Akselos , based in Lausanne in Switzerland, has designed a new simulation engine for extremely large models, based on the reduced-basis-FEA-algorhythm licensed by MIT. The scale ranges from bridges to a complete space station. The company currently develops digital twins for old oil rigs. Here, sensors, big-data analyses and simulations are used to create a precise virtual copy of the oil rig. This should mean it is possible to monitor the condition of the platform at all times, which not only increases operative efficiency, but also allows predictive maintenance.

The two-million-euro project arose as a joint venture between Akselos and the Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF), an oil industry trade organization. It is funded by Eurostars and the Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) and initially has funding for two years. Currently, one oil corporation plans to use the technology for its platforms in the North Sea. The ITF is still, however, looking for more partners.