Marine Innovation & Technology Uses Digital Prototyping to Create More
Stable Platforms for Deep-Sea Wind Turbines
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Marine Innovation & Technology, a naval architecture and offshore
engineering firm, is using Digital
Prototyping software from Autodesk,
Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), to develop the WindFloat: a small, floating
platform capable of supporting large offshore wind turbines.
Autodesk
Inventor Professional, Autodesk
Vault Professional, and Autodesk
Showcase Professional software helped enable the company to design
and render the WindFloat in just three weeks. The WindFloat improves on
the design of existing offshore support structures by significantly
minimizing the motion caused by environmental forces such as wind, waves
and currents.
The WindFloat's improved stability means that wind turbines can be
placed in previously inaccessible locations where water depths exceed 50
meters and winds are nearly constant -- greatly increasing the potential
of offshore wind as a renewable energy resource. Each WindFloat can
produce up to 10 megawatts of renewable electrical power, enough to
power as many as 10,000 homes.
Digital Prototyping Aids Design and Visualization
Through the Autodesk Clean
Tech Partner Program -- which provides software grants for emerging
clean tech companies in North America and Europe -- and with training
support from Autodesk reseller KETIV Technologies, Marine Innovation &
Technology was soon leveraging the benefits of Inventor software. As a
result, Marine Innovation & Technology significantly accelerated the
development of the WindFloat as well as contributed to the company's
marketing efforts.
"Digital Prototyping has been essential to expressing our ideas to
prospective clients," said Dominique Roddier, partner of Marine
Innovation & Technology and CTO of Principle Power. "We use Inventor
software to build a single 3D model that provides vital technical
information, and we can create exquisite renderings using Autodesk
Showcase Professional, which enables clients to see a photorealistic
rendering of the product before they decide to invest."
Marine Innovation & Technology's success designing the WindFloat helped
it to sell the technology to renewable energy company Principle
Power, which plans to use it for the commercialization of green
electricity. Principle Power aims to deploy the WindFloat technology
worldwide and is already actively pursuing projects in Portugal, Oregon
and Maine. Using Autodesk
Vault Professional software, Marine Innovation & Technology was able
to securely store and distribute engineering information between project
sites.
"Marine Innovation & Technology is making exciting contributions to the
renewable energy sector," said Robert
"Buzz" Kross, senior vice president, Autodesk
Manufacturing Industry Group. "We are pleased that Digital
Prototyping helped them reduce the time required to design and visualize
the WindFloat and secure key new business wins."
About the Clean Tech Partner Program
The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program supports early-stage clean
technology companies by providing design and engineering software that
accelerates their development of solutions to the world's most pressing
environmental challenges. Clean tech companies in North America and
Europe who can benefit from Autodesk solutions for Digital Prototyping
are invited to apply to receive up to $150,000* worth of software for
only $50. Access to a collection of Autodesk industry-leading software
applications includes up to five licenses of AutoCAD
Inventor Professional Suite, Autodesk
Showcase, Autodesk
Vault Professional, Autodesk
Revit Architecture, Autodesk
Alias Design, Autodesk
Algor Simulation and Autodesk
Inventor Publisher software. For additional information, visit http://www.autodesk.com/cleantech.
About Marine Innovation & Technology
Marine Innovation & Technology is a consulting firm specializing in
challenging offshore engineering problems involving complex
hydrodynamics. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in
Berkeley, Calif. For additional information, visit www.marineitech.com.
About KETIV Technologies
KETIV Technologies is a leading Autodesk Gold Partner with over 25
years' experience delivering CAD software and services in California,
Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Focused on the manufacturing,
AEC, and Process Plant industries, KETIV's team of industry experts
increase the profitability of engineering companies by helping them
simplify the process of conceptualization, design and production.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D
design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the
manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and
entertainment industries -- including the last 15 Academy Award winners
for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize
and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in
1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of
state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information
about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Editorial Note:
To see digital prototypes of the WindFloat, visit http://www.principlepowerinc.com/products/windfloat.html.
*Value is based on up to five commercial licenses of each application.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Algor, Alias, Autodesk Inventor, Inventor, Revit
and Showcase are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.,
and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other
countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names,
or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the
right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and
pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for
typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.
© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6412075&lang=en
SOURCE: Autodesk, Inc.
Autodesk, Inc.
Jennifer Ha, 415-547-2435
jennifer.ha@autodesk.com
or
For Autodesk, Inc.
Alyson Moses, 312-297-7430
alyson.moses@edelman.com
