Digital Prototyping Helps Hungary-Based Nimrod Grow 100 Percent in Four
Years
SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 23, 2009--
Nimrod Racing uses Autodesk
Inventor software to create customized radio controlled (RC)
cars—many of them 1:10 scale models of classic vintage cars—for
customers worldwide. Autodesk,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering
and entertainment software, has named the Hungary-based company as the
November Autodesk Inventor
of the Month for growing its business 100 percent in four years by
successfully leveraging Digital Prototyping.
With fully functional motors, wheels and suspensions, Nimrod Racing cars
can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour, much to the delight
of hobbyists who race the cars in RC racing championships or for their
own personal enjoyment. Parent company, R-Design Studio, created its
Nimrod Racing division to focus on the design and production of
custom-made RC cars. Today, the division produces 15 body shells and
nearly 800 custom parts and components ranging from wheels to hubcaps.
Nimrod Racing uses Autodesk
Alias Design software to design the car exterior body shells and
Autodesk Inventor software to engineer components from the mechanical
gears and suspension arms to the engine block and chassis.
“We are essentially designing a car in miniature, and because we can
communicate between Autodesk Alias Design and Autodesk Inventor
software, it’s easier for us to do the surface design and engineering in
parallel to work through issues,” said Andras Szasz, head of design
engineering for R-Design Studio. “We can easily see if heavy parts hit
the bonnet or body and quickly solve the problem. There is no other way
we would be able to achieve this without digital prototypes that allow
us to visualize and simulate our design before we build physical
prototypes.”
Autodesk Inventor software’s Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tool is
particularly important in developing the chassis, which needs to be
extremely strong but also very lightweight. “We use FEA to test shock
absorber arms for strength and stiffness,” said Szasz. “They must be
able to absorb all the shocks from the ground. But if they’re too heavy,
the car will bump, making it unstable. FEA lets us identify where we
extra material, helping us to reduce weight while meeting our strength
requirements.”
Nimrod Racing’s use of Inventor software has enabled it to significantly
reduce its physical prototyping requirements. Now, nearly 90 percent of
the firm’s parts and components can be created without any physical
prototyping—enabling quicker and more efficient turnaround on custom RC
car orders.
“Nimrod Racing is saving time and money with Digital Prototyping,” said
Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group
at Autodesk. “By using a single digital model at every stage of
production, Nimrod Racing has picked the fastest and most effective way
to put its fantastic creations into the hands of its customers.”
About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program
Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the users of
Autodesk Inventor software, which takes manufacturers beyond 3D to
Digital Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and
groundbreaking innovation. For more information about Autodesk Inventor
of the Month, visit www.autodesk.com/inventorofthemonth.
About R-Design Studio Ltd. and Nimrod Racing
Founded in 2006, R-Design Studio Ltd. is a design and engineering firm
located in Budapest, Hungary. Its Nimrod Racing division handles design
and production of custom-made Radio Controlled cars. For more
information, visit www.r-design.hu
and http://www.nimrod-racing.net.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D
design, engineering and entertainment software for the
manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment
markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk
continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software
to help customers experience their ideas digitally before they are
built. Fortune 100 companies -- as well as the last 14 Academy Award
winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software
tools to design, visualize and simulate their ideas to save time and
money, enhance quality, and foster innovation for competitive advantage.
For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Editorial Note:
An interview with Nimrod Racing is available on the Autodesk YouTube
Channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfCoVLUrncc.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Alias, Autodesk Inventor and Inventor are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries
and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a
registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their
respective holders. 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.
© 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6105732&lang=en
Source: Autodesk, Inc.
For Autodesk, Inc.
Alyson Moses, 312.297.7430
alyson.moses@edelman.com