Adobe Thursday unveiled an updated Photoshop app that it said can simplify the 3D printing process.
The 3D printing capabilities are part of a major upgrade to the Photoshop CC (creative cloud) photo editing application. The updated app is now available.
The new Photoshop CC version, which Photoshop users must sign up to use, allows users to upload a 3D image and refine, preview, prepare and print it in the .stl (stereolithography) file format.
The new 3D printing capabilities can also help users design in 3D from scratch.
The new tools in the update include automated mesh repair and support structure generation that ensures models will be produced reliably.
"The new 3D print capabilities in Photoshop CC take the guesswork out of printing 3D models for everyone," said Winston Hendrickson, vice president of products at Adobe's Creative Media Solutions Group, in a statement. "Before today there was a gap between the content produced by 3D modeling 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."
Photoshop CC supports the most popular desktop 3D printers, such as the MakerBot Replicator, along with the full range of high quality materials available on Shapeways -- the 3D printing community and marketplace. The materials available in the marketplace include ceramics, metals, and full color sandstone.
Photoshop users can also now directly upload 3D models to the Sketchfab 3D publishing service, and embed them into a Behance profile using Sketchfab's interactive 3D viewer.
"By teaming up with Adobe, we're making it easy for designers and creatives to turn ideas into reality, using Shapeway's highest quality 3D printing technologies," said Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways, in a statement.
An Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud membership costs $49.99 per month based on an annual fee. There is also a Creative Cloud single-app plan available for $19.99 per month.
Lucas Mearian covers storage, disaster recovery and business continuity, financial services infrastructure and health care IT for Computerworld. Follow Lucas on Twitter at @lucasmearian, or subscribe to Lucas's RSS feed . His email address is lmearian@computerworld.com.
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