Autodesk Launches the Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program with More than 30 Newly Certified Manufacturing Applications

Business Wire, July 22, 2002

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2002

Host of New Certified Applications Help Customers Worldwide

Improve Their Product Design and Development Processes

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced the Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program and the availability of more than 30 certified applications specifically built to complete customers' design through manufacturing process worldwide. The new Autodesk program certifies applications that have met standards set by Autodesk to ensure robustness, quality, and the highest level of interoperability with the company's award-winning Autodesk Inventor 3D mechanical design system. The program delivers a complete manufacturing solution that helps accelerate product development cycles and shorten their time to market with a variety of applications across all areas of manufacturing worldwide.

Autodesk partners have met this new program with enthusiasm. "With this new certification program, ANSYS will realize even greater benefits than it did with the former MAI program," said Michael Wheeler, vice president of the ANSYS Inc. Mechanical Business Unit. "The Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program will further the synergy between our companies, strengthen our partnership, and ensure we deliver best-in-class solutions to our customers."

"We applaud the new Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program," said Todd Cummings, director of Adept Product Development at Synergis Technologies Inc. "Now that individual applications, such as the recently certified Synergis Adept document management program, have to meet certain criteria, our customers have the security of knowing that the product they are using meets the highest standards of quality and interoperability with Autodesk Inventor."

The Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program, which replaces the former Manufacturing Applications Initiative (MAI) partnership program, will provide greater quality and selection, and offer customers products that are certified to work with the latest version of Autodesk Inventor software. Autodesk is working closely with application providers to ensure that applications across many more manufacturing disciplines are certified to work with Autodesk Inventor by the end of the year. The new program provides Autodesk Authorized Reseller with the tools they need to help solve customers' problems locally.

"Customers today need a wide range of quality products that are built specifically to complete their manufacturing process," said Kanwar Anand of KETIV Technologies, an Autodesk Authorized Reseller. "The Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program is going to promptly deliver to customers the applications they need as well as help us stay competitive by being a more complete solutions provider."

"With more than 30 certified applications in this new program to start, and exponentially more expected by the end of the year, Autodesk Inventor customers will have a broad range of quality applications at their fingertips that meet their high standards for a complete manufacturing solution," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Division at Autodesk. "This new certification program is designed to help our customers shorten their product development cycles and help them complete their manufacturing process more efficiently."

For more information about the Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program and the applications certified today, visit www.autodesk.com/inventor.> About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain use digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk and Autodesk Inventor are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.