Bringing point clouds into BIM software

[tmad101185]

We have received point cloud data in the format of an ASCII file & also a .PTC file. I have found an add-on for Revit to where you can import .PTX or .PTS file formats directly into Revit. Does anyone know how you can obtain or convert into either of these formats? The company we received the .PTC file from is using the program Trimble to export to this format but it does not have the option to export to .PTS or .PTX.

Could anyone please shed some light on how you obtain either of these file formats from a point cloud? Also, what is the difference in the 3 different formats? .PTC, .PTX, & .PTS. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[SRobbins1977]

I've heard of many methods. I found some videos showing one concept approach as developed by Laser Scanning Europe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No_1pj0a25Y

There are software tools out there that allow the scans to be taken into Revit. For example the Imaginit people developed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGH0_u1z4aE

A third method you can use is to educate your clients(or who ever is paying for the point cloud) early on to request that they produce a Revit model with their file(heck the point could vendors charge enough).

I hope this helps.