The Corporate Technical Information System: The Ford Inhouse information Utility

Ford Motor Company has developed an inhouse computerized database of product and technical data as an information utility for product and manufacturing engineers and business and marketing analysts. The Corporate Technical Information System (CTIS) is interactive, user friendly, up-to-date, and low cost. CTIS is designed to complement commercial information services. The menu driven program gives users access to IS files including automotive periodical abstracts, vehicle dimensional data, EPA fuel economy data. SAE paper abstracts since 1966, and worldwide materials standards. Searching is done through User defined keywords using Boolean logic to create individual search strategies. CTIS has been used by Ford personnel worldwide since early 1985. Future developments may include offering CTIS to vendors or components and services to Ford Motor Company.