OEM

DeltaQuest is an open OEM access controller used behind membership, booking and ticketing platforms at leisure sites across the UK and Ireland. It reads the credential and fires the relay. Every allow or deny comes from your software, with no Nortech cloud in the loop and no second member database to keep in sync.

DeltaQuest OEM 2-Door Access Controller PCB

The DQ-S2-PX DeltaQuest universal OEM 2-door access controller PCB can be fitted into a third-party housing to provid…

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DeltaQuest with PSU in Plastic Enclosure

The DQ-S2-PH DeltaQuest Universal OEM 2-Door Access Controller is supplied in an attractive housing with integral 12V…

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DeltaQuest Configuration and Diagnostic Software

DQ-SW-01 DeltaQuest Configuration and Diagnostic Software is used for configuring and testing DeltaQuest access contr…

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Hardware that integrates with your software, not the other way around

Nortech's DeltaQuest OEM controllers give membership, booking, ticketing and access control software a way to open real doors, turnstiles and barriers. A member presents a card, fob, QR code or wallet pass at a reader. DeltaQuest sends the reader's identity and the credential string to your platform, for example R1 plus the ID. Your platform checks membership, payment status and what that member may enter at that location, and answers allow or deny. On allow, DeltaQuest fires the relay for that reader and the gate opens. Entitlement rules and the entry log stay in your software.

The controller holds no member data and there is no Nortech cloud in the loop, so your platform stays the system of record. Up to 32 access points sit on one TCP/IP or USB serial connection to the host, each DeltaQuest module runs two readers and two relays, and any reader with a Wiegand, Clock & Data, RS232 or RS485 output works, including QR and wallet-pass readers. Dynamic QR codes from your app pass straight through, and your app or CRM sets how long each code lasts. The DeltaQuest product page walks through the integration step by step.

DeltaQuest is supplied as a bare PCB for a third-party housing or as a complete unit with an integral 12V DC 3A power supply and fused outputs in a wall-mount enclosure. Software partners build against the DeltaQuest command protocol with our documentation and engineering support during build and test; the documentation is free and the operator buys the hardware once. Platforms including Gladstone, Legend, EZ Runner, SDA Software and ClubRight already integrate with it at leisure centres, gyms and clubs. The DeltaQuest integration guide for software partners (PDF, 1.3MB) covers the message format, credential rules and every reader and output that connects.

PCB or enclosed: which DeltaQuest?

DeltaQuest	Housing	Power	Mounting	Typical use
DeltaQuest PCB (DQ-S2-PX)	Bare 125.5 × 125.5 × 23mm board for a third-party housing	External 12V DC supply, 1A maximum	Inside your own enclosure, turnstile pedestal, kiosk or desk	OEM builds and custom installations where the cabinet already exists
DeltaQuest with PSU (DQ-S2-PH)	312 × 312 × 100mm wall-mount plastic enclosure	Integral 90 to 264V AC supply, 12V DC 3A out through an intelligent fuse panel	Wall mount on standard UK fixings	Ready-to-install sites that need managed, fused power to the readers

How DeltaQuest compares

Software partners usually come to DeltaQuest from one of two places: a traditional access control system the site already runs, or the access control that comes bundled with a gym management platform.

Compared on	Traditional access control For example Paxton, Salto or Gallagher	CRM-specific access control For example Ashbourne or Resamania	DeltaQuest An open controller your software drives
Member data	Synced into the access system's own database, so you keep two copies in step	Held in the vendor's own membership software	Stays only in your platform. There is no user database to push to or pull from
Decisions	Made by the access system from its copy of your data	Made by the vendor's software, for its own members only	Made live by your API on every scan, using your own rules
Software choice	Each platform builds and maintains its own integration for each brand	Tied to one vendor. Changing software usually means replacing the access control	Around 30 platforms already integrate with it, and the operator keeps the hardware if they switch
Tap events	A separate listener or event feed to build and maintain	Built in, but only inside the vendor's own system	Every tap already reaches your API, so sign-in and sign-out need nothing extra

Two ways to integrate

Both routes use the same DeltaQuest controllers and readers. The difference is who builds and runs the integration layer, the small piece of software on site that sits between DeltaQuest and your API.

Route 1

Build your own integration layer

Your team builds the integration layer into your platform using the DeltaQuest command protocol.

Best for: Teams that want to own the access layer end to end
Who builds: Your team, with our protocol documentation and engineering support during build and test
Runs on: Your software, on a site PC or your own on-site service
Cost: No integration charge. The operator buys the hardware once, with no licence

Route 2

Let Nortech provide the DeltaQuest Hub

We build and support a Hub that speaks DeltaQuest on one side and your API on the other.

Best for: Platforms with a membership API that would rather not write access control code
Who builds: Nortech, against your API and sandbox. We write, test and support it
Runs on: Windows, Linux, an embedded PC or a Raspberry Pi, supplied pre-configured. One Hub talks to every DeltaQuest controller on the site
Cost: An annual licence per controller, paid by the operator. No charge to you

An operator can start on the Hub and move to their own integration later without touching the site hardware. Ask for the protocol documentation or a Hub scoping call.

Frequently asked questions

What is OEM access control, and who is it designed for?

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) access control provides hardware interface controllers that integrate with third-party software systems, rather than operating with proprietary management software. The DeltaQuest range is specifically designed for software developers, system integrators, and businesses using membership management software (particularly in leisure and gym facilities) who need to control physical access points. Rather than replacing existing software, DeltaQuest provides the I/O support to connect card readers, keypads, and barriers to your existing database or membership system via simple USB or TCP/IP connectivity.

Can DeltaQuest integrate with gym membership software?

Yes, DeltaQuest is built for gym and leisure facilities using third-party membership software, and platforms including Gladstone, Legend, EZ Runner, SDA Software and ClubRight already integrate with it. When a member presents a card, fob, QR code or wallet pass, or enters a PIN, DeltaQuest sends the reader's identity and the credential to your membership software, which validates the member and answers allow or deny. Dynamic QR codes from your app work as they are: DeltaQuest passes each code through the instant it is scanned and your platform matches it to the member who generated it. Your member database stays where it is and nothing is replaced.

Do we host anything with Nortech?

No. Nortech runs no cloud. DeltaQuest sits at the venue and talks to your software over TCP/IP or USB serial, and your platform stays the system of record. The controller holds no member data, so there is no second database to keep in sync.

What happens if the connection to our software drops?

DeltaQuest has an offline mode. How each access point behaves while the link to your software is down is agreed per site at setup.

How many access points can a DeltaQuest system control?

A DeltaQuest system can control up to 32 access points (doors, barriers, or turnstiles) via a single USB port or TCP/IP network connection on your PC. Each DeltaQuest module runs two readers and two relays. You can daisy-chain up to 16 DeltaQuest modules together using RS485 communication, all controlled from one master module connected to your PC. This scalability makes it suitable for everything from small single-door installations to large multi-entry leisure facilities.

What reader technologies does DeltaQuest support?

DeltaQuest supports all Nortech reader technologies plus many third-party card readers and keypads. Supported interface formats include Clock & Data (ABA Track 2), Wiegand (26-bit and other formats), RS232 and RS485. This includes 125 kHz proximity readers, Mifare and LEGIC smart card readers, magnetic stripe readers, biometric readers, and numeric keypads supporting PINs up to 15 digits. Each reader interface also includes Free Exit input and auxiliary outputs for controlling additional devices like card capture readers or DVR systems.

What's the difference between the PCB version and the enclosed version?

The DeltaQuest PCB (DQ-S2-PX) is supplied as a bare circuit board for integration into your own custom enclosure or existing equipment housing, offering maximum flexibility for OEM applications and system integrators. The DeltaQuest with PSU (DQ-S2-PH) comes in an attractive wall-mount plastic enclosure (312 × 312 × 100mm) with an integral 12V DC 3A power supply and intelligent fuse panel providing managed power to access devices. Choose the PCB version for custom installations or the enclosed version for ready-to-install applications requiring comprehensive power management.

Where does the reader-to-gate mapping live?

With the DeltaQuest Hub, it lives in the Hub's configuration for each site. Your platform answers allow or deny and the Hub fires the right relay, and it can send you the map whenever it changes so both systems stay in step. If you build your own integration layer, you keep the mapping wherever suits your platform.

Our platform has no entry or exit concept. Is that a problem?

No. The Hub can hold which readers are entry and which are exit for each site, so you don't need to add the concept to your platform first.

Is DeltaQuest only for gyms and leisure?

No. The same setup runs behind sports club, spa, hotel and holiday-park platforms, and staff and visitor doors work the same way as gates.

Trusted by these organisations

Nortech systems secure doors, gates and car parks for manufacturers, retailers, banks, government departments, leisure operators and sports clubs across the UK.