Autodesk launches integrated mechanical CAD software solution for desktop market; Autodesk Mechanical Desktop delivers sophisticated 2D and 3D design and assembly capability.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 1995--Autodesk Monday announced its most aggressive push ever into the mechanical CAD market with the introduction of the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop, a tightly integrated software application that provides advanced 2D and 3D mechanical CAD functions on desktop systems.

With a suggested retail price of $6,250, the Mechanical Desktop offers a comprehensive solution for the mechanical engineer that is aggressively priced with capabilities often only found in some high end systems. The new software -- in combination with programs developed by a dozen industry-leading partners in the most important mechanical market niches -- will provide complete design-through-manufacturing solutions for Autodesk customers.

The Mechanical Desktop contains integrated modules for parametric solid and surface modeling, assembly modeling, and associative drafting, as well as AutoCAD Release 13 and the Autodesk IGES translator. It provides significant new and enhanced functions most requested by designers of machines, electro-mechanical assemblies, common molded parts, and other mechanical products.

The 12 partner companies -- all part of Autodesk's previously announced Mechanical Applications Initiative (MAI) -- provided their input and expertise throughout the development of the Mechanical Desktop and its Application Programming Interface (API) to ensure the product meets the needs of their most exacting customers. The MAI partners will deliver fully integrated products under a common Autodesk user interface that will offer users a complete solution from analysis through manufacturing. This will allow users a choice of best-of-breed applications.

The Mechanical Desktop can be installed quickly from a single CD. All the modules share a common interface with completely integrated menus. New applications from MAI partners can have this same look and feel.

"The Autodesk Mechanical Desktop is a production ready tool for users who want to do surface and solid modeling on the desktop," said Dominic Gallello, vice president of Autodesk's Mechanical Market Group. "This level of performance previously has been available only on workstation-based software costing substantially more, so the Mechanical Desktop takes advanced modeling techniques out of the realm of the back-room specialist and onto the desktop."

Major new features and functions incorporated into the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop suite include: -0-

-- Parametric, feature-based solid modeling capability for easy creation and revision of 2D and 3D designs, letting designers work like they think instead of tediously reworking designs as parameters change. For example, if a designer finds he/she has made the buttons on a cellular phone too small, he/she can change one of them and the others will automatically be adjusted to the new size, with correct spacing and distance from the edge.

-- Sophisticated surfacing capability, using the latest NURBS-based geometry to create, edit, join and analyze a wide variety of basic and advanced surfaces. A NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) curve passes smoothly through and between a given set of points. This capability is useful in creating the free-form surfaces often required in mechanical design.

-- Integrated surfaces and solids, which means, for example, that a users can take a solid block and easily "cut" a sculpted surface through it to create a particular shape, such as the free-form shape of a cellular phone.

-- Comprehensive assembly modeling, the feature most requested by Autodesk mechanical customers. This lets designers take separately modeled parts -- such as the battery pack, keypad and housing of a cellular phone -- and combine them into assemblies to create complete product models. In addition, the assembled parts can be separated into "exploded views" so that users can easily see how and where the parts come together. Users also can generate bills-of-material (BOM) on screen.

-- Associative bi-directional drafting, which means that when a part is changed in a drawing, the related model will automatically update -- and vice-versa.

-- Application programming interfaces lets MAI partners develop applications that communicate directly with the Mechanical Desktop without the need for data translation.

-- Data Exchange, since the Mechanical Desktop supports several import/export exchange interfaces (for example, IGES version 5.2, .STL, .DWG, DXF, .SAT -- ACIS version 1.6, 3DS, WMF, EPS and BMP) users can share or send data to other CAD/CAM applications or to the suite of third part developer products within Autodesk's virtual corporate family.

-- Windows-based tools for ease-of-use, including pull-down menus, icons, and 26 on-line "cue cards" to prompt users through common commands. -0-

The Mechanical Desktop is compatible with other Autodesk offerings including WorkCenter for technical document and workflow management, AutoVision Release 2 for advanced visualization and rendering and MaterialSpec, a database of more than 25,000 material types.

The $6,250 suggested retail price includes the new AutoCAD Designer 2.0 with assembly capability, new AutoSurf 3.0, AutoCAD Release 13, advanced integration, and the IGES translator, which facilitates exchange of information with other CAD systems. Customers who already have purchased AutoCAD Release 13 may upgrade to the Mechanical Desktop for $2,750. AutoCAD Release 13 customers who have purchased previous versions of AutoCAD Designer or AutoSurf may upgrade to the mechanical Desktop for a limited-time promotional price of $495.

Shipments of the Mechanical Desktop will begin in late fourth-quarter 1995 or early first-quarter 1996, and will be followed by related announcements from the MAI partners. The Mechanical Desktop will be delivered with a multi-platform license which will include MS-DOS, and Microsoft's Windows NT, Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. The Mechanical Desktop will also be ported to various UNIX platforms at a later date.

For more information on Autodesk, please call 415/507-5000, type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or log-in with a World Wide Web browser at http://www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk is the worlds's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 118 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. -0-

Note to Editors: Autodesk the Autodesk logo, and AutoCAD are registered trademarks of Autodesk Inc. The Autodesk Mechanical Desktop is a trademark of Autodesk Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of H & R Block. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. All prices are suggested retail prices.

CONTACT: Autodesk Inc.

Marty Tacktill, 415/507-6484,

Email: [e-mail]