HOUSTON, March 15, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- COADE. announced today support for AutoCAD(R) 2006, next generation design software from Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading software and services company for the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media and wireless data services fields. AutoCAD 2006 software allows users to create, manage and share design information faster, to compete and win.

CADWorx support for AutoCAD 2006 means that COADE customers can take advantage of the latest release of the world's leading customizable and extendable CAD software for 2D drafting.

CADWorx offers intelligent drawing-to-database connectivity, advanced levels of automation and easy-to-use design techniques. Because of these distinct advantages, it has been rapidly adopted by EPC firms and owner operators in the process, power, offshore, pulp and paper, shipbuilding, water treatment and the hygienic industries such as food, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and semiconductor sectors. CADWorx leads the industry by offering bi-directional integration between CAD and stress analysis, such as PVElite for vessels and CAESAR II for piping systems. With AutoCAD 2006, CADWorx users can get the most out of their data and realize their design ideas faster, utilizing productivity improvements that help customers maintain a competitive advantage. CADWorx leverages several AutoCAD 2006 enhancements to make process plant design easier and more efficient for users of all types:

• Dynamic Blocks -- CADWorx P&ID makes great use of this new AutoCAD feature by allowing users to change symbols from one representation to another without re-inputting of information and without potentially corrupting underlying databases.
• New drafting and annotation tools -- CADWorx takes full advantage of the powerful new dimensioning and annotation capabilities provided in AutoCAD 2006.
• Heads-Up Design (HUD) interface -- Plant designers are frequently involved with multidiscipline tasks where they draw information from various sources scattered in different locations. The HUD interface makes it easy to stay focused on the task at hand.
• Workspaces and Tool Palettes -- CADWorx utilizes workspaces by providing applications that are loadable on demand, therefore providing a more organized user interface and giving the CAD manager more control over designer desktops.

"By integrating with the latest features in AutoCAD 2006, the CADWorx suite from COADE enables our joint customers to maximize their design output and reduce design times," said John Sanders, vice president of Autodesk's Platform technology Division. "We are pleased to have the strong and quick support of COADE and CADWorx for AutoCAD 2006."

Thomas Van Laan, the president of COADE concurred with Sander's assessment. "It's great to be part of the AutoCAD 2006 release team," Van Laan said. "Over the past few years, we have quickly supported each new AutoCAD release, offering significant value enhancements to our core plant design clientele, and we believe that they will enthusiastically embrace our new AutoCAD 2006 compatible release."

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is wholly focused on ensuring that great ideas are turned into reality. With six million users, Autodesk is the world's leading software and services company for the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media and wireless data services fields. Autodesk's solutions help customers create, manage and share their digital assets more effectively. As a result, customers turn ideas into competitive advantage by becoming more productive, streamlining project efficiency, and maximizing profits.

Founded in 1982, Autodesk is headquartered in San Rafael, California. For additional information about Autodesk, please visit www.autodesk.com.

The Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) is comprised of more than 2500 technology partners around the world, that extend Autodesk solutions to meet the industry-specific needs of customers. New 2006 compatible applications from ADN partners are launched every day at: www.autodesk.com/partnerproducts.

About COADE

COADE, Inc. is one of the world's leading providers of engineering and design software for cross-discipline information sharing and interoperability. Company products include CAESAR II, the world's most popular pipe stress analysis software; PVElite and CodeCalc, pressure vessel and component design and analysis software programs; CADWorx, an integrated suite for process plant design; and TANK, comprehensive engineering software for designing and analyzing oil storage tanks according to the latest API codes.

Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

NOTE: Autodesk and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. COADE, CAESAR II, CADWorx, PVElite, CodeCalc and TANK are registered trademarks or trademarks of COADE, Inc. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Gary Carson, +1-713-668-8550, or David Diehl, +1-281-890-4566, both for COADE.

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.

Gary Carson, +1-713-668-8550, or David Diehl, +1-281-890-4566, both for COADE