Use point clouds to create a 3D representation of existing buildings and objects.
A point cloud is a large collection of points placed on a three-dimensional coordinate system. Collected by 3D laser scanners, millions of points create 3D representations of existing structures.
Point cloud files speed the design process by providing real-world context where you can recreate the referenced objects or insert additional models.
Create a Point Cloud From Scan Files
Point clouds are derived from raw data gathered by using a 3D scanner to obtain points from such things as buildings, topographies, or manufactured items. Before you can use the data in your drawing, it needs to be converted to a point cloud file. This process is sometimes referred to as indexing. You can use AutoCAD to convert raw scan files to an ISD or PCG format.
The following raw scan file formats can be indexed:
| General ASCIII | XYZ, TXT, ASC |
| Leica | PTG, PTS, PTX |
| Faro | FLS, FWS, XYB |
| LIDAR data exchange | LAS |
| Topcon | CLR, CL3 |
Attaching a Point Cloud to a Drawing
Attaching an ISD, PCG, RCS or RCP point cloud file to a drawing is much like attaching an external reference (xref). If the unit of measurement in the attached point cloud differs from the units in the target drawing, the point cloud is automatically scaled based on the unit type in the target drawing.
Additional options are available as you attach the file:
- Lock from editing. You can keep the point cloud from being repositioned or clipped after it is inserted.
- Geographic location information. If geographic location information exists in both the current drawing and the point cloud file, the point cloud location is automatically set at the time of attachment.
By default, the insertion point of the point cloud file is 0,0,0 unless geographic location information is available. To align multiple point clouds, make sure the insertion point, rotation, and scale are the same for each attachment.