SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 19, 2010 — Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, has announced the beginning of the official Inventor of the Year voting process.

The company is encouraging members of the manufacturing community to visit the Autodesk community website at http://mfgcommunity.autodesk.com to choose which of the 2009 Inventor of the Month recipients should be named Inventor of the Year.

The Inventor of the Month program recognizes the most innovative design and engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk Inventor software -- which takes manufacturers beyond 3D to Digital Prototyping. A digital prototype helps users design, visualize and simulate a product before it is built, reducing reliance on constructing multiple physical prototypes.

The Inventor of the Year is chosen from the monthly award winners for 2009. The monthly winner with the highest rating selected by community members will be named Inventor of the Year. The voting begins January 19 and closes February 19 at 5 p.m. ET.

Inventor of the Month winners for 2009 are as follows:

January 2009: Ponderosa Roasting is a specialty provider of coffee roasting machines. Ponderosa used Autodesk Inventor software to design and manufacture machines that give greater control over various aspects of the roasting process.

February 2009: Cochlear BAS engages in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of bone conduction hearing solutions. Cochlear successfully used Inventor software to develop a digital prototype of the Baha bone conduction hearing solution.

March 2009: Dynamic Structures is one of the world's premier providers of dynamic, complex structures. The company is using Inventor software to accelerate design of the Thirty Meter Telescope, the ground-based astronomical observatory that will house a 20-story, 1,700-ton telescope.

April 2009: Green Ocean Energy Ltd. is a renewable energy company headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland. Green Ocean successfully used Inventor software in the development of the Ocean Treader and Wave Treader, floating devices that convert the motion of the ocean into clean, renewable energy.

May 2009: Ulysse Nardin is one of the world’s premier watch manufacturers. Since 1846, Ulysse Nardin has received 4,300-plus awards in watchmaking as well as the greatest number of patents in mechanical watchmaking. Using Inventor software, Ulysse Nardin cut development time for a new watch in half.

June 2009: Syncromatics is a provider of transit ITS solutions, specializing in bus tracking, automated passenger counting, passenger information systems and route analytics. Bus riders know when the next bus will arrive and how many passengers are riding thanks to Syncromatics' solar-powered transit signs, developed using Inventor software.

July 2009: Australia-based design consultancy Urban Art Projects uses Inventor software to deliver large-scale, high-quality art and design works in a wide range of architectural and landscape projects. Inventor software helps UAP complete a digital prototype of each project, drastically reducing development time.

August 2009: The A.T. Ferrell Company Inc. designs and builds equipment used to process, condition and convey grains, feeds, chemicals, minerals, seeds, spices and other powder and bulk materials. It relies on Inventor software for the design and engineering of its roller mills and other industrial food processing machines.

September 2009: MagnaFlow is a leading manufacturer of performance exhaust systems and catalytic converters for trucks, SUVs, and American muscle, diesel and sport compact vehicles. MagnaFlow uses Inventor software to develop automotive components that not only help engines operate more efficiently and consume less fuel, but also reduce the amount of toxic emissions.

October 2009: Icelandic Hydrogen is a leading manufacturer of hydrogen gas generators and a developer of future energy infrastructure solutions in the renewable energy sector. Icelandic Hydrogen used Inventor products to design a complete on-board hydrogen energy system that powers the auxiliary engine for one of Iceland’s largest whale-watching vessels, enabling it to generate electricity on board with clean, sustainable energy rather than oil.

November 2009: R-Design Studio Ltd. is a design and engineering firm located in Budapest, Hungary. Its Nimrod Racing division uses Inventor software to create customized radio-controlled cars — many of them 1:10 scale models of classic vintage cars — for customers worldwide.

December 2009: LEMO USA Inc. uses Inventor products to design and customize high-quality precision connectors for a variety of applications focused on medical, instrumentation, military, automotive and broadcast markets.

About the Autodesk Inventor of the Month Program

Each month, Autodesk selects an Inventor of the Month from the users of Autodesk Inventor software, which takes manufacturers beyond 3D to Digital Prototyping. Winners are chosen for engineering excellence and groundbreaking innovation. For more information about Autodesk Inventor of the Month, contact us at Email Contact.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software to help customers experience their ideas digitally before they are built. Fortune 100 companies -- as well as the last 14 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software tools to design, visualize and simulate their ideas to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation for competitive advantage. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com .