Autodesk unveils Autocad 2010

Paul Boughton
Autodesk is introducing Autocad 2010, plus the 2010 Autocad family of discipline-specific software and the Autocad LT 2010 package for drafting and detailing. The latest release of Autocad is said to introduce groundbreaking new capabilities to help users tackle their most challenging design problems, including freeform design tools, parametric drawing and enhanced PDF support.

Autocad 2010 provides even more power and innovation to help users document, communicate, explore and customise design ideas. With new freeform design tools, users can more easily explore ideas in 3D models to create almost any shape they can imagine.

New PDF import and underlay and enhanced publishing features can improve two-way communication with the extended design team. In addition, the introduction of constraint-based parametric drawing tools enables users to define persistent relationships between objects. Autocad 2010 now also supports 3D printing, which makes it easy to produce physical 3D models and physical prototypes by connecting to on-demand 3D printing services or personal 3D printers.


Guri Stark, vice president of the Autocad and Platform Products business unit at Autodesk states: "Providing customers with the powerful 3D design tools that enable them to stretch the limits of their creativity was our priority for the 2010 release of Autocad. To the Autocad software portfolio we have added highly requested features from customers, like enhanced capabilities with the PDF file format in Autocad, and new 2D commands for Autocad LT. Taken together, the new version of Autocad provides the power and flexibility our customers have been demanding to take their documentation and design further."

The updated Autocad 2010 software portfolio includes the industry-specific Autocad Mechanical 2010 application, which enables mechanical designers and drafters to simplify complex mechanical design work and produce consistent results on the shop floor. Now with even more intelligent drafting features for automating common design tasks, it offers significant productivity gains and saves hours of design time. New features include a streamlined design environment and bills of material enhancements.

Autocad LT 2010 incorporates PDF input and output enhancements, additional 2D drafting commands for viewing and editing drawings, and 2D drafting tools from Autocad to help increase productivity, including the Align, Xref and Block Attribute commands.

Autodesk Design Review 2010 software is also available as a free download to users of any Autodesk product including those in the Autocad 2010 family. With tools to review, mark up, and measure documents, Design Review enables team members to participate in an all-digital design review process. The latest release makes the review process seamless, with updates that support viewing and markup of PDF files.

Product availability varies by country. Details and purchasing options will be accessible from 24 March 2009

For more information, visit www.autodek.com

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