SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb 7, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Manufacturer Chooses Autodesk Inventor Software over SolidWorks and SolidEdge; KETIV Technologies Instrumental in Software Selection and Training

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced that Taylor-Dunn Corporation has successfully deployed Autodesk Inventor(TM) 3D design software, speeding the engineering of its leading commercial and industrial vehicles up to 50 percent. After an extensive review of competitive manufacturing solutions including SolidWorks and SolidEdge, Taylor-Dunn chose Autodesk Inventor software for its ease-of-use and the ability to reduce time to market. With the consultative guidance of Autodesk reseller KETIV Technologies of California, Taylor-Dunn determined that Autodesk Inventor excelled in its ability to test 3D part movement, provide design accuracy, and eliminate the need for costly prototypes.

Taylor-Dunn, a top designer and manufacturer of industrial and commercial vehicles headquartered in Anaheim, Calif., delivers industry-leading transportation solutions that meet their customers' diverse requirements. The company's customizable product line includes electric and gasoline-powered burden carriers, personnel carriers, and tow tractors for numerous industries, including manufacturing, schools and universities, hospitals, nurseries, hotels, government, automotive, and airport ground support equipment.

"Our customers depend on us to construct a reliable solution that meets their individual needs and then deliver that solution on a timely basis," said Ben Baltazar, chief engineer at Taylor-Dunn. "Using Autodesk Inventor, we were able to cut our concept-to-manufacturing time by 50 percent and reduce engineering costs by 30 to 50 percent, getting products into customers' hands faster than ever before."

    Speeding Time to Market

To meet the specific needs of their customers, Taylor-Dunn offers customizable options on their transportation vehicles that include assorted material handlers, people movers, enclosures, and plant maintenance equipment. Before moving to Autodesk Inventor, Taylor-Dunn used AutoCAD(R), AutoCAD LT(R), and Autodesk(R) Mechanical Desktop(R) software to design the options in 2D and 3D but often found it difficult to keep up with the short lead times.

Using Autodesk Inventor, Taylor-Dunn is able to meet the demands of extremely short lead times for these specialized products. Autodesk Inventor software's 3D design capabilities enable Taylor-Dunn to simulate the movement of mechanical assemblies on the computer, so any errors or interferences can be corrected in the digital prototype. According to Taylor-Dunn, the ability to virtually view a finished product before production has allowed them to design products that previously took one week in two to three days.

Taylor-Dunn vehicles encompass a significant amount of sheet metal in exterior parts. With Autodesk Inventor, engineers can create and detail flat patterns, sending them directly to the shop floor where they are cut out accurately on a laser machine. To further ease the assembly and reduce production errors, assembly instructions are communicated using exploded views and detailed parts lists that are generated by the software.

    KETIV Provides Real-World Demo and Expert Consulting Services

During the design software selection process, Taylor-Dunn worked with KETIV Technologies of California (www.ketivtech.com, 866-GO KETIV), a leading Autodesk reseller and recent recipient of the Top Customer Service and Support Award. For Taylor-Dunn to recognize the benefits of Autodesk Inventor for its own design and manufacturing needs, KETIV arranged for Taylor-Dunn representatives to visit an Autodesk Inventor customer in a similar industry. KETIV then developed an implementation plan and timeline for Taylor-Dunn and followed through in implementing the software to meet their requirements. In addition, KETIV provided instructor-led, hands-on Autodesk Inventor fundamental and advanced training sessions.

"Our charter is to provide expert consultative services that help mechanical design, engineering, and manufacturing companies bring better quality products to market faster, and at a lower development cost," said Kanwar Anand of KETIV Technologies. "During our initial training session, the engineers at Taylor-Dunn were able to quickly learn the techniques of Autodesk Inventor so that they could begin to achieve these goals."

    Painless Transition to 3D

Taylor-Dunn is using Autodesk Inventor for all new product design and will eventually convert legacy files to Autodesk Inventor as well for design reuse. Because Autodesk Inventor offers DWG compatibility from the source, it is significantly easier for Taylor-Dunn to convert AutoCAD and Autodesk Mechanical Desktop files to Autodesk Inventor than it would be with a non-Autodesk product. This ability to easily migrate legacy data to Autodesk Inventor protects Taylor-Dunn's technology investment and lets them move to the next generation of design quickly and efficiently.

"Manufacturing companies like Taylor-Dunn that are focused on developing high-end, customizable solutions for their customers and maintaining a market advantage need a sophisticated 3D design solution that lets them reduce design time and deliver products on schedule," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Division at Autodesk. "Taylor-Dunn is an excellent example of a manufacturing company that is leveraging the powerful functionality of Autodesk Inventor software to reduce lead time and stay competitive."

    About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain leverage digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. With annual revenues of $936 million, Autodesk is one of the largest global software companies. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, Mechanical Desktop, and Autodesk Inventor are either registered trademarks or 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.

CONTACT: Autodesk Cindi Goodsell, 415/507-8452 cindi.goodsell@autodesk.com URL: http://www.businesswire.com Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page.

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