer"
Thx