Intranet+CAD Parametric Design Tool
Client: Major Automotive Manufacturer
Technology: I-DEAS Master Series, Apache Web Server, Perl
Platforms: HP-UX, Solaris, SGI IRIX, Windows NT
Goal: Develop an application to accept various design parameters and generate CAD geometry to aid in vehicle design. The framework used should be easily extendable to similar applications.
Architecture/Design
Opting for a web-based client/server setup, the user interface was designed first. It was required to work on several versions of Netscape on both Unix and Windows 95/98/NT. HTML and Javascript was used for the interface, with a few XML tags for special processing of certain inputs. The application provided complete session management so designers could easily load and save sessions as well as copy a session to a new design. In addition, "variants" of sessions could be created. Variants allowed the designer to make associative copies of a session for the cases where the majority of parameters were the same and only a few dimensions changed. If the base variant was updated, all associated variant parameters would be updated as well. Using this functionality, designers could easily generate many "what-if" scenarios quickly.
Next, a native thin-client for the CAD system (I-DEAS) was developed. Functionality was minimized on the client since I-DEAS uses a proprietary language and required expertise to maintain. This client, when called from the server, would download the appropriate CAD model and modify the dimensions to match the design input. Several "variants" of the same design could be created simultaneously, thus eliminating repetitive tasks. To minimize administration, the local client could be installed directly from the web. It also had an auto-update feature built into it. Every time the program was started, it checked the web server for an update. If one existed, it downloaded the update, extracted it, and restarted the program.
Ongoing client-side maintenance was virtually eliminated, leaving a true server-side solution.
Results
With a single developer working on the project, the first tool began testing on a world-wide basis within 4 months of starting the project. Within 18 months, this framework was used to develop a total of 7 different applications of varying complexity. All were released world-wide and were very well accepted by the user base.
Estimation and Design System
Client: Manufacturing Industry
Technology: Apache, Perl, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), I-DEAS, MySQL, DB2, JD Edwards
Platforms: Windows NT, AS/400, UNIX clients
Goal: Develop a web-based estimation and design system for in-house use that can create detailed drawings, drive CNC manufacturing, and ultimately pass data to JD Edwards on an AS/400. Eventually migrate portions of this technology to the Internet.
