ENGINEERING

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced it will begin development of a dedicated 3D modeling kernel, named Autodesk(R) ShapeManager, to be incorporated in Autodesk Inventor(TM) and other Autodesk design software. The Autodesk ShapeManager will be based on the ACIS(R) 7.0 kernel licensed by Autodesk from Spatial Corp. Autodesk ShapeManager will give users the ability to build and modify complex virtual models, which require sophisticated mathematical computations to define and communicate three-dimensional design intent. Autodesk has added a large development team with substantial experience in solid modeling and development of the ACIS kernel, whose charter will be to create a purpose-built, feature-based modeling engine for Autodesk Inventor and fine-tuned for the demands of 3D users in the manufacturing marketplace. "It is our goal to allow customers to be able to design more complex parts, and to provide increasing application stability and performance," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Division at Autodesk. "Managing our own kernel development will give Autodesk's mechanical design software an edge in the market that no competitor can match and reinforces our commitment to the manufacturing marketplace. Our customers will see improved robustness, geometry coverage, and performance." Because Autodesk ShapeManager shares its heritage with the same ACIS kernel present in current and legacy versions of Autodesk Inventor and the AutoCAD family of products, integration of Autodesk ShapeManager will create no file migration problems and no geometry migration utilities will be required. ShapeManager will maintain compatibility with ACIS versions 7.0 and below. Future kernel development efforts will be narrowly focused on the requirements of feature modeling for Autodesk Inventor and on advanced shape description for complex geometric designs such as those in the consumer products industries. For more information visit www.autodesk.com