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Ford chooses Orbix to integrate worldwide design applications and tools

Johannesburg, 14 Aug 2000

Iona, the enterprise portal company represented locally by CCH Software Development, has announced that Ford Motor Company has chosen its Orbix Technology, a standards-based e-business infrastructure, as the integration platform across its computer-aided design and manufacturing (CADCAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE) and knowledge-based engineering (KBE) applications.

Orbix will allow Ford engineers worldwide to collaborate throughout the design process and provide a platform for a distributed component-based toolset. Orbix`s open architecture will enable Ford to extend automated engineering environments such as SDRC`s I-DEAS across the enterprise and allow for interoperability between engineering applications.

Similarly, the interoperability Orbix provides with multiple platforms and development languages will enable the deployment of component-based design and engineering services. Reuse and information sharing are the key enablers for rapid deployment of best-in-class applications and support for new knowledge-based engineering initiatives, ultimately enabling faster time to market for new vehicle development.

Orbix technology serves as the infrastructure for Iona`s iPortal Suite.

Consisting of five components, the iPortal Suite represents a comprehensive set of tools and services designed to help companies build enterprise portals, which are unified points of access that connect the web to the corporate business by integrating all of an organisation`s applications and back-end systems.

"The business environment today demands that organisations have the ability to leverage knowledge across the enterprise," says Ed Gaudet, Iona`s VP of worldwide marketing. "Through our technology, organisations such as Ford allow for enterprise collaboration and establish the infrastructure necessary to support e-business development."

Iona`s Orbix is based on the latest Corba standard and supports a wide range of platforms including Windows NT, Solaris, Unix, OS/390 and AS/400, as well as development languages including C++, Java, PL/I and Cobol.

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