Leading 3D Mechanical Design Software Increases Efficiency of Large Assembly

Jobs at One of World's Top Five Petrochemical Services Companies

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK) today announced that Technip UK Limited, a leading provider of offshore and sub-sea construction services for oil and gas companies, is upgrading to Autodesk Inventor 11.

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The latest release of Autodesk Inventor -- the world's best-selling 3D mechanical design software and best choice for 3D design -- will enable Technip UK Limited to more effectively handle large assembly jobs, such as those involving offshore platforms, drilling rigs, flexible pipelines and umbilical cables that carry electricity and power.

"The powerful 3D modeling capabilities in Autodesk Inventor 11 are invaluable for helping us make informed decisions," said Bill Ross, drawing office supervisor at Technip UK Limited. "Let's say that we're trying to install the termination unit of an umbilical cable out at sea, and we need to get the cable off the deck of the ship, into the water, and safely installed. To do that, we need to know if the cable can be lifted into place using two cranes. Inventor enables us to run a series of 3D installation sequences to ensure that the number of cranes we're using is sufficient, and that the assembly can be performed with no damage to the equipment -- and more importantly, no damage to manpower. 2D design remains an important part of our design processes, so we're pleased with Inventor as it gives us the best of both worlds."

Autodesk Inventor 11 features a series of powerful tools to simplify large assembly management. Level of Detail Representations in Autodesk Inventor 11 give Technip UK Limited full control over which parts of the project are loaded into memory when the model is opened. Additionally, the capacity meter enables the company to monitor memory consumption as they work -- so they can quickly open a huge project file to review the assembly structure and then choose to open only those subassemblies needed to get the job done.

"The introduction of the Large Assembly management feature has given us the flexibility to manage large models and assemblies the way we want to," said Ross. "Inventor 11 puts control in the hands of the users. Having this kind of control will enable us to reduce time spent on the design cycle by nearly 50%."

Integrated Data Management

Technip UK Limited takes additional advantage of its Inventor designs by using Autodesk Vault, which is integrated into Autodesk software, to make work-in-process data more accessible and reusable.

"We're able to have several designers working on the same project, doing different sections at the same time," said Ross. "And Vault allows us to track everything safely and accurately, to keep control of the overall project. We've been very happy with the way it has made product data management easier and more efficient than ever."

"More manufacturers are realizing significant efficiencies by moving to Autodesk Inventor 11, with its superior 3D performance and design capabilities making large assemblies more feasible," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, vice president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "Technip UK Limited is realizing the value that only Autodesk delivers powerful 3D with fully integrated 2D; we're pleased to call them a customer."

About Technip

With a workforce of more than 20,000 people, The Technip Group ranks among the top five corporations in the field of oil, gas and petrochemical engineering, construction and services. Headquartered in Paris, the Group is listed in New York and Paris. The Group's main operations and engineering centers and business units are located around the world. In support of its activities, the Group manufactures flexible pipes and umbilicals, and builds offshore platforms in its manufacturing plants and fabrication yards in France, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Finland and Angola, and has a fleet of specialized vessels for pipeline installation and sub-sea construction. For more information, visit: www.technip.com .

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 software and services 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 and Autodesk 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.

Contact: Carly Herrig 312.233.1356 Andrew Favreau 312.297.7587

Email: carly.herrig@edelman.com andrew.favreau@edelman.com

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc. 10/31/2006


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