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Introducing a new dimension in reality capture and a new way of working for 3D laser scanning.
Introducing a new dimension in reality capture and a new way of working for 3D laser scanning.
Expert Insight
Managing a BIM project often involves a core team of designers and specialists working with reality capture data inside software like Autodesk Revit.
However, sharing that data with other stakeholders, clients, engineers, or project managers is often a challenge. It could involve sending large files or asking them to install and learn new reality capture software. This creates a barrier, slowing the feedback loop and making it difficult to keep everyone on the same page with the same data.
To reduce project barriers, we have launched a free CloudWorx Viewer for Revit.
With this free, no-license plugin, BIM professionals can now easily share as-built reality capture data with their clients or engineering partners. This makes it an ideal tool for AEC project management and collaboration, especially for teams and stakeholders that don’t work in the same location.
The CloudWorx Viewer operates directly within the familiar Revit environment, making reality capture data more accessible and valuable for every project stakeholder.
Kyle Palmer, CloudWorx Product Manager, explains the key features and benefits of the new CloudWorx Viewer.
Project stakeholders can view and manipulate the point cloud directly in revit.
When a user installs the CloudWorx Viewer, a dedicated tab appears on the Revit ribbon. The tools inside give you precise control over how to view the point cloud data, enabling clearer communication and collaboration.
You can select sections and slices using limit boxes to isolate specific areas of interest in the point cloud. The fencing tool clips away everything outside a certain boundary, allowing you to focus on a single pipe, column, or room. This is helpful for detailed analysis and troubleshooting; you can eliminate visual clutter and present a clear, focused view to your team or clients.
The point cloud can be displayed in a variety of ways, including in Silhouette Mode. This changes the display of the point cloud to emphasise areas where the point density is higher. One example is when viewing a point cloud in top-down orthographic mode – the walls and columns will stand out rather than the floors and ceilings.
CloudWorx Viewer can handle large point clouds with hundreds of scans, including mobile mapping data. The limitation is primarily on the hardware (see the system requirements discussed below). So, you can adjust point cloud density to optimise performance.
Switching between different colour schemes is also useful. For example, Classification is an AI-powered tool that allows you to instantly isolate specific items like walls, steel structures, or pipes. This saves you from manually sifting through the data to find what you need.
The CloudWorxViewer can stream data from Reality Cloud Studio, powered by HxDR, orload multiple different file formats, such as LGS/LGSx, E57, LAS, and PTX. The viewer also includes support for COE (Cyclone Object Exchange) to easily exchange 3D objects with other software like Leica Cyclone 3DR.
The CloudWorx Viewer for Revit is an ideal project management tool for streamlining collaboration and communication. It is particularly useful when you need to share reality capture data beyond internal teams.
For example, a Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) professional might be tasked with modelling an as-built environment from scan data for a new design or extension. After you've completed the as-built model in Revit, what happens when your project team or the engineers need to compare their designs against the original scan?
Now, you can simply instruct them to download the free CloudWorx Viewer. This ensures that your entire team is always looking at the exact same data, which is essential for project alignment and accuracy.
This process can be extended to the client as well. If the building owners also use Revit, a VDC professional can share the data with them by uploading everything to Reality Cloud Studio, powered by HxDR. Specific problem areas can be highlighted using limit boxes, and the project stakeholders can provide feedback, all while viewing the same data and models.
Ultimately, this allows all stakeholders to engage with the project data directly within a familiar software environment. This leads to faster, more efficient collaboration, greater visibility for everyone involved, and the ability to answer questions and ask more critical ones.
The CloudWorx Viewer works with Revit 2023-2026 versions. Users will need administrator privileges to download and install the software, so you may need to consult your IT administrator. Also, it cannot be installed at the same time as the full CloudWorx plugin; it's one or the other.
Please see here for a complete list of system requirements.
The Classification tool in CloudWorx Viewer isolates the points representing the steel structure of a building.
We are planning to launchan AutoCAD Viewer plugin in December 2025. Just like our Revit Viewer, this will give users the same ability to view, navigate, and interact with point cloud data directly within AutoCAD without requiring a CloudWorx license.
Our goal is to create a more harmonised ecosystem for our users, ensuring all the best reality capture tools are incorporated directly into our plugins. We're actively working toward this by improving CloudWorx with relevant tools from Cyclone 3DR. This will provide a more cohesive solution and distribute these tools wherever our customers are, so they can get the most value out of their reality capture data.
Ultimately, by having a connection to Reality Cloud Studio,the long-term goal is to provide a single, consistent hub for CloudWorx users to share and access their data.
Kyle Palmer
Product Manager
Reality Capture Software
