Free online E57 to PLY converter

Point-cloud workflows often need PLY because a 3D editor or viewer accepts it but cannot open an E57 scan directly. Converting also makes the scan easier to share with software that supports common point-cloud formats.

What E57 is

E57 is a binary format for 3D imaging data, commonly used to store laser-scanner point clouds. It can contain multiple scans, point coordinates, color, intensity, images, and scan metadata. Surveying and reality-capture applications and scanners from manufacturers such as Leica, FARO, and Trimble produce E57 files.

What PLY is

PLY, or Polygon File Format, stores 3D points and mesh vertices, with optional properties such as color and normals. Its simple, widely supported structure makes it useful for editing, visualization, and exchanging point clouds or meshes between 3D applications. PLY can be written in ASCII or binary form.

How to convert E57 to PLY

Online on 101convert.com

1. Open the E57-to-PLY converter on 101convert.com and upload the E57 file. The page shows the per-file size limit.
2. Start the conversion.
3. Download the resulting PLY file when it is ready. The converter can process several files as a batch.

Offline with desktop software

CloudCompare is free, open-source software for Windows, macOS, and Linux that can read E57 point clouds and save them as PLY.

1. Open the file using File → Open and select the .e57 file. If the file contains several scans, choose the scans you need when prompted.
2. Select the loaded cloud in the DB Tree, then use File → Save. Choose PLY as the output format and save it as .ply.
3. If CloudCompare offers PLY export options, choose binary for a more compact file or ASCII when you specifically need a readable text file; confirm which point attributes will be written.

Quality and compatibility

PLY preserves point coordinates and can preserve color, but the available attributes depend on the source scan and export options. E57-specific organization, such as scan grouping, images, and acquisition metadata, is not represented by a basic PLY point cloud. Check the exported file in the target application, especially when color or intensity values matter.