Adobe Releases Acrobat 3D Version 8

Adobe's latest release allows engineering firms to package all their data into one universal file format.

Adobe Acrobat isn’t just "digital paper" anymore, it’s more like digital clay. Adobe announced Acrobat 3D version 8 on Wednesday, which allows PDF files to carry three dimensional data, such as CAD models. Unlike the kind of flat design views that could have been transmitted with the conventional version of Acrobat, the  models allow viewers to actually flip, rotate and pan around them in 3D.

The newest features are targeted at the engineering industry. Acrobat 8 will allow firms to package their three-dimensional models and accompanying information, such as product specifications, spreadsheets and bills of materials, into one file. Since it was built for commercial use, it can even handle large projects with CAD files that weigh in at up to 500MB. Acrobat 3D also provides compression for models when absolute precision isn’t necessary, making them up to 100 times smaller. Since CAD data comes in many different flavors, Acrobat can import and convert more than 40 types of files.

Prior to Wednesday’s final release of version 8, Adobe subjected it to beta testing with some industry heavyweights, including Caterpillar Inc., Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd., Eaton Corporation, HNTB Architecture, John Deere, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. More than 10,000 users participated in total.

Adobe Acrobat 3D version 8 is available immediately in English, French and German, with a Japanese version in the works for June. The software will sell for $995, or $295 as an upgrade from the previous version.