As 3D printing technology inches into the mainstream, users of various devices are requiring easy compatibility between their PCs, laptops, and tablets, and the various desktop 3D printers currently on the market. While we’ve seen Microsoft push forward with initiatives to better integrate 3D printing into their Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating systems, we are still a ways away from the ease in compatibility seen within the 2D printing space, and Apple’s Mac compatibility is still seemingly lagging behind.
This week, however, is an interesting one for the world’s most expensive company. Not only has Apple been issued a patent for a stylus which can 3D scan objects, creating models which could then be 3D printed, but they’ve also announced an update to their Common Unix Printing System (CUPS). In the CUPS version 2.1, release candidate 1, the Apple supported printing system has added basic 3D printer support.
CUPS, for those not familiar with the system, functions for Unix-like operating systems and allows the computer to act as a print server, accepting print jobs from client computers using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) before processing them and sending them off to the appropriate machine to be printed. The system was adopted by Apple in 2002 for Mac OS 10.2, and in 2007 the source code was purchased by Apple as they hired its chief developer Michael Sweet.
The update, which includes several changes, bug fixes and additions, will now support only basic 3D printers, with no built-in filters, based on the Printer Working Group White Paper policy and template, according to the CUPS.org blog. What this means is that most of the common open source printers will be supported, but the 3D printers which are built on a closed framework likely will not.
The other changes in this version include:
- Updated autoconf sources
- Signal handlers in the dnssd and usb backends have been fixed
- Fixed domain socket support on Linux
- Bugs in the journald support have been fixed
While this is good news of Mac users looking to streamline the 3D printing process from their computers, there is still a ways to go before the 3D printing process is as easy and effortless as its 2D printing counterpart. Unlike the 2D printing space, where a few companies dominate the market, there are literally hundreds of 3D printer makes and models out there, making near-complete compatibility something which will take a lot of hard work on the part of developers.
Let us know your thoughts on this latest update in the CUPS 3D Printer Support forum thread on 3DPB.com.
Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
You May Also Like
3D Printing Financials: Steakholder Foods Balances Losses and 3D Printed Tech Advances in 2023
A pioneer in the field of 3D printed meat and fish, Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) disclosed its 2023 financial results, a year highlighted by technological progress but overshadowed by financial...
3D Printing Financials: Protolabs’ Q1 3D Printing Revenue is Flat, Company Advances in Technology Push
Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB) has kicked off 2024 with a mild boost in revenue, revealing how the Minnesota-based company manages to adapt and thrive even in uncertain market conditions. While the...
Supply Chain Management and the Role of 3D Printing Digital Inventories
As the additive manufacturing (AM) industry grows beyond its humble roots as a rapid prototyping technology, it has been adopted by some of the world’s leading companies to produce not...
3D Printing Financials: Materialise’s Profitability Amid Revenue Dip in Q1 2024
Materialise (Nasdaq: MTLS) has released its first-quarter earnings for 2024, highlighting a challenging quarter with some key advances despite a dip in revenue. While navigating a mixed performance across its...