New regulations like the EU Regulation 178/2002 about product track and trace require even better integration of coders into the manufacturing IT environment (Manufacturing Execution Systems MES). Typically this has been implemented by a three-tier structure: Coder - Centralized coder, control software - MES/HMI/Production planning software.

This approach requires two interfaces to be implemented: coder to coder control software and coder control software to MES.

Kranich IMT proposes a two-tier structure by moving enabling the coder to speak standardized protocols (like HTTP) for easy and direct coder access to Intranet Webservers and corporate databases.

• Existing know-how in creation of webpages can be used. Many companies already operate intranet/internet sites.
• Major Human Machine Interface (HMI), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and Enterprise Application Software (like SAP) offer a webinterface for easy access to their applications.
• Benefit of robust and 24/7 operation proven open source products like the Apache Webserver, the PHP programming language, the mySQL database.