Intera Survey
All glossary terms

Point Cloud

A point cloud is a large set of X, Y, Z coordinate points captured by a laser scanner, representing the exact 3D surface of a physical space or object.

On an Intera Survey project, the point cloud is the raw output of the FARO scanning stage — before it becomes a CAD drawing, a 3D model, or a BIM model. It's also delivered directly to clients as a registered ReCap project (.rcp) for use as a measurement-accurate underlay in Revit or AutoCAD.

Frequently asked

Do I need to understand Point Cloud myself, or is that your job?
That's on our side — Point Cloud is part of the standard capture methodology built into every project; this entry exists so you can follow a technical conversation, not so you have to run the process yourself.
Does Point Cloud change how a project is priced?
No — Point Cloud is a standard part of the capture workflow included in every quote, not a separate paid add-on.
Is Point Cloud specific to your workflow, or standard across the industry?
Standard across the laser-scanning and surveying industry — we apply Point Cloud the same way any competent provider would, not as a house-specific method.
How would I notice if Point Cloud wasn't done properly on a project?
It shows up downstream, in a drawing or model that doesn't match reality on-site — which is exactly why it's built into every project rather than treated as optional.
Can I ask more about how Point Cloud applies to my specific project?
Yes — send a question through the Contact page; a specific question about Point Cloud on your project is a normal thing to bring to a scoping call.