Digital Prototyping Helps Manufacturer Deliver Innovative Audio Device to
Marketplace in 50 Percent Less Time
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ADSK) today announced that Sound Devices, LLC a leading
manufacturer of professional audio recording and mixing equipment, has been
named as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for May 2008. Sound Devices
relied on Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for Digital
Prototyping to develop the 788T, an innovative 8-track digital audio
recorder. This powerful, compact device allows audio professionals to
capture and process sound more effectively in a variety of "on location"
situations -- from documentary films and reality television programs, to
music events and sports broadcasts -- which ultimately provides a more
satisfactory audio experience for listeners and viewers.
The Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most innovative design
and engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk
Inventor software -- the foundation of the Autodesk solution for Digital
Prototyping. A digital prototype is a realistic 3D digital simulation of
the entire end product, used to virtually optimize and validate a product
before it is built to reduce the need for constructing physical prototypes.
To design the 788T, Sound Devices had to figure out a way to fit eight
full-featured microphone inputs and eight tracks of recording into a
chassis weighing less than four pounds and roughly the size of a hardcover
book. Digital prototypes created with products from the Inventor family of
products proved invaluable in helping the company check for interferences
between various components and explore design variations before anything
was actually built.
"Using Inventor, we were able to digitally prototype the 788T nearly a
dozen times before we cut a single sheet of metal," said Jason McDonald,
Design Engineer for Sound Devices. Jon Tatooles, Managing Director of Sound
Devices added, "The flexibility that Digital Prototyping provides does more
than help us avoid the time and costs associated with physical prototypes
-- it also allows us to incorporate customer feedback into the
decision-making process at a very early stage, which helps ensure we're
creating products that truly meet our customers' needs."
McDonald estimates that Digital Prototyping helped the company reduce
its product development time by nearly 50 percent, as the company went from
initial design sketches of the 788T to full production within a period of
just six months. Specific Inventor functionality such as the Sheet Metal
Design feature -- which provides an accurate 3D model of sheet metal
folding -- helped the company to quickly and easily explore different
product configurations until it was able to come up with a portable audio
recorder that delivered outstanding performance without a size, weight or
cost penalty.
"Manufacturers of every type are feeling the pressure of compressed
product development cycles," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice
president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "Successful companies like
Sound Devices have realized that Digital Prototyping can help them thrive
in this environment by increasing innovation, even as they reduce the time
to market for their pioneering new products. It is a pleasure to name Sound
Devices as our Inventor of the Month for May."
About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program
Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the more
than 700,000 users of Autodesk Inventor software, the foundation for
Digital Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and
groundbreaking innovation. For more information on Autodesk Inventor of the
Month, contact us at IOM@autodesk.com.
About Sound Devices, LLC
Sound Devices' portable audio mixers, digital recorders, and related
products are used worldwide for mission-critical productions including
feature film, episodic television, documentary, newsgathering, and
acoustical test & measurement. The company designs and manufactures its
products in Reedsburg, WI. For additional information about Sound Devices,
visit http://www.sounddevices.com.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the
manufacturing, 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 built. 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 http://www.autodesk.com/.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor and Inventor are registered
trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., 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.
(C) 2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050415/SFF034LOGO)
Contact: Christine Stoner 416.874.8841 Alyson Howard 312.297.7430
Email: christine.stoner@autodesk.com alyson.howard@edelman.com
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