Free Tools & Resources
Browser-based 3D file viewers, format converters, and in-depth guides for laser engraving professionals. Everything runs locally — no upload, no signup required.
Free Tools
3D File Viewer
View PLY, STL, OBJ, GLB, and PCD files in your browser with orbit controls and wireframe mode.
Point Cloud Viewer
Dedicated viewer for PLY, PCD, and XYZ point clouds with adjustable point size and color modes.
File Converters
Convert between STL, OBJ, PLY, PCD, and GLB formats. Six converters, all running client-side.
Guides
How to Use the LaserTools Studios
A walkthrough of all four studios with screenshots, plus the two workflows that matter: photo to emboss, and photo to mesh to crystal.
Photo Studio: Generate, Edit and Prepare
Generate images with AI, edit them with prompts, adjust tone and levels, remove backgrounds and upscale, then export. With screenshots.
Crystal Studio: Scene to Point Cloud
Arrange meshes, text and graphics inside a virtual crystal, convert to a point cloud with Portrait layers, check it on the built-in crystal preview, then export — PLY through to the xTool (.xs) machine format. A full walkthrough with screenshots.
Mesh Studio: Turn a Photo into a 3D Mesh
Bring in an image, choose 2D, 2.5D or full 3D, generate a mesh, preview it, then export or send it to Crystal Studio. With screenshots.
Embossing Studio: Depth Maps from Photos
Load an image, generate a bas-relief height map with emBOSS v1.0, fine-tune the depth and crop, then export an 8-bit PNG. With screenshots.
What Is a Point Cloud?
Why subsurface laser engraving needs point clouds, how point density rather than colour creates tone, and how Crystal Studio builds one.
Best File Formats for Laser Engraving
SVG vs DXF vs PNG vs PLY vs STL. Which file formats actually work for laser cutting, raster engraving, and 3D relief, and when each one is the right pick.
STL vs OBJ: Which 3D Format to Use
STL and OBJ are the two most common 3D file formats. What each one stores, where each one wins, and which to pick for printing or engraving.
Point Cloud Formats: PLY, PCD, and XYZ
PLY, PCD and XYZ are the three formats most point cloud workflows touch. What each one stores, how big they get, and which one to use.
Convert 3D Files: STL, OBJ, PLY, PCD, GLB
Convert between STL, OBJ, PLY, PCD and GLB. The browser, desktop and command-line options that work, and what you lose crossing between them.
Generating Meshes for Crystal Engraving
Mesh Studio turns a photograph into the 3D file Crystal Studio needs. How the three generation modes differ, and which one to pick for your piece.
AI Image Generation for Engravings
Create original images in Photo Studio that actually engrave well, send them on to Mesh or Embossing Studio, and skip the prompts that fail.
Embossing Depth Maps from Photos
Turn a photograph into a grayscale height map ready for variable-depth laser engraving and CNC carving, using Embossing Studio.
Photo to Crystal: The Full Workflow
How to take a portrait photo through Photo Studio, Mesh Studio, and Crystal Studio and export a point cloud your subsurface laser engraver can run.
Restoring Old Photos for Engraving
Take a faded scan or damaged print and turn it into something a laser or CNC machine can actually engrave cleanly, using Photo Studio's AI tools.
Need AI-Powered Point Clouds?
Our free tools handle viewing and conversion. For AI-generated point clouds optimized for laser engraving, sign up for LaserTools.