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Convert Your 3D Mesh/Model OBJ Files to PLY

Our free and fast tool will convert most 3D mesh or OBJ (Wavefront) model files to a standard PLY (Stanford Triangle Format) file that can then be edited further in most popular 3D editing packages such as Blender or 3D printed without any further processing. Our conversion tool can also batch convert multiple OBJ files; up to 25 files at a time can be converted.

100 MB
Uploads

To convert your OBJ file, click the Upload button above and select the file to convert. Once selected, the file will be converted to a PLY file and will be ready for download shortly afterwards. For more information about the OBJ to PLY conversion process, see the conversion information section below.

How to Convert your OBJ to PLY Online?

Here are two simple steps to convert your OBJ to PLY.

Upload a OBJ

Click the "Upload a OBJ File" button and select a OBJ to upload. The maximum file size is 100MB.

Download your PLY

Click the download link once completed to receive your PLY file.

File Format Information for OBJ to PLY

ExtensionOBJ
Full NameWavefront
Type3D Model
Mime Typetext/plain
FormatText
ToolsOBJ Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create OBJ Animation, Compress OBJ, OBJ Asset Extractor, Text to OBJ, OBJ Viewer
Open WithDaz Studio, MeshLab, CAD Assistant

Description

The OBJ file format, originally created by Wavefront Technologies and later adopted by many other 3D software vendors, is a simple text-based file format for describing 3D models/geometry. This data can include vertices, faces, normals, texture coordinates, and references to external texture files.

As the format is text-based, it is relatively straightforward to parse in 3D modeling applications. A downside of the text-based format is that the files can be rather large compared to similar binary formats such as STL and compressed files such as 3MF.

OBJ Notes

If your OBJ file is uploaded with accompanying MTL and texture files, these will be applied to the conversion process.

Supported Features

  • Mesh geometry
  • Materials (Via an MTL file)
  • Textures (PNG, JPG, TGA formats)
ExtensionPLY
Full NameStanford Triangle Format
Type3D Model/Point Cloud
Mime Typeapplication/octet-stream
FormatText & Binary
ToolsPLY Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create PLY Animation, Compress PLY, Text to PLY, PLY Viewer
Open WithBlender, MeshLab

Description

The PLY format is a 3D model format originally developed and released in 1994, with its primary use being to store three-dimensional data from 3D digital scanners. The format known as the Polygon File Format or the Stanford Triangle Format can be either a binary or text-based format.

The file format stores 3D geometric information such as vertices, faces, vertex normals, color, and other custom data. The format is still in use, with many PLY models available to download, and PLY files can be loaded into most popular 3D applications, such as Blender.

PLY Notes

PLY files support per-vertex color information. If your uploaded model contains color information, our tool will attempt to save this in the PLY file at the end of the conversion process.

Supported Features

  • Mesh geometry
  • Vertex colors
  • Binary and text versions are supported when converting from PLY
  • Binary-only version when converting to PLY

Comparing OBJ and PLY Features

 

OBJ Features

  • Mesh Geometry (Vertices and Faces)
  • Vertex Normals
  • Face Normals
  • Vertex Colors
  • Face Materials (Excluding textures)
  • Textures
  • Point Cloud
  • Multiple Objects Per File
  • Object Transforms (Translation, Rotation, and Scale)
  • Bones/Joints
  • Animations
  • Suitable for 3D Printing

PLY Features

  • Mesh Geometry (Vertices and Faces)
  • Vertex Normals
  • Face Normals
  • Vertex Colors
  • Face Materials (Excluding textures)
  • Textures
  • Point Cloud
  • Multiple Objects Per File
  • Object Transforms (Translation, Rotation, and Scale)
  • Bones/Joints
  • Animations
  • Suitable for 3D Printing

How does it work?

Converting from the OBJ file format to PLY can be a complex process, and any tool used for this conversion process needs to be able to handle a variety of data conversion tasks as well as identify any defects within the 3D model and fix them. Here we will explain the conversion process used by our tool to accurately convert your OBJ file to a valid PLY 3D model. Let's start with the conversion process, which involves the following steps:

Step 1: Read the Source OBJ File

Step 1: Read the Source OBJ File

In its simplest form, an OBJ file is a plain text file containing human-readable 3D data such as vertices, faces, normals, and more. When combined, these make up the 3D model you see on your screen.

When our tool reads this 3D data, all we are interested in are the vertices, faces, and normals, as this is the only data that can be accurately converted into the final PLY file.

The OBJ file can contain other data, such as material definitions and textures, that describe how a particular set of 3D geometry should be rendered. As we are creating an PLY file, which does not support materials and textures, we will be ignoring this data if it is present in the OBJ file.

For more information regarding the OBJ file format, please see this great article that goes into a lot of detail explaining the OBJ format.

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Step 2: Process File Data

With the OBJ file data read, our tool generates an internal representation of the full 3D model and will attempt to fix any geometry issues encountered. Along with repairing any issues with the 3D model, the tool will remove any duplicated vertices and prepare the model for exporting to the PLY format.

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Step 3: Saving to the PLY Format

With the conversion process entering its final stages, our tool now needs to take the in-memory 3D model we have created in step 2 and convert it to the PLY format.

Frequently Asked Questions

My OBJ file contains materials and textures; how do I upload these?

If your OBJ file has separate material (MTL) and texture (PNG, JPG, etc.) files, you can drag and drop these onto the upload tool along with the main OBJ file. Our tool will intelligently detect which of these additional files belongs to the OBJ file. Alternatively, you can place these additional files, along with the OBJ file, within a ZIP or other compressed archive file and upload that.

What format is my PLY file saved as?

The PLY file generated by our tool will be in the binary little endian format.

How does ImageToStl.com differ from other OBJ file conversion websites?

Many 3D file conversion websites use the same off-the-shelf components to convert files, these often lack features and full OBJ file compatibility. Our bespoke file conversion tools offer full OBJ file compatibility and have been developed in-house by a team of developers, some of whom have over 30 years of experience working with 3D graphics file formats, meaning our tools will convert your OBJ file quickly and accurately with maximum compatibility.

I have several OBJ files; can I batch convert my OBJ to PLY?

Yes! Our OBJ tool supports full batch conversions. You can upload up to 25 and OBJ files at a time. Our tool will convert them all as quickly as possible. Once completed, you can either download the PLY files individually or download them all in a single ZIP file.

How can I convert my OBJ file to PLY?

First click the "Upload..." button, select your OBJ file to upload. Select any configuration options. When the OBJ to PLY conversion has completed, you can download your PLY file straight away.

How long does it take to convert my OBJ to PLY?

We aim to process all OBJ to PLY conversions as quickly as possible, this usually takes around 5 seconds but can be more for larger more complex files so please be patient.

How accurate is the OBJ to PLY conversion?

We aim to create the most accurate conversions with our tools. Our tools are under constant development with new features and improvements being added every week.

Is it safe to convert my OBJ to PLY on ImageToStl.com?

Yes, of course! We do not store the OBJ file you submit to us. The resulting PLY file, once created is deleted 20 minutes after upload and the download link will expire after this time.

Do I need a high-spec. computer to use the OBJ to PLY converter?

No. All our conversion tools process your OBJ file on our dedicated conversion servers, meaning you can use our tools on low-spec computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices and receive your converted PLY file quickly.

Can I convert my OBJ to PLY on Windows, Linux, Android, iOS or Mac OS?

Yes! Our OBJ to PLY tool will run on any system with a modern web browser. No specialist software is needed to run any of our conversion tools.

What if I am using an Ad Blocker, will that affect things?

Yes. Although you can use an Ad Blocker, if you like our OBJ conversion tool please consider white-listing our site. When an Ad Blocker is enabled there are some conversion limits on some of our tools and processing/conversion times will be longer.

Can I get support with converting my OBJ to PLY?

Yes. When you have converted your OBJ to PLY, there is a "Feedback" option that you can use to let us know of any issues you encountered when converting your file.

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