RSSAdobe Goes 3D with Acrobat
By Ed Oswald | Published January 23, 2006, 3:10 PM
Adobe on Monday announced Acrobat 3D, a new version of the popular software that would allow users of 3D visualization programs to convert several CAD formats into PDF files. The application marks the first time Adobe has released a version of Acrobat directed at a particular industry.
Recipients of the files would not need CAD software to view the embedded images, however an upgrade to the latest version of Acrobat Reader would be required.
These recipients would be able to rotate and annotate the 3D image within the document, which Adobe said would increase productivity for CAD users. Currently, developers are limited to sending two-dimensional images via e-mail, slowing down the process and prone to errors.
"In a global environment of fierce competition, outsourcing and time-to-market pressure, manufacturing organizations continually seek tools to help them deliver better products faster," Gartner manufacturing research director Marc Halpern said.
Renault group, Honda Racing F1 Team, Eaton Corporation, Bradrock Industries, ITT Industries and Atrus Incorporated have been testing the product for Adobe.
ITT sung Adobe Acrobat 3D's praises in a statement from its product engineering manager. "Acrobat 3D could allow us to integrate 3D models into our marketing and product maintenance documentation, enabling readers to more easily understand how components work together," Chris Thomson said.
He added the ubiquity of PDF combined with CAD support "should help democratize 3D." Users would have the same security capabilities as regular PDF users, meaning they would be able to protect the integrity of their data when sharing through PDF.
3D in PDF could go far beyond engineering uses to items like interactive product brochures with 360-degree views. Product documentation could allow a user to zoom in or rotate a diagram to their liking. However, Adobe says the target audience initially would be the architectural, engineering and construction industries.
Acrobat 3D will cost $995 USD and is available in English, French and German language versions. A Japanese version is expected to be released in February. The program will require Windows 2000 or XP, or IBM AIX 5.2, HP UX 11.0, SGI IRIX 6.5, or Sun Solaris 2.8.
It's funny I sent an Email to Adobe just last week... which I might add was not replied to! I was just mentioning to them that they should keep crap like Yahoo tool bar out of their downloads.
Score: 0
|This is horrible. It seems tacked on, much like I anticipated it was going to be.
At one time, they were going to use the ViewPoint technology - aka Atmosphere. What's the 3D framework behind this though?
Score: 0
|http://www.solidworks.co...drawings/eDrawings.html
free.
Score: 0
|eDrawings isn't exactly the same thing. While some of the basic functionality is there I believe that Acrobat 3D offers more. Also one of the nice things about PDF is that it is just about everywhere now.
With Acrobat 3D you will be able to load 3D renderings onto your palm pilot or windows CE machine.
Also eDrawings is only for Windows based machines. The viewer is also for Mac but the publisher only runs on Windows. This may not be a problem for users of AutoCAD but Pro/E for Windows sucks compared to the *nix flavors. Just as an example.
Score: 0
|So an embedded object in a PDF then? Lots of applications support embedding objects - Aloaha PDF suite for example
Score: 0
|Guess what, it's all still proprietary formats.
I hate SWF too.
w3c.org all the way. If it's not a standard on there it doesn't exist.
Score: 0
|PDF is an open, published spec, and always has been.
Score: 0
|