BBN Software Products acquires IBM's Process Analysis Navigation System; IBM process optimization expert, Dr. Constance Araps, joins BBN Software Products to lead manufacturing product and services organization.CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 1995--BBN Software Products Corp., a subsidiary of Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : BBN (BBN Technologies, Cambridge, MA, www.bbn.com) A consulting firm that participated in the development of some of the most extensive networks in the world, including ARPANET, which evolved into the Internet. It was founded in 1948 as a consulting service in acoustics by Dr. ), today announced an agreement with IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) Corp. that will result in new BBN products and services to help manufacturing companies improve yields and optimize their production processes. BBN Software Products has acquired the exclusive rights to IBM's Process Analysis Navigation System A GPS-based electronic system in a car or truck that provides a real time map of the vehicle's current location as well as step-by-step directions to a programmed destination. See GPS and vehicle tracking. (PANS) -- a world-class manufacturing methodology and software system developed by IBM's Manufacturing Technology Center. In conjunction with the announcement, Dr. Constance Araps -- who was responsible for conceptualizing and overseeing the development and support of PANS at IBM -- will join BBN Software Products to lead its manufacturing sector as vice president. BBN Software Products will integrate and enhance PANS methodology and technology with its family of data analysis software, which is widely used in manufacturing companies around the world. The result will offer manufacturing customers a next-generation approach to optimizing and controlling their processes. The first implementation of this technology will be available in late 1995. IBM will retain the right to use current and future versions of PANS throughout their manufacturing organizations worldwide. PANS explained PANS is a multi-step, disciplined methodology, implemented in software, that supports the use of statistical and quality tools to improve manufacturing productivity. The combination of BBN's data analysis software and PANS methodology will enable non-experts to effectively use complex statistical tools to improve yields and optimize their manufacturing processes. "The PANS methodology and software were instrumental in advancing IBM's process and tool control capability," said Mike Davis, director of IBM's Manufacturing Technology Center. "We achieved significant improvement in product and process quality and reliability. Over 70 mature manufacturing processes were re-engineered with significant yield increases, substantial reductions in testing and rework re·work tr.v. re·worked, re·work·ing, re·works 1. To work over again; revise. 2. To subject to a repeated or new process. n. , and a 10- to 12-fold overall return on investment." John Kish, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of BBN Software Products Corp. said, "Integrating PANS with BBN's data analysis products will offer manufacturing companies a unified approach for applying statistical methods to optimize their processes. As manufacturing companies transition products from pilot to full production, our integrated solution can increase product quality and improve yields." Dr. Constance Araps Dr. Araps, the former Worldwide Program Manager for IBM's Process Optimization Process optimization is the practice of making changes or adjustments to a process, to get results. Optimization is the use of specific techniques to determine the most cost effective and efficient solution to a problem or design for a process. Technologies Team, will be responsible for developing and expanding BBN's business in the manufacturing sector; reporting to James Buzzard buzzard, common name for hawks of the genus Buteo and the genus Pernis, or honey buzzard, of the Old World family Accipitridae. Honey buzzards feed on insects, wasp and bumblebee larvae, and small reptiles. , BBN's chief technology officer. She and her staff will work with manufacturing companies to apply BBN's process optimization software to solve their problems. At IBM, Dr. Araps led the Process Optimization Team in over 70 projects at IBM facilities worldwide, achieving significant product improvements in semiconductor, disk drive, board and box computer manufacturing. Previously, she managed IBM's manufacturing process control center, and directed the group's evolution from an internal consulting team to an external service provider for advanced electronics manufacturers. Dr. Araps has received 14 U.S. patents for electronics manufacturing This article presents a typical manufacturing process of an electronic assembly. Component manufacturing Components such as resistors, capacitors and integrated circuits are generally made by specialized contractors. , has published numerous papers, and earned four IBM Patent Invention Achievement Awards and the American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a learned society (professional association) based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has over 160,000 members at all degree-levels and in Texaco Achievement Award. She received her Ph.D from Princeton University Princeton University, at Princeton, N.J.; coeducational; chartered 1746, opened 1747, rechartered 1748, called the College of New Jersey until 1896. Schools and Research Facilities . BBN Software Products Corp. develops applications software that helps manufacturing and health companies worldwide turn their data into valuable information to save time, improve product quality, and comply with regulatory requirements. BBN's products include BBN/ClinTRACE software, BBN/Clintrial software, BBN/Cornerstone software, BBN/Patterns software, BBN/Probe software and RS/Series software. BBN Software Products Corp. is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, BBN reported sales of $196 million. -0- BBN/ClinTRACE, BBN/Clintrial, BBN/Cornerstone, BBN/Patterns, BBN/Probe and RS/Series are trademarks of Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc. CONTACT: For BBN Software Products Corp., Cambridge Laura Desmarais, 603/436-6690 |
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