PinPoint Modeler
PinPoint Modeler is a powerful 3D tool for extracting structured data from point clouds with precision and efficiency. It supports measurement, slicing, orthophoto creation, and geometry projection, streamlining each step of the workflow. Its name reflects its intuitive corner‑snapping approach—users simply “point and pin” to build accurate models.
PinPoint Modeler enables the creation of floor plans and surface samples, as well as flatness analysis, with results exportable in common formats. All functionality is delivered through a clean, purpose‑built interface designed for speed and clarity.
User Interface
The PinPoint interface is organised into three functional groups:
The Modeling section focuses on creating and editing 3D polygons for compact representation.
The Generate section allows users to map 3D data onto 2D sketches through projections and intersections.
The Measurements section provides tools for extracting lengths and angles from 3D data, as well as generating colour-coded error meshes.
On the left panel, users can find a summary of all inspections performed on the 3D model, including sketches, helper planes, and more:
Each entry can be toggled for viewing.
Additionally, entries can be deleted or exported into appropriate formats.
When selecting the hand symbol, an asset can be used as input for further inspections.
Regardless of the selected tool, the instruction bar in the lower-left corner provides guidance on expected inputs and available hotkeys.
When starting a project in PinPoint Modeler, you'll notice that surfaces appear in different colours. Each colour represents a group of 3D points lying on the same plane. This is the result of PinPoint's preprocessing.
If scan colours are available, they can be displayed using the function keys:
Pressing F3 shows the "real colours".
Pressing F2 switches back to the "surface colours".
Colored planes are recommended for better visual guidance in most workflows.
PinPoint visualises a 3D point cloud even though surfaces appear solid.
Using Ctrl and the mouse wheel reduces the point size so you can see through these surfaces. Each point is a small disc aligned with the surrounding surface, giving PinPoint its distinctive appearance.
Plane Intersection
Most interactions in PinPoint Modeler rely on selecting 3D corner points defined by the intersections of 3D planes.
The mouse pointer acts as a 3D selection tool. When hovering over surfaces, they are highlighted for selection.
A left-click selects a region. Hovering over a second region creates a 3D line at the intersection of two planes. After selecting a second plane, any additional interaction is restricted to a point on this line. Selecting a third plane fully defines a 3D point, which can then be used for precise measurements and modelling.
Note that the mouse pointer is actually a 3D ball, which automatically intersects all touching surfaces. This makes the 3D point selection process fast and straightforward.
Creating Measurements
PinPoint allows for a variety of measurement types. First, select the Measure tool in the top bar:
Selecting two points measures the distance between them.
Selecting two planes measures the angle between them.
Selecting a point and a plane shows the orthogonal distance from the point to the plane.
Selecting a point and a line shows the orthogonal distance from the point to the line.
Use the 3D mouse pointer ball to intersect all connected planes at once when defining 3D points by plane intersections. Hold Ctrl to freely select points in the 3D point cloud.
PinPoint also makes it easy to measure and inspect modelled surfaces. Simply click on a modelled surface to reveal its edge lengths and area.
Creating Sketches
Sketches in PinPoint are 2D projections derived from the 3D model, and they can be created even without prior modelling.
Let’s create a slice of the 3D point cloud:
Click the Point Projection button in the Generate section.
Select a base plane to define the orientation of the projection.
Define boundary planes using one of the following methods:
Hold Ctrl while moving the mouse to freely define a plane.
Enter a precise plane distance using the keyboard.
Set the position of the lower boundary plane by moving the mouse while holding Ctrl, and then fix the position with a left mouse button click. Confirm plane position with the green checkmark.
For the second boundary plane, enter the precise distance from the base plane on the keyboard. The distance is shown in the lower-right corner. Confirm the second plane with the green checkmark.
Now let's create a 2D point projection of the 3D tween, with these planes projected onto the middle plane:
Specify the Point Projection settings, then click OK to confirm.
Adjust the density filter to refine the visualisation by moving the filter slider.
Modelling a Room
To model a room, follow the steps below:
Select the Add Surface function.
Click on the desired plane. In this case, the floor.
Then click the Fix or Release Plane Constraint icon. This sets the floor as the working plane, meaning the walls will be intersected by this plane.
Define the boundaries of the base surface by selecting the edges of the surrounding walls. As you click, polygon lines will appear on the floor plane, outlining the base shape of the room.
Close the polygon using any option below:
Click the Close Polygon icon.
Press the Enter key.
Select the first corner again.
Activate the Extrude function and select the base surface you just created. Then pull it upwards by clicking on the ceiling.
Complete the extrusion by clicking the Accept icon. This single operation generates all vertical walls and the ceiling in one step.
To inspect the modelled room:
Exit the Extrude function by pressing Esc or by clicking the tool again.
Then open the Inspector View by selecting it from the View drop-down menu or by pressing the V key.
Exporting Data
All created assets are listed in the left panel.
To export data:
Click the disk icon next to an asset.
Choose the desired format for export:
You can export 3D assets to common formats, such as OBJ.
You can export 2D assets to common formats, such as DXF.
With these fundamental tools and workflows, you are now ready to get started with PinPoint Modeler.