Printing system for printing an object having a surface of varying height

A printer control system for controlling the printing of an object on a support by printing in a number of passes on top of each other, the object having a surface of varying height, the printer control system comprising

• a user interface having a display device and arranged to visualize in a window on the display device a pixel-precise preview image before actual printing of the object, the pixel-precise preview image comprising a representation of the surface of the object,
• a digital analyser which is configured to analyse a height map produced at design level for printing the object in order to deduce before actual printing of the object locations of smooth areas potentially presenting a contouring artifact at the surface of the object, and
• a preview emulator configured to digitally shine with a virtual light on the pixel-precise preview from a settable light position above the pixel-precise preview, wherein the reflections of the virtual light are captured by a virtual camera at a settable camera position above the pixel-precise preview,
• wherein the printer control system is configured to calculate a digital move path of the virtual light or the virtual camera over the pixel-precise preview, the digital move path to be applied by the preview emulator and based on the locations of the smooth areas in order to emphasize regions of interest with the potential contouring artefact in the pixel-precise preview.