topic Re: Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud in Revit Structure Forum

Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud

sophie_schleiermacher — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 19:48:32 GMT

Hello,
I recently carried out a Scan2BIM process and created a model of a building with Revit based on a point cloud. The version is 2024.1. I had big problems with loading the point cloud, it has a size of about 2GB and the computer has very good performance. The point cloud is only loaded extremely slowly or sometimes not at all, the individual steps (e.g. placing a wall) take forever.
I tried to solve the problem by giving Revit more access to the RAM, but that didn't help either.
When I saved the project and wanted to close it, I had to close Revit via the Task Manager because the program could not shut down on its own and at some point the computer hung up.
What could be the reason for this? Is it due to the point cloud link?
Many thanks for your help!

Re: Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud

jay_colc — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:37:15 GMT

It a is a large Point Cloud file and the level of information could be causing the issue. I would suggest trying the suggestions in the following link.

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Poor-performance-when-working-with-point-cloud-data-in-Revit.html

A rule for working with computer specs for data models is;

1. CPU

2. RAM

3. MEMORY

3. GPU

Re: Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud

Ignus.E — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:12:05 GMT

I have worked with point clouds in excess of 35Gigs with no problems. Probably 32Gigs of Ram min. Also, point cloud needs to be loaded from local C drive (no spinning disk) or over a server. This will take forever.

Re: Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud

kubitTilo — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:54:09 GMT

Having the point cloud on a local (and fast) SSD drive definitely helps. I've also heard from a lot of people who split or thin out their point clouds, e.g. using ReCap. Additionally, there are several plugins available that address Revit's limitations regarding point cloud size and visual quality, which might be worth exploring depending on your specific needs.

Re: Scan2BIM modeling from a point cloud

devashish7 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:51:29 GMT

Yes, the issue is very likely related to the point cloud handling rather than the Revit model itself.

A 2GB point cloud is manageable in Autodesk Revit, but performance depends heavily on how the scan was prepared before linking into Revit. A few things usually cause this behavior:

The point cloud contains too much unnecessary data/noise
The scans were not regioned/clipped before export
The project is located very far from Revit’s Internal Origin
The point cloud is loaded from a slow/network/external drive
Multiple high-density scans are visible at the same time

What generally helps:

Optimize the point cloud in Recap first

Clean unnecessary scan data
Create regions/split the cloud into smaller sections
Reduce density where possible

Keep the project close to Internal Origin
Large real-world coordinates can severely affect Revit performance with point clouds.
Use section boxes and visibility control
Avoid keeping the entire point cloud visible while modeling.
Store the RCP/RCS locally on SSD
Loading point clouds from cloud sync folders or network locations can become extremely slow.
Disable unnecessary graphics features temporarily

Also, you can try below:

Hardware Acceleration OFF (for testing)
Lower point cloud display density
Hidden Line instead of Realistic/Shaded views

The freezing during close/save is also a common symptom when Revit struggles to unload a very heavy point cloud dataset. In most Scan-to-BIM projects, properly optimizing the scans before bringing them into Revit makes the biggest difference.