Microsoft integrates Autodesk’s 3D printing platform Spark into Windows 10

At Microsoft’s Build 2015 developer conference today, Steve Guggenheimer, Microsoft vice president of developer and platform evangelism, announced new 3D printing features in Windows 10. More specifically, Autodesk Spark is being integrated into Microsoft’s latest and greatest operating system.

Spark is a platform for building 3D printing software, hardware, materials, and services. Adding it to Windows 10 is a big win for Autodesk.

Windows 8.1 gained support for 3D printing back in August 2013. Yet as 3D printing ramps up, Microsoft is looking to hardware and software partners to make sure Windows 10 is the platform developers will want to use when they build in 3D.

The integration with Autodesk is part of a new consortium between Microsoft, HP, Shapeways, Autodesk, Dassault Systemes, Netfabb, and SLM Solutions. The collaboration is an attempt to stem issues related to interoperability so that designers can focus on creation.