Rocket Automation

High Performance Automation

The Rocket Automation is the most powerful and sophisticated application in the Rocket Monitoring and Control Platform. You can develop very simple or extremely complex logical or mathematical algorithms for control, testing or simulation purposes.

The highly reliable and accurate function block executer can process a million function blocks per second. Large amount of logic can be grouped in their own execution environment called "Modules".

Key Features of Rocket Automation

• Multiple Modes of Operations: The Automation Engine can execute groups of logic based on event trigger, periodic intervals, schedules or as subroutines.
• Initialization Modules execute their logic routines only once at start-up. However, their logic subroutines may be called from other modules at any time.
• Online Editing allows you to edit logic online while the executer is processing logic in real-time. The user can, at any time, upload or download the configuration as required.
• Scalable Automation Structure provides an environment that allows you to develop a few or thousands of function blocks. By proper configuration of the system, a majority of the algorithms can be executed only when necessary. The user friendly function block based editing environment provides an environment where any kind of linear or non-linear algorithm can be developed very quickly.
• Break Points provide an unprecedented capability in the logic editing environment making trouble shooting much easier.
• Reporting Engine is one of the by-products of the automation engine. Various query based function blocks have been included in the list of available function blocks that allow a user to execute queries against Rocket's native database or a SQL database. Additional function blocks use the query result to generate reports and, if necessary, e-mail the reports automatically or on demand.

Function Block Types

Rocket Automation provides a rich list of function blocks. A user friendly editing environment allows the user to drag and drop various function blocks into the editing area.

No knowledge of any programming language is required for building large and complex automation or simulation algorithms.

The following groups of functions are available in Rocket Automation:

• Complex Math - Derivative (rate of change), Integral
• Control - SCADA control
• Convert - Utility conversions such as Celsius to Fahrenheit, Degrees to Radians, Variable to String
• Counters and Accumulators - CTD (down counter), CTU (up counter)
• File Operations - File Properties, Read File Line
• High Level Functions - Read/Send Email, System Information, Shell Execute
• Logic - Comparisons (>,<, equal, not equal), Bit operations (AND, NAND, OR, NOR, NOT, XOR, MUX), Assignment (Set, Set Reset)
• Math - Arithmetic and trigonometric functions
• Relays - Ladder logic functions (Normally Open/Normally Closed/Negative Edge triggered/Positive Edge triggered contacts and coils)
• Report Functions - Function blocks to write Rocket data to CSV files
• String - Functions for Text variables
• Time Function - Methods for time-based operations, such as Pause, Timer On Delay, Timer Off Delay, Current Time

In addition to the above list, the user is able to add C# or VB scripts to the Script Function block, or develop their own compiled function blocks within Visual Studio™ then load them into the Rocket Automation environment. This provides a highly secure and efficient way of developing complex function blocks, this also reduces the size of large control algorithms.

For more information, see also the High Performance, Cost Effective Solution and Interface to Other Systems pages.