ASTRA - Special Features

The various features and modules of this robust and versatile product are outlined below.
Mimics:
ASTRA comes with a powerful, feature-laden MIMICS capability for drawing complicated graphic forms. Intricate images can be mimicked using the Icons provided in the Tool Box. TEXT objects and BUTTON objects are also available for control panel simulations. Animation Tools, available with this feature, enable users to create dynamic Mimics, giving users greater flexibility and ease of configuration.

Security:
A three layered password-based security feature, with upto 255 access levels, written into the software gives the user the ability to configure their entire shop floor activities based on Operator, Supervisor and Manager priorities. An access level can be assigned to the user, objects and Window operations. Only users with access levels greater than an object's access level can take action related to that object, providing adequate control to the users.

Alarms and Event Handling:
A comprehensive user-configurable Alarms module gives the user sufficient flexibility in managing deviations and hazardous situations. Both type of alarms, High-low as well as Percentage Deviation, are available and can be assigned different severity levels. Alarms can be logged for future analysis and printed on an on-line printer. Alarms can be sorted or spoken out if multimedia support is available. ASTRA also provides alarms or event handling capabilities that may be automatic or with operator interface. The alarms windows can be configured using the icons in the toolbox for ease of use and quick action with full security features.
Alarms can be notified through E-mail and SMS (using GSM modem).

Real-Time and Historical Trends:
Real-time trends for multiple process parameters (Tags) can be displayed graphically in trend windows. Trend windows are entirely user-configurable using the toolbox. A user can toggle between real-time and historical trends for a parameter. For historical trends, data values stored on the hard disk can be viewed. Tag values at specific times can also be ascertained.

Data Logger and Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE):
Data values can be stored on-line with the data logger. Data is stored in Open Database Format, so that any dBase application can access the data. As ASTRA is based on Windows, using DDE (dynamic data exchange), data can be transferred to other packages such as and Access, which support DDE. Customized reporting is therefore possible through Excel.

Excel Report Generator:
ASTRA provides user friendly way to generate customized reports in Excel format. It is easy to save /view/print some specific reports directly using templates.
ASTRA allows you to produce graphical or text reports of the changes taking place in the process. These reports can be generated online or off-line and can be scheduled.
The reports can also be generated after specific span of time or an event has been occur in  Excel, Word, HTML and Text  format using powerful scripts.

Scripts:
Language support through SCRIPT is available with ASTRA. With the help of SCRIPT commands, functions such as generating interlocking logic, forcing PLC output, event and alarm handling, reporting, logging, simulation and control can be performed. Complex recipes can be scripted and managed using ASTRA's inbuilt language support. 

HTTP Web Server: 
The ASTRA comes with web server, where HTML pages can be configured for monitoring real time data from remote locations through any Internet browser.
It is also possible to view and access script based report data on the client side. This data can be export to Microsoft Excel.

OLE for Process Control (OPC Client) :
An OPC client application communicates to an OPC server through the specified custom and automation interfaces. OLE for Process Control (OPC) is designed to allow client applications access to plant floor data in a consistent manner With OPC, system integration in a heterogeneous computing environment will become simple. The COM/DCOM technologies provided the frame work for software products.

Advanced Component Library:
ASTRA has wide range of components to design Mimics and screen to create applications quickly and easily.