SAN RAFAEL, Calif., March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) has named ADEPT Airmotive, a South Africa-based manufacturer of general aviation engines for the light aircraft market, the Autodesk Inventor of the Year for 2008.
ADEPT relied on Autodesk Inventor software--the foundation of the Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping --to develop the 320T, a 320-horsepower general aviation engine with a compact design that offers low vibration levels and high structural integrity. The 350-pound engine is more than 130 pounds lighter than a traditional piston engine of comparable horsepower, allowing the 320T to reap fuel savings of about 30 percent and decrease environmental impact.
Members of the Autodesk manufacturing community voted for the 2008 Inventor of the Year on the Autodesk community web site. Named Inventor of the Month for March 2008, ADEPT won the competition in a landslide, receiving nearly two-thirds of the votes cast.
"The fact that our peers voted us into the winning position makes the award even more gratifying," said Richard Schulz, managing director of ADEPT. "We're thrilled to demonstrate that South African engineering is world-class as part of the global exposure that accompanies this prestigious award."
Digital Prototyping Powers Engine Design
Inventor software's Digital Prototyping capabilities helped ADEPT produce accurate 3D models of the 320T before anything was actually built, reducing the number of physical prototypes that needed to be constructed. Processes that once took hours--such as changing the wall thickness of an engine component--were completed almost instantaneously with Inventor software. As a result, engineers were able to spend less time constructing geometric models and more time creating innovative designs, and then simulating the performance of the designs under real-world conditions.
"ADEPT distinguished itself from a very accomplished field of nominees in 2008," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. "ADEPT earned the praise of the manufacturing community for its groundbreaking engine, and we are pleased with the role that Digital Prototyping was able to play in developing the innovative 320T."
About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program
Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the more than 800,000 users of Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for Digital Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and groundbreaking innovation. For more information about Autodesk Inventor of the Month, contact us at Email Contact.
About ADEPT Airmotive
ADEPT Airmotive's core activities are the design, development and manufacture of a range of general aviation engines for the light aircraft market. The company is based at Virginia Airport in Durban, South Africa, where it has its design and administration offices and an R&D/Testing facility. For additional information about ADEPT Airmotive, visit http://www.adeptairmotive.com/.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art Digital Prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, 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. 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.
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