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Which File Formats Are Supported by the ASCAND 3D Scan Platform?

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ASCAND supports a broad selection of file formats for 3D scanned objects. To optimize system performance and storage efficiency, these formats will only be generated once you’re satisfied with your scan and request the final files.

PLY-Pointcloud: A format used for storing 3D point cloud data, often including color and position for each point.

PLY-Mesh: A mesh-based version of the PLY format used to store 3D geometry with vertices, edges, and faces.

OBJ: A widely used format for 3D models that stores geometry data like vertices and polygons, without color or texture.

STL: A format primarily for 3D printing, representing only the surface geometry of a 3D object without color or texture.

OBJ Texture-Colored: An extension of the OBJ format that links to external texture files for colored surfaces.

PLY-Mesh Texture-Colored: A PLY format that includes both mesh geometry and vertex color or linked texture data.

FBX: A complex format used in animations and 3D models, supporting textures, colors, lighting, and even animation data.

Blender: A native format for Blender, storing all aspects of 3D scenes, including mesh, textures, animations, and materials.

Collada: An open-standard XML-based format for 3D assets, supporting mesh geometry, textures, and physics simulations.

Collada Texture-Colored: A version of Collada that includes texture mapping for fully colored 3D models.

X3D: An XML-based format for 3D models with support for textures, animations, and interactive 3D content, often used for web applications.

GLB/GLTF: A modern, lightweight format for 3D models designed for efficient transmission, supporting textures, materials, and animations.

3MF: A 3D printing format that stores model geometry, material, and texture information in a highly compressed form.

AMF: An XML-based format for 3D printing that supports geometry, material properties, and color information.

CTM: A compressed mesh format that reduces file size while maintaining high-quality geometry data.

3DS: An older format primarily used in early 3D modeling programs, supporting geometry, material, and basic texture data.

ASC: A simple ASCII text format used to store point cloud data with coordinates for each point.

XYZ: A format used for point cloud data, representing 3D objects with position information for each point, often with additional color data.