However, a substantial reduction of implementation times can only be accomplished in practice if the object-oriented approach is implemented throughout, as in AccessPoint. Thus it is necessary to make several key demands:

complete technological objects
hierarchical data structures
referencing
instancing
object libraries

The engineering process of AccessPoint customers is changed by the object-oriented properties and their consistent, careful utilization.

Engineering costs savings of up to 70 %
High degree of standardization
Changed course of project from planning to start-up
Staff qualifications can be deployed selectively
Greater convenience for project engineer and user

The client-server architecture allows practically unlimited scaling of the system. AccessPoint is used from small single-site systems to distributed, redundant multi-site systems in a wide range of configurations.

AccessPoint is a multi-user and multitasking system.
Modular architecture based on functional units
Communication between the individual processes is based on TCP/IP
Functions and loads can be distributed across multiple computers
Completely event-oriented, telegram-based communication
Remote client terminals can be linked up by modem

AccessPoint features dedicated, autonomous program units for all keys functions - the managers. A "manager" is a process that is responsible for specific tasks. For example, there is a separate manager for periphery connections, history data storage or for user interfaces.

RTDB Event, the heart of a AccessPoint system. Constitutes the server and classifies events, notifies other managers about any changes that affect them, generates alarms and is thus the communication hub of AccessPoint.

IO Master, processes are linked via any number of drivers. A wide range of communication protocols can be run at the same time. Alongside PLCs and DDCs, the system also supports remote control links.

Historian Data, stores process changes in a high-speed database, archives data and alarms and generates evaluations and reports.

Control, is a dedicated runtime environment that processes programs written in the Control programming language on an event-driven, multitasking basis. A manager can process multiple programs simultaneously or multiple Control managers can run at the same time. Such Control programs are generally used for higher-level control tasks or individual programs.

View Operator User interface, takes care of graphical display of process states and forwarding of user inputs.

Other Process managers are available for special tasks (redundancy, distribution manager for distributed systems, web server, reporting, simulation, etc.).

With the aid of the well thought-out redundancy concept of AccessPoint it is possible to fulfill the demands of plant engineers and operators in terms of availability and process and data security.

Hot standby redundancy with dual computer systems
In a redundant system each user interface is linked with the active and passive system. Redundancy switching is thus smooth without impairing system operability
Automatic switching is performed in the tenth-of-a-second range without data loss
Automatic matching of process image, alarm data and history at system start-up
Freely configurable switching mechanisms with weighted error status evaluation
Additional security by means of differentiating between computer and network failure
Transparent access to all distributed system data (history, online data, alarms, configuration, etc.)
Command of a subsystem can be kept local or from every connected system
Data points can be displayed in a system diagram by local and connected systems
System diagrams from connected systems can be viewed from other systems
The connection (modem, ISDN, LAN) between the individual systems can be permanent or temporary; a connection can be made at any time between the systems depending on process states (second route communication)
Alarms from connected systems can also be displayed and acknowledged on other systems
The individual sub-systems of a Distributed System can be single-site or multi-site, singular or redundant systems

The implemented automation solution can no longer exist as an island in the overall company environment. The increasing demands on end-to-end information flow, from the level of production and automation to the level of operation and management, need to be taken into account.

Thanks to standard interfaces and the availability of suitable add-ons, AccessPoint becomes an integral component of the company's overall IT landscape. Far beyond the level of automation, AccessPoint forms the center for optimizing processes at the process control level and for providing management information.

The ADO/ODBC interface allows data exchange with relational database systems and control functions for a wide range of individual solutions

InfoPath. Integration of a web server creates the conditions for making automation data available, e.g. alarms or other important system states (readings, etc.), via the Internet/intranet

Web Server
Complete ActiveX support (properties, methods, events)
Close co-operation with Office software (Excel reporting)
The DDE interface allows communication with many Windows applications, e.g. MS Office
OPC (OLE for Process Control) is an OLE/COM technology implementation for process control systems. The specifications needed for this are laid down by the OPC Foundation (http://www.opcfoundation.org)
Integration of external DLLs and shared libraries in Control for added functionality
API interface with full access to all AccessPoint data
Development of custom managers
API driver for developing custom drivers

The flexible data point concept is a key element in AccessPoint. External and internal variables, device data structures, user authorizations, display of system images or alarms are all handled via data points. This ensures consistent processing and at the same time also allows flexible adaptation to specific problems.