The PLY file format (also named Polygon File Format or Stanford Triangle Format) was designed specifically for storing 3D data from 3D Scanners, drawing inspiration from the OBJ format. It utilizes lists of polygons to represent objects, with the objective of adding versatility and the ability to store a higher number of physical elements. The outcome is a file format that has the capacity to represent various elements, such as surface normals, texture, color, transparency, coordinate values, and data confidence values. The PLY format comes in two variations: ASCII and binary, offering users the flexibility to choose the format that best suits their needs and requirements. The use of binary files ensures faster data processing speeds, while ASCII files provide greater accessibility and compatibility with other applications. Overall, PLY is a versatile and effective file format for storing 3D data.

The most common extension for Polygon File Format is .ply

CAD Interop distributes several solutions to prepare, convert and visualize your PLY data. Find below the list of our solutions compatible with the PLY format: