IC3D Suite v3 introduces additional 3D modelling capabilities, shrink un-distort and native PDF artwork handling.

London, UK - Creative Edge Software announces the immediate availability of a major upgrade to the world’s first real-time 3D packaging design and visualization software, IC3D Suite. Targeted at brands, agencies, packaging pre-press and packaging printing companies, IC3D Suite dramatically simplifies and speeds up the creation and visualization of packaging products of all kinds—including bottles, flexible packages, cartons, bags, plastic containers, cans and more. It can both be used early during the ideation process to instantaneously visualize the impact of certain design decisions, or later in the process for the creation of pack shots, POS and retail shelving product comparisons. IC3D Suite allows any 2D graphic artist to create 3D models and apply artwork on them in order to visualize what the real final package will look like.

Free webinar
On May 27th 2015 at 10 am CEST, Four Pees, IC3D Suite’s international distributor will host a free webinar showing these new features and giving an overall introduction to the solution.  Register

Endless 3D modelling capabilities
IC3D Suite features a significant amount of pre-built models, complimented by a series of editable model templates. Templates allow adjusting the size and tweaking the appearance of different types of bags, bottles, cartons and more. Version 3 of IC3D Suite now introduces the 3D Shape Modeller. Based on 3D extraction, it is a powerful addition to the IC3D arsenal of creative tools that allows users to quickly and easily create advanced, asymmetrical 3D models using 2D shapes. With the Shape Modeller you can now create all sorts of packaging types such as molded containers but also other models such as complex bottles can now be created in a couple of minutes by any graphic designer.

Shrink and un-distort
The application of shrink-wrap foil on single or multiple items was already one of the powerful features in IC3D Suite due to its accuracy and unprecedented speed, applying complex shrink-wraps in a matter of seconds. This functionality has become even more powerful with an un-distort function, allowing the user to pre-distort the artwork with production precision, making sure that once the shrink is applied, it appears completely undistorted as the designer would have wanted it to be.

Native PDF artwork
IC3D Suite interacts with Illustrator to apply and edit the artwork. This makes it very easy to immediately visualize in 3D the edits made in Illustrator. With IC3D Suite version 3, you can now also place PDF artwork directly on the 3D model without having to go through an external application. You can position the artwork and hide specific PDF layers to create the desired result. Specifically for production companies receiving or storing a lot of the artwork in PDF, this represents a significant productivity gain as they can do everything from model creation to artwork placement in the same application.

Complete Suite or Carton Edition
IC3D comes as a complete Suite for all packaging types or in a dedicated Carton Edition for any type of folding carton product from a simple box to an advanced point-of-sale unit.

Free viewer
With this release, Creative Edge Software also introduces a free viewer application. While many regard 3D PDF as the file format of choice to exchange 3D visualizations, it does have quite some drawbacks: limited lighting reflections, the lack of support for transparent objects and more. These limitations can severely impact some of the more advanced visualization and lighting features from IC3D Suite. In order to overcome these limitations, Creative Edge has released a free viewer application for Mac and Windows. This allows stakeholders in the packaging creation process to exchange native IC3D files and open them on any computer.

The free viewer is available through the following link:
http://www.ic3dsuite.com/downloads/downloadDAL768.html

Pricing and availability
IC3D Suite is available for €9.750, IC3D Carton Edition for €2.150. Both products feature a floating license that can be installed on multiple workstations. There is a 20% mandatory annual support and maintenance contract.

Existing users with a valid support and maintenance contract are entitled to a free upgrade.