Release Date: 22th March 2004

MG Rover Group uses aesthetica™ software from Icona Solutions

Icona Solutions Ltd has secured an order for its aesthetica™ software from MG Rover Group. It will be used extensively in the design of new and restyled models.

Icona has developed leading edge software to visualize the impact of manufacturing variation on product quality. The initial target market is the global auto industry.

For the first time, engineers are able to review the effects of manufacturing variation on the appearance of a vehicle or assembled component, such as an instrument panel or body work, through the increased use of computer based virtual prototypes rather than life sized real models.

Following the successful completion of beta testing involving the TF sports car, MG Rover have purchased the software to enhance its quality auditing processes during the design process. The software will be used on current and future programme to produce interactive 3-D visualisations of non-nominal products for design review and aesthetic inspection.

Alan Oliphent, Manager - Quality Planning at MG Rover said "We have been searching for a solution to this problem for some time and aesthetica™ is the only product in market to satisfy our needs. The software has proved its value during earlier trials and we are now keen to begin deploying the product on live programs to maximize the cost and time savings".

Dr John Maxfield, Technical Director of Icona said "After meeting all development milestones during the past year, Icona is now actively marketing aesthetica™ software to the automotive industry both in the UK and export markets. MG Rover is an important reference site for aesthetica™ as they are push the product to its limits, enabling us to demonstration both the power and versatility of the software".

Icona Solutions Ltd. are also in discussion with a number of other major customers in the automotive industry in partnership with the UK reseller of aesthetica™, Magenta Solutions.

About Icona

Founded in the UK in early 2003 as a University of Leeds spin-out company, Icona Solutions grew out of pioneering work undertaken at the School of Computing, University of Leeds as part of a Government-funded (EPSRC) project called VITAL (Visualisation of the Impact of Tolerance Allocation). The four-year project involved close collaboration with the automotive industry. The project’s team leader, Dr. John Maxfield, later joined Icona Solutions as founder and technical director.

Since the original proof-of-concept work of the team at the University of Leeds, Icona Solutions has undertake research and development to significantly extend the functionality to the software, with the result being aesthetica™.
Icona Solutions has developed significant added functionality to the software, with the result being aesthetica.

The company is currently establishing technical support, training and sales operations to serve the global automotive industry.

About MG Rover

MG Rover Group is an independent, medium-sized, British-owned company with c6, 500 employees. From its Longbridge International Headquarters in Birmingham, at the core of the UK’s engineering and manufacturing heartlands, the company designs, engineers, produces and markets cars that proudly carry the MG and Rover brands.

MG Rover Group, formed in May 2000, manufactures many models and body styles from its Longbridge facility. The sporting MG line-up consists of the Express cdv (car derived van), ZR, ZS, ZT (Including the ZT-T estate) and TF sports car. The MG TF is the UK’s best-selling sports car and the ZR the best-selling MG and the UK’s Best-selling super-mini hot-hatch. The Rover range includes CityRover, Commerce cdv, Streetwise, Rover 25, Rover 45 and the award-winning Rover75, in Saloon and Tourer body styles. The Rover 25 is the company’s best-selling car.