How to create a 3D model from point cloud

The new Edificius function to obtain the BIM model of a construction directly from the point cloud

Imagine if you could produce the BIM model of the building you are working on automatically from a point cloud obtained from laser scanner survey or drone photogrammetry.

You would of course save time and resources and the final result would certainly be more precise, complete and detailed.

With the latest Edificius release you can now access new tools and functionalities to manage point clouds directly within the BIM environment.

Let’s take a closer look at how to make the most of these new powerful features.

Point cloud management with Edificius

From point cloud to BIM model

With the new BIM 3(h) release (available in the next few days), Edificius allows you to generate the digital twin of an existing building starting from survey data only (photogrammetric or laser scanner).

You can start off by uploading the point cloud to usBIM and then select the point cloud portion to be imported into Edificius, thus considerably reducing the processing time.

Specifically, with the new functionalities you’ll be able to:

diversify the way of viewing your point cloud
create infinite vertical sections thanks to the advanced Height Reference System (HRS) Manager
create infinite horizontal sections
transform the point cloud into a BIM model
use snaps and automatic point cloud recognition systems to insert parametric objects (walls, windows, floors, etc.).

These operations allow you to easily create BIM models from a point cloud, without having to rebuild the 3D model from scratch.

In the same evironment within Edificius, you can easily define project interventions and produce the relating documentation starting from your BIM model:

project drawings (floor plans, cross-sections, elevation views, etc.)
isometric views
working drawings
cost estimates
photorealistic renderings.

In addition, you can compare the architectural BIM model to the detected 3D point cloud and check for inconsistencies or perform other types of model checks. You can apply textures and shading, turn sections on and off, and navigate spaces with Real-Time Rendering and Virtual Reality.

The advantages are many. In fact, you can:

model in detail even areas that are not directly accessible
obtain the 3D model in no time and with just a few steps
create a very precise and detailed model
avoid having to go back to the construction site and make continuous inspections as you can access your point cloud model anytime
use an innovative technology that makes your project competitive
also carry out detailed analyses on the current state model (degradation analysis, material analysis, study of the surface cracks map, etc.)
take advantage of all the benefits of integration between Edificius and the usBIM system.

The integration between Edificius and usBIM.pointcloud

Edificius takes advantage of the integration with point cloud viewer, usBIM.pointcloud, to open and manage point cloud clusters of any size, without any limitation due to your hardware system.

Integration between Edificius and usBIM.pointcloud

In practice:

upload the point clouds to usBIM
view the point clouds in .PTS, .XYZ, .PLY, .E57, .LAS, .LAZ, .XYZCIRN and .ASC formats, without needing software with specific requirements or space on your PC
access your files at any time, from any location and device, and share them with your collaborators as well
federate multiple models in different formats and manage viewing, rotation, translation and scaling options
locate the point cloud in its real context thanks to BIM-GIS integration
share point clouds and textured meshes via the usBIM integrated chat service (usBIM.chat)
select the portion of cloud you want to work on and import it into Edificius, speeding up processing times.

All the new features in Edificius BIM 3(h)

In addition to the management of point clouds, the latest release of Edificius offers new other features designed to facilitate your work.

Here is a list of some of the new functions:

faster printing and exporting of project darwings
new interface for rendering and real-time rendering tools
unreal engine update with new advanced features
grouping functions extended to all BIM objects
new option to manage viewing of openings (door, window, hole) that are not sectioned in the model
new MEP configurator functions
new object search functions.