SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2012--
Autodesk,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has kicked off the company’s official Inventor
of the Year voting process. Autodesk is encouraging members of the
Autodesk Manufacturing community to visit the community website
and choose one of the 2011 Autodesk Inventor
of the Month winners as Inventor of the Year.
The Autodesk Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most
innovative design and engineering advancements made among the hundreds
of thousands of advancements users make using Autodesk
Inventor software -- technology that enables Digital
Prototyping. A digital prototype helps users design, visualize and
simulate product performance before it is built, helping reduce costs,
speed time to market and enhance competitive advantage.
Community members will select the next Inventor of the Year by voting
for the best of the monthly award winners from 2011. The company with
the highest rating from community members will be named 2011 Inventor of
the Year. Voting is under way and closes Feb. 29 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.
The Contenders: 2011 Inventor of the Month Winners
January 2011: Valiant
Corporation, a global provider of manufacturing solutions, uses the
advanced dynamic simulation functionality in Autodesk Inventor to
increase load capacity while reducing costs, and to minimize design
weight while meeting customer performance requirements. In a recent
project for The Boeing Company, Valiant designed and engineered a
portable cargo loader 30 percent more efficiently.
February 2011: Nitto
Sangyo, a Japanese playground equipment manufacturer, uses Autodesk
Inventor to develop Link Mini rocking toys. The toys are designed to be
safer and more durable than standard commercial playground equipment.
Eliminating reliance on physical prototyping shortened Link Mini
development time by almost two months, reducing overall costs by nearly
US$6,000 (500,000 yen) per product.
March 2011: Weatherhaven
provides portable shelters, camps and systems for remote sites
around the world. Using Digital Prototyping in Autodesk Inventor,
Weatherhaven has significantly shortened product development time from
concept to manufacturing, while reduced the number of more expensive
physical prototypes typically necessary to explore and validate designs.
April 2011: Federal
Equipment Company, a supplier of specialized military replacement parts,
used Autodesk Inventor to design an advanced elevator system for the
U.S. Navy. The new system enables efficient transport of munitions on
board new aircraft carriers. Testing is costly, but with the help of
Autodesk software, FEC can simulate the elevator’s shock response in
just one $400,000 test, enabling the company to quickly identify and fix
potential problems and avoid often costly retesting.
May 2011: Hawkes
Ocean Technologies (HOT) designs and builds manned and remote
vehicles for deep-ocean exploration. Autodesk Inventor enables HOT to
create entirely new ideas and change the way submersibles operate,
transforming them from “underwater balloons” to underwater crafts
capable of flight.
June 2011: Carousel
Works is the world’s largest manufacturer of custom wooden carousels
for zoos, parks and the world’s largest cruise ships, including Royal
Caribbean’s “Oasis of the Seas” and “Allure of the Seas.” With Autodesk
Inventor, Carousel Works marries old-world craftsmanship with 3D design,
and creates its custom wooden carousels up to 50 percent faster.
July 2011: Pankl
Aerospace Systems uses Autodesk Inventor LT software to more
effectively manufacture helicopter rotary systems, increasing the
performance and reliability of critical components, while significantly
improving pilot and passenger safety. Autodesk software helps Pankl save
time, reduce manufacturing costs and increase customer quality, all
while operating at optimal performance.
August 2011: Illini
Prosthetic Technologies, a nonprofit organization, uses Autodesk
Inventor to develop more affordable and more easily fitted prosthetic
arms for below-elbow amputees in developing nations. Digitally exploring
and refining its ideas, IPT provides access to affordable prosthetic
care, helping amputees around the world regain use of their limbs,
return to work and better care for themselves and their families.
September 2011: PMB
Façade, a Malaysia-based company, uses Autodesk Inventor to develop
architectural façades for some of the world’s most astonishing
buildings, including Qatar’s 43-story Al-Bidda Tower, also known as
Tornado Tower. The ability to digitally simulate and predict real-world
performance before construction has helped PMB Façade reduce material
cost and waste by as much as 15 percent, and deliver projects up to 30
percent faster.
October 2011: Kelly
Racing, an Australia-based racing team, uses Autodesk
Inventor to precisely design and validate new car components that give
the team a racing edge. After a race weekend, designers modify existing
car parts with Inventor, increasing traction and grip by as much as 8
percent, which leads to faster lap times and increased performance.
November 2011: A-dec,
a leading manufacturer of dental chairs and equipment, uses
Autodesk Inventor to more effectively design and develop products,
cutting time to market. A-dec also uses Autodesk software to generate
user manuals and service guides for its popular dentistry products,
enhancing usability and reducing translation costs.
December 2011: Green
Structures, a UK-based clean technology company, uses Autodesk
Inventor and a range of other Autodesk Digital
Prototyping technology to create award-winning energy-efficiency
systems. The firm’s latest innovation, a heat recovery ventilation
system called Ventive, provides a faster and less expensive alternative
for retrofitting buildings with the latest green technologies.
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 the Autodesk
Inventor of the Month Program, contact us at IOM@autodesk.com.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D
design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the
manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and
entertainment industries ― including the last 16 Academy Award winners
for Best Visual Effects ― use Autodesk software to design, visualize and
simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in
1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of
state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information
about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Inventor and Inventor LT 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 and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any
time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or
graphical errors that may appear in this document.
© 2012 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: Autodesk, Inc.
Autodesk, Inc.
Jennifer Gentrup, 415-547-2435
jennifer.gentrup@autodesk.com