The SCAN1000 database facility allows you to both read and write to Management Information Databases. So works orders, product recipes, etc can be downloaded to shop-floor production systems and production data can be recorded directly into a Management Database.
Databases allow you to bridge the information gap between Process Systems
and Business Systems.
This allows the system to read selected data from your existing
Business
systems and to accurately pass the information down into your Process Control
systems:
- Works Orders
- Recipe Management
- Quality Parameters
- Management Instructions
Similarly, valuable Process information may be immediately written directly
into your Business Systems:
- Job Status
- Energy Metering
- Material Consumption
- Quality Records
- Environmental Records
- Production Efficiencies
- Plant Maintenance and Reliability
Support for databases is extensive and varied. Two levels of direct
database access cover both simple, stand-alone applications (DAO), where databases can
be created and maintained; through to complex, powerful
Client - Server based systems (ADO).
Database configuration is based on a tree
structure, which consists of a database object, one or more Recordset objects and
database tag objects (field). Auto-Creation Wizards and advanced drag drop
operations makes database object
creation and configuration easy. Projects are often designed using DAO and then converted to
ADO at a later stage, using the in-built
database conversion tool.
Databases may also be used as Event
Loggers and in the System Security option.
DAO Databases (MS Access)
The software can create and maintain Microsoft Access databases via the DAO (Data
Access Objects) option. Normally used for stand-alone, local databases, DAO
offers a rich set of facilities including searching, filtering and querying.
The database object is linked to a database file, which may include encryption and password protection, if required.
Both Access 97 and Access 2000 databases are supported.
Recordsets created within the database object are linked to
tables or queries contained within the database. Alternatively, for more
advanced requirements, a SQL statement
can be generated. A powerful suite of
properties and program methods are available, at this level, to lever the
full power of database objects.
Finally, individual database fields are connected by means of database tags. These
objects can be considered from two points of view: looked at from the database,
individual field data can be passed to and from a project; looked at
from the project, a single field value is available from a database table or query.
For users of Microsoft Access Reports, these can be attached to a project
using the special Report Object option. This allows the configuration to
include Reports created under Microsoft Access.
A stand alone DAO database viewer is included to view / modify data.
ADO Databases (SQL, MSDE, etc)
ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) is a newer Microsoft database technology, designed
for scalability and for use with a wide variety of databases. The most
common database used with ADO is Microsoft SQL Server.
Alternatives include Oracle and
many other 3rd party OLEDB providers.
Functionality is similar to those described for DAO databases.