Photoshop CC adds 3D printing capabilities

The new 3D printing capabilities enable creative cloud members to easily and reliably build, refine, preview, prepare and print 3D designs, setting the stage for explosive growth in the 3D printing market.

The new 3D printing capabilities also help creatives to design in 3D from scratch or refine an existing 3D model and produce beautiful, print-ready 3D models using familiar Photoshop tools. Automated mesh repair and support structure generation ensure models will be produced reliably, while accurate previews allow creatives to submit print jobs with confidence.

"The new 3D print capabilities take the guess work out of printing 3D models for everyone," said Winston Hendrickson, VP products, Creative Media Solutions, Adobe. "Before today there was a gap between the content produced by 3D modelling tools and what 3D printers need in order to deliver high quality results. Now, by simply clicking 'Print' in Photoshop CC, creatives can bring 3D designs to the physical world."

Turbocharging emerging 3D print ecosystem

The new system supports the most popular desktop 3D printers, such as the MakerBot Replicator and supports the full range of high quality materials available on Shapeways - the 3D printing community and marketplace - including ceramics, metals, and full colour sandstone. Additionally, its users can now directly upload their 3D models to the Sketchfab 3D publishing service and embed them in their Behance profile using Sketchfab's interactive 3D viewer.

"We're thrilled to partner with Adobe to help kick-start the delivery of 3D content to its creative users," said Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO and co-founder of Shapeways. "We're focused on making 3D printing accessible and affordable for people all over the world. By teaming up with Adobe, we're making it easy for designers and creatives to turn ideas into reality, using the company's highest quality 3D printing technologies."

"With the adoption of Adobe Photoshop, this announcement means that an influx of people will now have access to 3D modelling tools," noted Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. "I can't wait to see what they design and create."

3D creations now in reach for designers

Printing in 3D enables the production of accurate and compelling prototypes and finished designs and is used in many creative fields, including architecture, jewellery, film and animation.

Paul Liaw, jewellery designer and sculptor, says, "My design process is so much easier with the new 3D printing support options. I can make my jewellery designs look beautiful and automate the process of using the least amount of material without going under the printable threshold-this back and forth used to take about 80% of my time."

Veronica De La Rosa, industrial designer at Fathom, a product development company and 3D printing specialist, adds, "We work with some of the most innovative companies to help produce their next generation of products. Using Photoshop CC, the new 3D printing features reduce file troubleshooting and ensure that our client's 3D models are accurately represented before final printing. This is extremely helpful to us as it will speed up customer communication, saving time and money for both us and more importantly our clients."

Innovations across essential design tools

Additional new features in Photoshop CC include the groundbreaking Perspective Warp, which changes the viewpoint from which an object is seen, and linked Smart Objects that radically improves collaboration - updating the final design automatically if the reference file is changed.

In addition, new features in Adobe Illustrator CC and InDesign CC revolutionise how designers work by seamlessly connecting to the Adobe Typekit font service. It's now possible to integrate Typekit fonts into print projects, PDF files, DPS apps, and more, while new functionality in InDesign CC reduces the frustration of missing font errors by automatically searching the Typekit desktop font library for options. Dozens of new and enhanced features and services in today's update will help designers and other creative professionals work more intuitively and efficiently.

For more information, go to www.adobe.com/photoshop and http://tv.adobe.com/go/21862.