SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jun 19, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced that Korean-based Unicorn Industrial Sewing Machine Corp. (www.unicornmall.co.kr), famous for its Brother brand sewing machine, has transitioned from 2D to 3D design with the Autodesk Inventor(R) Series package of 2D and 3D mechanical design software. Using Autodesk Inventor(R) 3D software, the cornerstone of the Autodesk Inventor Series package, Unicorn Industrial Sewing Machine Corp. was able to shorten product development for its new "Apdako Sewing Machine" by six months, a 50 percent reduction. Other business savings included reducing design errors from five percent to three percent, and eliminating costly prototypes within the engineering department.

"We chose Autodesk Inventor Series without hesitation for its powerful flexibility, excellent performance, and its advanced 3D technology that allow us to manufacture without any risks while preserving the investment in our existing 2D designs," said Yoo Jeong-hoon, senior researcher of Unicorn Industrial Sewing Machine Corp. "Autodesk Inventor Series not only improved our productivity through its ease of use and design compatibility, but also laid a cornerstone from which we could grow to be an advanced machinery design enterprise."

Improving Product Development Processes

Autodesk Inventor software helped improve product development efficiencies by not only handling complicated assemblies but by running simulations on the assemblies immediately after the design stage. This new process eliminated expensive prototypes and frequent design changes. Further, Autodesk Inventor software easily managed the design of complicated sewing machines of more than 1,000 precision parts and assemblies. Its ease of use and powerful functionality also allowed less experienced designers to work on the sewing machine "arms" and "beds" that typically only senior engineers with more than seven years of experience could perform in the past.

The 2D drawings that Unicorn Sewing Machine Corp. has created in the last decade can now be easily converted into 3D designs due to the compatibility among Autodesk solutions. All existing design data can be re-used and the company can continue to build upon its design foundation.

"Autodesk Inventor Series is a specialized industrial design solution with a rapid return on investment that improves enterprise competitiveness," said Nam Ki-hwan, president of Autodesk Korea. "Its value further increases when combined with other Autodesk and partner solutions."

"Shortening time to market is a key to success for any manufacturer," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Solutions Division at Autodesk. "For the sewing machine industry, it typically takes one year to produce a new product. Anything longer becomes stale and unmarketable to customers. Companies like Unicorn that can produce new machines in half that time have a significant advantage."

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com or www.autodesk.co.kr.

Note to Editors: Autodesk and Autodesk Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

SOURCE: Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk U.S.
Cindi Goodsell,  415/507-8452
cindi.goodsell@autodesk.com
OR
Autodesk Korea
Kimberly Kim, 822-527-8717
kimberly.kim@autodesk.com

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