Autodesk 2009 Annual Report Download - page 5

Facilitating Design Trends Today and Tomorrow: Design, Visualization, and Simulation
Design innovation happens regardless of market conditions. Often, dramatic changes in economic circumstances
fuel the need for improved design and greater eciency. Our design and engineering products help designers,
architects, engineers, and digital artists around the world to fully experience their ideas digitally—to improve
and perfect their designs long before they get to the physical stage.
With design, visualization, and simulation capabilities, our customers can design in better ways. Those better
ways include designing more eciently, aordably, sustainably, and innovatively. It also means saving time
and money, improving collaboration, reducing errors, speeding time to market, increasing sustainability, and
fostering greater quality. These benefits, in turn, help customers compete and win in today’s global economy.
Autodesk’s portfolios of D model-based design solutions are the tools that leading AEC, manufacturing,
and media and entertainment firms are using to create innovative design and form the basis for today’s
leading-edge design trends.
Digital Prototyping
Autodesk is leading the movement to Digital Prototyping. The Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping,
Autodesk Inventor, connects conceptual design, engineering, and manufacturing teams through the use of a
single digital model. This unique approach to the product development process enables our manufacturing
customers to reduce their reliance on physical prototypes and accelerates their ability to bring products to
market, providing competitive advantage. Autodesk continues to drive innovation in the design, engineering,
and manufacturing markets by providing a complete range of easy-to-use and easy-to-implement applications.
In addition, Digital Prototyping has demonstrated significant cost savings and increased eciency for our
customers, which resonates well in any economic environment.
Building Information Modeling
Building Information Modeling, or BIM, is an integrated process built on coordinated, reliable information
about a project from design through construction and into operations. BIM was pioneered by Autodesk and
continues to gain traction in the AEC industry. Facilitated by the Autodesk Revit platform, BIM is breaking
down barriers and bridging communication between extended design and construction teams, providing
them with consistent, reliable information across the scope of a project. BIM enables our customers to use
the power of “what if” scenarios throughout the design process—architects, engineers, and construction
planners can then optimize a building for the parameters of the project.
The AEC industry has been hit particularly hard in the current economic downturn. As a result, AEC customers are
highly motivated to drive creativity, eciency, and productivity, and BIM is helping them get there.
Digital Entertainment Creation
As film, television, and video games have evolved, so too has the technology used to create the content.
D modeling has become increasingly important as consumers continue to demand realistic graphics. Much
like BIM and Digital Prototyping, building models for the media and entertainment industry are very important.
Products such as Autodesk ds Max and Autodesk Maya software help create models that not only look
realistic but also act realistic in an animated environment.