SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct 10, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK) today announced that CompAir -- a leading manufacturer of compressed air and gas systems, has successfully transitioned to Inventor 11, the world's best-selling 3D mechanical design software and best choice for 3D.

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CompAir's High Pressure division is responsible for designing and manufacturing reciprocating piston compressor systems that are capable of delivering compressed air and gas for almost every conceivable application. The variety of usages range from breathing air compressors for divers, to complete fueling stations for natural gas vehicles and high capacity oil free compressors for industrial bottle blowing equipment.

CompAir had long relied upon Autodesk AutoCAD software to design its high- pressure compressors, amassing nearly 40,000 AutoCAD drawings over the years. When CompAir decided to embrace the advantages of working in 3D in addition to its 2D environment, the company turned to their U.K.-based Autodesk reseller, Micro Concepts Ltd., and selected Inventor software (www.autodesk.com/inventor), which provided a natural upgrade path. Fully compatible with AutoCAD, Inventor provides manufacturing companies with the benefits of 3D design and a secure transition from 2D processes.

"The difference between designing in 2D versus 3D has been stunning," said Rob Thomas, a Project Engineer within CompAir's High Pressure division. "We can show so much more detail with Inventor, which is important, because even our most basic compressors have 400-500 parts. By using the Inventor 11 exploded view, we can share incredibly detailed drawings of the product with our manufacturing facility. Having that level of detail makes things much easier for the people on the shop floor who are building the compressor packages and helps prevent costly mistakes."

In addition to reducing errors, CompAir has found that Inventor 11 boosts productivity. "With Inventor, you can concentrate on the actual design, rather than time-consuming tasks like trimming lines," said Thomas. "And once you've created a model in Inventor, you can re-use the model for another job, which saves a lot of time. As a whole, Inventor just helps us work smarter so that we can spend more time providing value to our customers."

Robert "Buzz" Kross, vice president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions, said: "More and more companies are recognizing Inventor software as the way to make the move to 3D as easy as possible. For companies like CompAir, who are looking to stay ahead of the competition, the 3D design environment of Inventor is already providing significant advantages."

About Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk Inventor software is the best choice for 3D. As the leading 3D mechanical design software, Autodesk Inventor delivers the manufacturing community a comprehensive, integrated set of tools for 3D design and documentation. For more information, visit: www.autodesk.com/bestchoice.

About CompAir

CompAir is one of the world's leading manufacturers of compressed air and gas systems, with a range of products and services that include the most efficient compressors on the market today. CompAir's compressors, equipment and services are in use across the globe, providing economical, clean, quality and reliable compressed air and gas for almost every conceivable application. Employing a workforce of 1700 world-wide, CompAir has manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom, Germany, USA and China, as well as a strong network of Compare companies and distributors across 6 continents. For more information, visit: http://www.compair.com .

About Micro Concepts Ltd.

Micro Concepts Ltd. is the #1 U.K. Autodesk manufacturing solutions provider. The company was formed in 1989 by a team of engineering consultants to provide the latest computer-aided solutions to the mechanical design industries, and is now recognized as one of the leading suppliers of engineering solutions in the United Kingdom. For more information, visit: http://www.microconcepts.co.uk .

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is a Fortune 1000 company, wholly focused on ensuring that great ideas are turned into reality. With seven million users, Autodesk is the world's leading 2D and 3D software company for the manufacturing, infrastructure, building, media and entertainment, and wireless data services fields. Autodesk's solutions help customers create, manage and share their data and digital assets more effectively. As a result, customers turn ideas into competitive advantage, become more productive, streamline project efficiency and maximize profits.

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

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor and Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.
http://www.autodesk.com/