Autodesk, Inc. has announced the availability of two new bonus packs for AutoCAD 2009 software. The new functionality included in the bonus packs, available exclusively to customers on Autodesk subscription, will feature enhanced PDF support and on-demand 3D printing capabilities for AutoCAD.
Earlier this year, Autodesk introduced and adopted a flexible software delivery model for AutoCAD by providing AutoCAD customers with earlier access to new features and greater control over their software upgrades. The new subscription bonus packs are now available for download from the Autodesk Subscription Center.
For several years, a top AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) wish list item has been more robust capabilities with the PDF file format in AutoCAD. In response to that feedback, Autodesk is now offering AutoCAD Subscription customers with enhanced ability to use PDF to ease communication with suppliers, clients and partners with PDF Import and Underlay and enhanced PDF publishing features. The PDF Import and Underlay feature allows users to import PDF files as an underlay, providing access to a variety of robust tools, like the ability to snap to lines and objects, control the display of layers, as well as move, scale, rotate, and clip the PDF underlay. The enhanced PDF publishing capabilities provide key improvements for publishing PDF files from AutoCAD - reducing file sizes to ease file sharing needs, as well as support for TrueType font, which provides users with precise control over how fonts are displayed.
The third subscription bonus packs brings on-demand 3D printing capabilities to AutoCAD 2009, allowing users to quickly produce physical 3D models and prototypes more accurately and powerfully than ever before. With Bonus Pack 3 installed, users can now connect to 3D printing service providers directly from within AutoCAD, or print to their own 3D printer.
Autodesk has entered into agreements with RedEye, a business unit of Stratasys, and Z Corp., 3D printing manufacturers, to make 3D printing available to AutoCAD 2009 users. Connecting online with the selected service provider, AutoCAD users can now have 3D printed models shipped directly to them.
