SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The flakes in corn flakes, the toffee in chocolate bars and the oats in oatmeal all have one thing in common: they were probably flattened, rolled or otherwise processed by equipment from A.T. Ferrell Company, Inc. (A.T. Ferrell).

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has named A.T. Ferrell as the August 2009 Inventor of the Month for its use of Autodesk Inventor software for the design and engineering of its roller mills and other industrial food processing machines.

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. With Inventor, manufacturers can create a single digital model that gives them the ability to design, visualize and simulate products before they are built to reduce the need for physical prototypes.

A.T. Ferrell's selection as Inventor of the Month for August is particularly significant, as August is National Inventors' Month, which celebrates invention and creativity.

A.T. Ferrell's roller mills use high pressure rollers to flatten grains to the exact thickness required to create the perfect corn flake, for example, or to crack a piece of toffee without crushing it. Using Inventor software enables A.T. Ferrell to take advantage of built-in features such as parametric modeling and finite element analysis so the company's machines can successfully operate under high-pressure conditions while meeting all tolerance requirements.

"Using Inventor software to create a 3D digital prototype means we no longer have to cut metal to prove the feasibility of a design," said Allen Gager, a design engineer and CAD manager at A.T. Ferrell. "We know exactly how a mill will perform before it's been built. Additionally, Autodesk Vault Workgroup helps us keep track of our designs and improves our ability to reuse designs and components, which speeds the development of new products."

On a recent project, using Inventor software for Digital Prototyping enabled A.T. Ferrell's designers to identify a problem, test the existing design and develop a new design all in one day. This efficiency has allowed A.T. Ferrell to greatly simplify the design-to-manufacture process and develop innovative new equipment.

"Machines play an important role in every aspect of our daily lives -- even the foods we eat," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. "Inventor software is helping A.T. Ferrell move beyond 3D to explore fully working digital prototypes of their industry-leading machines."

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 Email Contact.

About A.T. Ferrell Company, Inc.

The A.T. Ferrell Company Inc. has been serving the agricultural, food and industrial markets since 1869. The company designs and builds equipment used to process, condition and convey grains, feeds, chemicals, minerals, seeds, spices and other powder and bulk materials. For additional information, visit www.atferrell.com.

About Industrial Technology

Since 1982, Industrial Technology has been an industry leader by providing specialized solutions for manufacturing. Today it is leveraging the power Digital Prototyping to offer powerful solutions for its customers as it celebrates its 25th year as an Autodesk value-added reseller.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and 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 real. 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 www.autodesk.com.

Editorial Notes:

An interview with A.T. Ferrell is available on the Autodesk YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo7COFYznfQ.

Broadcast-quality b-roll is available for download by registered journalists at www.thenewsmarket.com/autodesk.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor and Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates 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) 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

    Contact: Clay Helm 415.547.2425
    Email:   clay.helm@autodesk.com

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050415/SFF034LOGO)

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.

Web site: http://www.autodesk.com/
http://www.atferrell.com/