Dynamic Structures, a Coquitlam, BC-based designer, manufacturer and constructor of complex structures ranging from ski jumps to amusement park rides, was recently named Autodesk's Inventor of the Year for 2009.

The Canadian company was originally selected 'Inventor of the Month' by the Autodesk manufacturing community for its work desigining enclosures that will house the world's largest telescope, the Thirty Metre Telescope. The company achieved the 'annual' title largely because of its use of Autodesk Inventor software in the design of theme park rides that take the term 'rollercoaster' to a whole new level. Of particular note is the RoboCoaster G3, which features four-passenger robot manipulators that operate in unique coaster train sets.

Dynamic Structures caters largely to the industry, government, entertainment and academic sectors. Among its list of achievements is the Whistler ski jump - a rather complex project due to the strict standards implemented by the International Ski Federation. Not only was it challenging to form, fabricate and weld tubular trusses that were 95 and 125 metres long, but the building process had to be flexible enough to allow for transportation and assembling on a remote and rugged location.