The PLY file format (also known as Polygon File Format or Stanford Triangle Format) was specifically designed for storing 3D data, drawing inspiration from the OBJ format. It uses polygon lists to represent objects, aiming to add versatility and the ability to store a larger number of physical elements. The result is a file format capable of representing various elements, such as surface normals, texture, color, transparency, coordinate values, and data confidence values. The PLY format exists in two variants: ASCII and binary, offering users the ability to choose the format that best suits their needs and requirements. The use of binary files ensures faster data processing speeds, while ASCII files offer greater accessibility and compatibility with other applications. Overall, PLY is a versatile and efficient file format for storing 3D data.
The most commonly used extension for the PLY format is .ply
CAD Interop distributes several solutions for preparing, converting, and visualizing your PLY data. Below is a list of our solutions compatible with the PLY format:
