Adobe Acrobat enters third dimension

Adobe Systems has created a high-end version of Acrobat--aimed at boosting sales in the manufacturing industry--that displays three-dimensional images within PDF documents.

On Monday, the company is releasing Acrobat 3D, which allows a person to create a PDF (Portable Document Format) file with embedded images from computer-aided design (CAD) applications. Recipients of Acrobat 3D files need to upgrade to the latest version of Acrobat reader to view the documents, the company said.

Adobe developed the 3D product specifically for manufacturing customers who regularly exchange CAD files in the design process, said Rak Bhalla, senior marketing manager. Car manufacturers, for example, share their product descriptions and designs with their suppliers to get bids for component parts.

Typically, design engineers today create a two-dimensional image and send them via e-mail, Bhalla said. Having an embedded 3D image, which people can rotate to view and append with notes, will speed up the design collaboration process and reduce errors, he said.

"Acrobat 3D is the first vertical product in the family that is catering to a specific market," he said.

Acrobat 3D has security features that let people restrict copying of potentially valuable designs. It can display images from major CAD programs, he said.

Bhalla said that documents created with Acrobat 3D--which costs $995 per copy--will be used by many people other than the design engineers who use CAD programs. He estimated that about 30 others in supporting functions, such as product documentation or maintenance, will use each 3D document.

Other potential markets for Acrobat 3D are the architectural, engineering and construction fields, which regularly use blueprints and CAD software, he said.

[Philips]

What about "mere mortal" end-users?

When Adobe will try to think about simple end-users??? What about removing all the needless crap they were putting into Acrobat Reader over last 5 years?????

I went three months ago to FoxIt Reader - and never really looked back. Even with all its shortcomings of a relatively new product it rocks and beats easily Acrobat Reader. Browser plug-in not yet there - but already on a way.

[mjm01010101]

foxit

Ever try and print from foxit? fairly hit or miss it'll print or crash your machine. Printing is critical for an app like a PDF reader.

And the comment below about not needing a 3d'viewer of cad files??? Are you kidding? We're a law firm that works with engineers constantly, and we just need the ability to see and understand CAD files without paying thousands on every desktop for a competant viewer. I welcome this with open arms...

[Earl Benser]

On a Mac, Preview does it as a viewer.

And the Mac can create a PDF out of anything you can print. That's
good enough for me to trash Acrobat from my hard drives.

[Lite Rocker]

lame iead, product still sucky

how about removing the nag ware and making the program not so bloated?

way to go Adobe, rip off Google and their ideas.

this type of feature will not get used much.

[mrcuadra]

Specialized Feature

Lite Rocker: You are correct, in that this feature will not get used much at all... by the general users out there. But be assured, specific industries (like those stated in the article: A/E/C, engineering, etc.) have been using PDF as a collaboration means for years, so this will only make what is already being used extensively even better.

So go ahead with your little 40K article downloads... We who have to get the engineers on board with the new high rise project will be exchanging our 4MB+ 3D building model files, and be quite happy about using Adobe's product(s).

[scoobbs]

3D and innovative uses...

Any bets for when the porno industry will start showig their ´models´ in 3D???
I am sure more uses will show up for tools like these tha one can imediately devise.
Just wait and see... watch... rotate... flip... etc.