Guide
Point cloud file formats explained
Your surveyor will offer you a scan in half a dozen formats. Picking the right one saves conversions, keeps metadata and avoids losing data. Here is what each format is for.
The short answer
Ask for E57 as the archival, vendor-neutral copy of the registered scan, plus RCP/RCS if your team will link it in Revit. Keep the scanner-native project too, in case you need to re-register.
The formats at a glance
| Format | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| E57 | Vendor-neutral standard (ASTM E2807) for points, colour, intensity, scan positions and images | Exchange and archiving; input to most Scan to BIM tools |
| LAS / LAZ | ASPRS LiDAR format; LAZ is its lossless compression | Aerial, mobile mapping and GIS workflows |
| RCP / RCS | Autodesk ReCap project and scan files | Linking point clouds in Revit and Navisworks |
| PTS / PTX | Simple text formats (PTX keeps per-scan structure) | Legacy exchange; easy to read, large on disk |
| PLY / XYZ | Generic point (and mesh) formats | Research, meshes and quick exchange |
| FLS, LGSx, RDBX, LCC | Scanner-native projects (FARO, Leica, RIEGL, XGRIDS) | Re-registration in the vendor's software |
E57: the one to archive
E57 is defined by the ASTM standard E2807, maintained by ASTM committee E57 on 3D imaging systems. As described in the CMU paper introducing the format, it stores 3D points with attributes such as colour and intensity, plus 2D images and metadata, and keeps individual scans and their poses. An open-source reference library, libE57, means almost every tool can read it. Because it keeps per-scan structure, it is the best copy to keep for the long term.
LAS and LAZ: the LiDAR formats
LAS was created by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing for LiDAR point data and is common in aerial and mobile mapping. LAZ is lossless compression of LAS; the OGC published LAZ 1.4 as a community standard, and compressed files are typically a fraction of the LAS size. LAS is less suited than E57 to terrestrial building scans with many scan positions and images, but it is perfectly usable as Scan to BIM input.
RCP and RCS: what Revit links
Revit links point clouds through Autodesk ReCap formats. According to Autodesk, an RCS holds one scan position or a unified cloud, while an RCP is a project that gathers several RCS files; for unified clouds there is no functional difference in Revit, though RCP gives finer visibility control. Most teams open an E57 in ReCap Pro, check registration, and save an RCP to link. how to convert a point cloud to Revit walks through the steps.
Scanner-native formats
FARO (.fls), Leica (.lgsx), RIEGL (.rdbx), XGRIDS (.lcc) and others keep raw data in their own formats. They matter if a registration needs fixing, so keep them, but use E57 for exchange.
File size and performance
Building scans are big: tens to hundreds of gigabytes for a large site is normal. Practical tips:
- Keep a full-resolution E57 for archive and QA, and a decimated or segmented copy for day-to-day linking.
- Use section boxes and view-specific visibility in Revit to keep the cloud responsive.
- Upload large files with a resumable uploader; ours accepts up to 200 GB per file and resumes after a dropped connection.
What to send for Scan to BIM
For Moving Atoms, any of these work: E57, LAS/LAZ, PLY, PTS, PTX, RCP/RCS, scanner-native projects or a zipped folder. If you have a choice, send the registered E57. You can upload a scan directly from the browser.
Have a scan? Send it to us and get separated, editable Revit and IFC objects back within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is an E57 file?
E57 is a vendor-neutral point cloud format defined by ASTM E2807. It stores points with colour and intensity, scan positions and images, and is the best format for exchanging and archiving building scans.
Can Revit open E57 files directly?
Revit links point clouds as Autodesk ReCap RCP or RCS files. E57 is usually opened in ReCap Pro and saved as an RCP before linking.
What is the difference between LAS and LAZ?
LAZ is a lossless compressed version of the LAS LiDAR format, typically much smaller on disk.
Sources
- Huber (CMU Robotics Institute), The ASTM E57 file format for 3D imaging data exchange
- libE57, open-source reference implementation of ASTM E2807
- LAS file format (overview of the ASPRS specification)
- OGC, LAZ 1.4 Community Standard
- Autodesk, Is there a difference between RCS and RCP links in Revit?
- Autodesk Help, ReCap scan to Revit workflow (segmented meshes)