A CGI-based approach for remotely executing a large program for integration of design and manufacture over the Internet

This paper proposes an Internet-based system for geographically dispersed t eams to collaborate over the Internet for the pur pose of integration in de sign and manufacture. As one of the key issues of the system, a CGI (commo n gateway interface)-based multi-user method has been developed to remotely execute a large-size software package via the Internet. A gear optimizatio n software package has been chosen as the application area. The package imp lements genetic algorithms to search the best solution for gear design. The objective is to implement this in the Internet and to collaborate between different locations. The package is located and run on the host server; aft er the completion of the program, the results are sent back to the client. To accomplish this, a combination of CGI, HTML, JavaScript, Java, multi-use r environment and Internet security techniques has been utilized.