This is the first first time 3D printing support has been added to a mainstream creative tool like Photoshop, says Adobe product manager Andy Lauta. “This is going to be an exciting opportunity for our consumer base. And it’s going to have a big impact on 3D printing industry as well.”
With the popularity of 3D printing, Adobe sought to help make it more appealing to the mainstream so anyone can design and print their own creation. The new feature allows users to do is take objects they find online, from a 3D scanner, or from a modeling tool and import it directly into Photoshop. This will enables designers to implement automated mesh repair and support structure generation in order to protect the quality of the models so when it’s ultimately printed out, it’s exactly how its envisioned.
Adobe is making some very aggressive claims about Photoshop’s new capabilities to fix problems with 3D models before sending them to a supported 3D printer. In particular, it highlights patching holes in meshes, thickening walls as needed, and adding a raft and supports as appropriate for the material and printer being used. Obviously this means that the printer driver Photoshop uses as the profile for a printer — technically just an XML file — needs to include information about the printer’s options and available materials.
Compared to existing 3D modeling tools, Photoshop CC gives you more creative options to refine, preview and prepare your objects. Add colors and textures or choose materials to personalize your model. Hit Print and Photoshop CC will let you preview what your masterpiece will look like based on the printer and materials you’ve chosen. It will also build scaffolds to prevent your structure from collapsing, and you can also preview these scaffolds.
Once you’re done creating your 3D model, where can you print it out? If you have your own 3D printer, chances are that Photoshop CC will support it. The software has integration with the most popular desktop 3D printers, including the MakerBot Replicator. But if you need to send the file off to a third-party service, Photoshop CC has a partnership with printing community and marketplace Shapeways or to the publishing service Sketchfab.
The tie to Shapeways may be a game changer as most businesses and consumers have limited knowledge or even awareness of 3D printing. Few firms and individuals own or will purchase a 3D printer soon. Partnering with shapeways will give these the opportunity to test out 3D printing for a low cost. Users can send their files to Shapeways.com and have their creation mailed to them or shipped anywhere in the world.
