Workstations for point clouds and CAD
The laptop the quotations get written on will not open a 40-million-point cloud. It freezes, and the scanning equipment gets blamed for something that is not its fault.
Memory rules, not the processor
This is the most repeated purchasing mistake: pick the fastest processor and leave memory at the minimum. But a point cloud loads entirely into RAM, and when it does not fit the system starts using the disk as memory. At that point no processor helps: the machine is not slow, it crawls.
The practical priority order for this work is memory first, a GPU with enough VRAM second, NVMe storage third and the processor last. Exactly the reverse of how a sales counter presents it.
What actually matters
- Memory. Sized to your typical cloud, with headroom to mesh and compare without closing everything else.
- A GPU with generous VRAM. What limits you when viewing large meshes is nearly always VRAM, not raw card power. A modest GPU with enough memory outperforms a powerful one running tight.
- NVMe storage. Scanning projects are heavy and get opened and saved constantly. A slow disk shows up in every operation of the day.
- Processor. It matters, but less than it costs. Many meshing operations use fewer cores than you would think.
- Display and colour calibration. Secondary for scanning, relevant if you also review deviation maps, where the colour is the data.
Laptop or desktop
If you will scan in the field or at customer sites you need a laptop, and the trade-off has to be accepted: for the same budget it delivers less and runs hotter, and performance drops exactly when it has been working a while. If scanning always happens in the same building, a tower gives considerably more for the same money. Many plants end up with a laptop to capture and a tower to process, which is usually the sensible combination.
What we do not recommend
A gaming machine. They are optimised for something else — high frame rates on light scenes — and typically pair modest system memory with an expensive GPU. For point clouds that is exactly the wrong split.
How it gets sized
Not from a catalogue. Tell us the size of the parts you will scan, at what resolution and with what software; that gives the expected cloud size and from there the configuration. If you already own a machine, upgrading memory and storage is often enough instead of buying a new one — and we will tell you that too.
Can I use the computer I already have?
Sometimes. Send us its specification and your cloud sizes and we will tell you whether to upgrade it or replace it. Adding memory and storage resolves more cases than people expect.
Do I need a professional graphics card?
Not always. It depends on the software and on whether you need manufacturer certification. For many scanning workflows a consumer GPU with sufficient VRAM performs the same for considerably less.
How much memory is needed?
It depends on cloud size, which depends on the part and the resolution. A small part at high resolution can be heavier than a large one at low resolution — which is why we ask about the part rather than quoting a general figure.
Do you sell the workstation separately?
Yes. It is also included in the packages, sized for whichever scanner they carry.
Does it include the scanning software?
Software comes with the scanner, not the computer. If you buy the workstation alone, confirm which licences you need on your side.