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CAD tip # 11939:

Question CAD
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How to extract pipe centerlines from 3D point clouds?

Directly with the AutoCAD internal commands you can use a laser-scanned point cloud to generate 3D lines representing centerlines of the scanned piping segments, columns or any other cylindrical objects.

Attach the respective point cloud file from Autodesk ReCap to your DWG drawing and clip it to a suitable part containing the piping elements to convert.

Then use the context ribbon "Point Cloud" and its function Extract > Centerline (the command PCEXTRACTCENTERLINE, in German: PWEXTRAHIERMITTELLINIE) - and point with your cursor to the requested piping segment on the command prompt. If the function recognizes a cylinder, it will create a 3D geometry (LINE) with identical 3D coordinates in its centerline. You can use similar semi-automatic methods to extract edges, corner points or section outlines from your point clouds.

The procedure is illustrated in the video:

ACAD2019ACAD2018PlantCivilReCap

* CAD

5.7.2018 2080×

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applies to: AutoCAD 2019 · AutoCAD 2018 · AutoCAD Plant 3D · AutoCAD Civil 3D · ReCap ·

See also:
Tip 11933:	Color separation of building levels in Autodesk ReCap point cloud.
Tip 10804:	What features are not available in the 32-bit version of AutoCAD 2017 and 2016?
Tip 10324:	Commenting models in A360 Team.
Tip 10303:	Overview of CAD formats supported in Inventor 2016 (import/export).
Tip 10094:	Autodesk ReCap 2015 will not load a Faro .FLS point cloud file.

Selected tip: Modeling error: attempted operation did not produce a meaningful result

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