2.2 The Two Workflows
XGRIDS produces two fundamentally different output types. This decision shapes every other choice you make: which software to use, how to process your data, and what you can deliver to a client.
Point Cloud Workflow
A point cloud is a collection of three-dimensional coordinates. Each point represents a measured location in the physical world, captured by the LiDAR. The result is a spatially accurate geometric representation of a space: every wall, floor, ceiling, column, and fixture recorded as a dense cloud of measured positions.
Point cloud data is what engineers, architects, and surveyors use for measurement, modeling, and documentation. Dimensions taken from a point cloud reflect real captured geometry. The point cloud can be imported into Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks, and other AEC platforms as the geometric foundation for as-built documentation and BIM modeling.
What Point Clouds Are Used For
- As-built documentation for architecture and engineering
- BIM modeling and Revit import
- Dimensional verification and deviation analysis
- Construction coordination and clash detection
- Facility management baseline documentation
- Georeferenced survey deliverables with RTK or GCPs applied
Export formats supported by LixelStudio: LAS, LAZ, E57 (structured), OBJ (with texture), RCP.
The L2 Pro and K1 both produce point cloud data. The PortalCam does not. This distinction matters before you plan any project where measured deliverables are required.
3D Gaussian Splat Workflow
3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) is a reconstruction method that produces a photorealistic visual representation of a space. Rather than a cloud of measured points, the output is a volumetric model built from overlapping visual and spatial data. When viewed in LCC Studio or shared via compatible platforms, it looks like being inside a photograph that you can navigate through in three dimensions.
3DGS models are not measurement tools. They are communication tools. The visual fidelity is significantly higher than a colored point cloud, which makes them effective for client walkthroughs, stakeholder presentations, virtual tours, and visual documentation where a non-technical audience needs to understand a space.
What 3DGS Models Are Used For
- Photorealistic client walkthroughs and presentations
- Stakeholder communication and project approvals
- Virtual tours for marketing and documentation
- Spatial reference for non-technical audiences
- Visual progress documentation on active construction projects
- Web-based sharing via browser-compatible formats
Export formats supported by LCC Studio: LCC, PLY, OBJ (without texture), USDZ, 3D Tiles.
Do not take measurements from a 3DGS model. The visual output is not a substitute for point cloud geometry. Dimensions extracted from a 3DGS model are not reliable for engineering or construction use. If your project requires measured deliverables, you need the point cloud workflow, not the 3DGS workflow.
Side by Side
The conversion restriction is the most important practical implication of this comparison. If you scan a project intending to produce a point cloud and later decide a 3DGS model would also be useful, you can process the same raw data through LCC Studio. But if you scan with only 3DGS in mind and later need a measured point cloud, the raw data from the L2 Pro or K1 can be processed through LixelStudio for that purpose. The raw scan data itself is not workflow-specific. The outputs of each processing pipeline, however, are entirely separate and non-convertible.
The PortalCam Limitation
The PortalCam produces 3DGS output only. It does not connect to LixelStudio. It cannot produce point clouds regardless of settings or processing choices.
If your project requires measured deliverables, the PortalCam cannot serve that need. Point cloud output requires an L2 Pro or K1. The PortalCam is a dedicated 3DGS capture device. Its visual output quality is high, but it is categorically not a point cloud instrument.
PortalCam data is processed exclusively in LCC Studio using the LCC Scan field app. The workflow is entirely separate from the L2 Pro and K1 ecosystem. If you own both a PortalCam and a K1 or L2 Pro, they operate on parallel but independent pipelines. See the Software Map for the complete device-to-software pairing reference.
Running Both Workflows on the Same Project
On many AEC projects, both workflows are useful. The L2 Pro or K1 generates raw scan data that can feed both processing pipelines. The engineer needs measured point cloud data for BIM modeling. The project manager needs a photorealistic 3DGS walkthrough for the client presentation. The same raw scan captures both.
The key requirement is that the decision to produce both outputs must be made before scanning. There are no workflow-specific changes to field technique, but you need to ensure both processing pipelines are set up and ready before the project starts. Processing the same raw data twice, once in LixelStudio and once in LCC Studio, is the standard approach.
- Confirm LixelStudio is installed, activated, and tested on your processing machine before the project
- Confirm LCC Studio is installed, your subscription is active, and your GPU driver meets the minimum version requirement (NVIDIA driver 520.0 or later)
- Plan for processing time from both pipelines when setting the project timeline
- Raw data storage from the scanner serves both pipelines. No duplicate capture is needed
If you are only producing point clouds, LCC Studio is not required and the 3DGS subscription cost is not relevant to your project. If you are only producing 3DGS models, LixelStudio is not required, but your device must be an L2 Pro, K1, or PortalCam since all three support LCC Studio processing.
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