Ford to add reality to UK research

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 7, 2003

SGI has secured a contract for a new SGI Reality Centre facility at Ford's Dunton Technical Centre in the UK.

SGI has secured a contract for a new SGI Reality Centre facility at Ford's Dunton Technical Centre in the UK.

The new centre, scheduled for installation in late summer, will add to Ford's existing portfolio of SGI technology, which includes three additional Reality Centre facilities in the USA and one at Ford's Merkenich Technical Centre in Germany.

SGI Professional Services will install a rear-projected wall driven by an SGI Onyx 300 visualisation supercomputer with InfiniteReality3 graphics at the new Dunton facility.

The installation will also include the SGI UPSafe power protection solution to ensure the availability of uninterruptible power to the facility.

The Reality Centre facility will help engineers improve the time and accuracy of vehicle design and will be used principally for interior and exterior vehicle styling.

Developed to complement the facility installed at Ford's Merkenich Technical Centre, the SGI setup at the Dunton Technical Centre will allow greater collaboration in vehicle design between Ford engineers based in the UK and Germany.

A network connection between the two centres will enable integrated videoconferencing and an increased sharing of data that will help speed up processes such as digital design reviews.

The use of 3D virtual reality technology helps to accelerate the vehicle design and development process.

Virtual product reviews enable changes to be made early on in the design process efficiently and cost-effectively.

SGI Reality Centre technology is backed up by SGI Professional Services.

SGI Professional Services is the most experienced in the market and the only one to provide such a high standard of ongoing assistance and consultancy after the implementation of the 3D virtual reality technology facility.

Steve Liscoe, UK General Manager at SGI comments: "The addition of a new SGI Reality Centre facility at Ford's Dunton Technical Centre will help engineers to achieve higher levels of collaboration in the vehicle design process.

By adding to its portfolio of high-performance computing solutions, Ford is providing its engineers with access to the best visualisation technology available today.

I'm delighted that Ford has again chosen to work with SGI".