Innovative 3D software Autodesk to support new trends in design

Autodesk, the world's leader in 2D and 3D design software for manufacturing, construction, media, and entertainment, announced new strategies, plans, and the latest versions of its products at its regional press conference Autodesk World Press Days Europe 2008. The main theme this year is the challenges that designers and architects must face today in regard to incoming trends, particularly digitalization, globalization, global infrastructure development, and climate change.

The rise in costs and higher energy consumption is a reality – according to recent surveys, a total investment of 40 trillion dollars is needed for global infrastructure (at current prices), while worldwide energy consumption will increase by 57% over the next 25 years. In an effort to assist designers participating in addressing these issues, Autodesk is monitoring macroeconomic trends influencing the design world and exploring new ways to support them with its software. The newly launched 2009 Autodesk solutions were developed with key principles in mind: an open and flexible platform allowing for user interoperability, ease of use to reduce adaptation time, and support for technical designers to help them tackle the mentioned challenges.

Designers and engineers play a key role in addressing current global challenges. One of them is undoubtedly the increasing influence of digitalization. To remain competitive, companies must implement digital workflows that allow for collaboration anywhere and anytime. Globalization enables competition with anyone in the world, offering access to global markets and global knowledge, but also means increased competition. The global infrastructure development, representing a $40 trillion opportunity, includes the construction of new infrastructure, reconstruction and repair of existing infrastructure, and the growth of emerging economies. Last but not least, we are witnessing climate change in connection with increasing energy consumption, which will rise by 57% over 25 years.

Challenges and opportunities now lie ahead for every country and serve as an impetus to seek new, original approaches. 25 years ago, AutoCAD changed the world of design. Today, Autodesk is changing the world again – this time with a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for a wide range of industries.

“The opportunities for design professionals have never been greater, but so have their challenges and responsibilities. Autodesk provides these professionals with the technological tools they need to overcome these challenges through innovative design,” said David Palas, Country Sales Manager for the Central and Southeast Europe region at Autodesk.

Autodesk aims to help everyone involved in the design world work more easily, efficiently, and productively by using new, powerful tools that provide the freedom to discover and develop creative ideas. “Only Autodesk has a comprehensive spectrum of technologies for visualization, simulation, and analysis built on software tools that enable the use of digital models to improve their projects even before actual implementation,” added David Palas.

To succeed in the global economy, companies need to create more compelling designs and design more effectively. This is aided by innovative technologies that allow for the creation of digital models and the use of digital collaboration to optimally test appearance and function. With new technologies, designers can explore various alternatives, enhance, and materialize new ideas more quickly and at lower costs. Autodesk customers use its software to achieve their goals more efficiently.

Global trends and challenges entail increasing complexity, which requires more sophisticated techniques. As demands increase, it is crucial to have the ability to share digital models across industries, among professionals, and throughout all phases of the project. Autodesk considers these capabilities to be a key characteristic of modern technologies.

The new versions of Autodesk solutions have been developed based on the following principles:

1. They provide an open and flexible platform for seamless collaboration.
2. The solutions are user-friendly to help companies adopt new technology quickly and with minimal training.

The latest version of the world’s most widely used application for conceptual design, sketching, and drafting features an improved user interface that helps customers at all levels create competitive design ideas and persuasive presentations more productively. There have also been enhancements to specific features for areas such as architecture, infrastructure, engineering, electrical engineering, and plumbing.

Revit is a platform based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) that allows for the use of coordinated, reliable project information throughout all stages of design, construction, and operation of buildings. By employing BIM solutions, architects, engineers, construction contractors, and investors can easily create coordinated digital design information and documentation, use this information to accurately predict performance, appearance, and costs, and reliably execute projects faster, more efficiently, and with lower environmental impact. The 2009 version includes new functionalities for visualization, modeling, and analysis.

The 2009 version focuses on higher productivity that opens paths to greater innovations, more detailed design, and better collaboration. The new version of the Inventor solution puts digital prototyping directly in the hands of manufacturers – providing the capability to virtually design a complete product and simulate its function in real conditions before it is manufactured.

The geographic software solutions from Autodesk provide users in distribution and telecommunications organizations and government agencies with a powerful, affordable, and flexible geographic platform. The 2009 versions include significant improvements to the user interface, better implementation options for Map 3D in the Citrix Presentation Server environment, and enhanced FOD (Feature Data Object) technology that allows users to work with preferred data formats and consistent access to data regardless of source or physical storage.