Towards a web based CAD system

Actual CAD systems are still monolithic and are based on complex geometrical models. Our aim is to implement a new approach taking advantage of web possibilities and providing a novice end-user with an easy-to-use system. In order to get the same performances cis a local system, it is necessary to provide our system with adequate data representation and architecture. A study realised in our team has shown that classical models are too less-level information for our specifications and that a functional model is needed. This paper deals with our first results concerning the architecture which will be the basis of different implementations and with a first operational prototype. The first section introduces the tests we processed in order to understand advantages and drawbacks of different alternatives and describes the final choices for the architecture. The second section describes a prototype, proving the feasibility of our approach. It is based on new intuitive interaction techniques even if we only outline this point in this paper.