Photoshop CC adds 3D printing support, plus Perspective Warp and other features

Despite the nearly daily announcement of new, less-expensive, 3D printers, actually using them effectively has been an error-prone process. As of today Adobe claims it will change that. Photoshop CC now has support for 3D printing incorporated directly into the software. Importantly, the printing subsystem doesn’t just send your model off to the printer, it tidies it up first, making it much more likely to print successfully. Adobe has also added a grab bag of other features to Photoshop CC, including a dramatically expanded perspective correction tool called Perspective Warp, and several user-requested enhancements.

Fixing your model: Toward foolproof 3D printing

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.

Put me down as a bit skeptical about all this working perfectly all the time. From having used the new capabilities to preview a few sample parts, the updated Photoshop is much better than the minimal support creative artists get from most of their current tools, but I’m sure there will still be plenty of cursing as failed or unexpected parts emerge on the print bed. One use case Adobe has suggested for tricky models is prototyping with a local printer — like the supported MakerBot models — and then printing a final version using a higher-end printing service like the directly supported Shapeways. (Read: 3D printing with metal: The final frontier of additive manufacturing.)