Reduce the costs and risks of offshore and subsea operations with Vortex — a comprehensive simulation and visualization software platform.

CM Labs helps offshore energy industry leaders engineer, test, plan, and train for operations with interactive, real-time simulations and visualizations — from the drill deck, to heavy lifting, to subsea operations. Vortex is the de facto standard in the industry and is already under the hood of many major maritime engineering and training applications today.

It’s our collaboration with offshore leaders that gives us insight into the most efficient solutions to the biggest challenges facing the industry — now and in the future.

Vortex is a modular platform that allows for the creation of specific solutions — training, visualization, planning, live-visualization, and prototyping. From shore to seabed, Vortex has been used to simulate the dynamics of virtual cranes, equipment, ROVs, AUVs, vessels, robotics, cable systems, tethers, and sonar.

SIMULATION AND VISUALIZATION FOR OFFSHORE OPERATIONS

When you’re operating expensive assets in hazardous conditions, time is not the only thing that’s at a premium. Safety and environmental considerations play a critical role in your ability to take advantage of development opportunities. That’s why marine industry leaders are adopting Vortex.

SAFETY

Human error causes 60 to 80 percent of maritime accidents. Comprehensive simulation-based training can significantly

reduce the risks of complex offshore, remote, and lifting operations, as well as the associated human and financial costs.

COST REDUCTION

Because there’s a dollar figure attached to every second you spend offshore, the value of an integrated marine simulation

solution quickly adds up. Simulation-based training helps de-risk and more efficiently perform offshore operations — and

uncover operational issues before they become critical field issues.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES

The regulatory and financial incentives for environmentally sensitive operations have never been more compelling. A fully

integrated simulation solution ensures that the risk of incidents is minimized. Train to prevent incidents — and react quickly

and effectively to hazard conditions when they occur.

SIMULATION-BASED TRAINING FOR SAFETY, LOWER RISKS, AND REDUCED COSTS

PREPARED FOR THE CHALLENGE

The offshore industry is utilizing simulation and visualization more and more to enhance skills training and project planning. Simulation is being rapidly adopted, since it has been proven to improve site safety and reduce incidents offshore. As the industry evolves, you need the right tools and solutions.

Today, the market for simulation solutions consists largely

of specialized point solutions, which can make it difficult

to determine which pieces you need to assemble in order

to meet your current and future needs. Potential integration

concerns and headaches associated with synchronizing

these solutions mean you risk taking two steps backward

for every step forward.

That’s why it makes sense to work with dedicated

simulation experts. We can help you navigate the world

of simulation and visualization technology in order to

make informed and effective decisions.

With over 15 years of experience developing simulation

solutions, CM Labs is the de facto simulation expert in

maritime operations. What’s more, Vortex is designed to

integrate with industry-standard tools, which ensures not

only that your technology investment is protected, but

that it grows with you.

We’ve been solving the marine industry’s toughest

simulation and integration challenges for over a decade.

With a mature commercial product that includes

upgrades, documentation, and support, we know

what it takes to prepare for the challenges ahead.

VORTEX IN ACTION

CREW TRAINING OPERATIONS MODELLING

Vortex simulators set the standard in the offshore industry.

From Class A DNV ROV pilot simulators to drill deck

simulators to crane simulators built to API, NORSOK,

and OMHEC training guidelines, Vortex training solutions

are used every day to prepare operators for the challenges

offshore. Our team-based training solutions train your

entire crew in immersive multi-role-play environments.

Our customers have proven that simulation-based training

allows them to build effective operators in less time and

with higher levels of competency.

Simulation-based learning translates into real skills on the

job. It also benefits training organizations, since it allows

them to objectively measure student performance, train

a larger number of students in classroom settings, and

lower training costs. We deliver engaging training programs

in a classroom environment that lead to a high level of

skills retention.

 

For EPIC projects, Vortex is used to virtually plan operations

from the deck to the seabed—from lifting and rigging

to tooling systems and asset deployment. With Vortex,

operations can be simulated, not just animated. This

provides engineers with a complete understanding of

equipment layout, functionality and control. It assures

operational predictability and lower risk, and reduces

commissioning time.

Operations modelling can be used to optimize existing

projects, as well as new projects at the FEED stage.

Vortex is available to project engineering teams through

services and desktop applications designed to meet

your particular project requirements. This includes the

simulation of critical lifts, SURF installation, material

handling, deck layouts, field visualization, and ROV

operations. Vortex provides a 360° view of operations

and also allows organizations to share simulations for

offshore team training.

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR OFFSHORE SIMULATION

There’s a reason Vortex technology is already under

the hood of many of today’s major subsea training and

engineering applications.

Industry leaders have made Vortex their solution of choice

because it’s designed to operate as a common layer for

the entire back end of training and engineering simulation

solutions.

Every day, systems are tested and operators are trained

using Vortex by industry leaders such as FMC Technologies,

Schilling Robotics, Oceaneering, Technip, Aker Solutions,

Forum Energy, Subsea7 and many others.

When you select Vortex, you’re in good company.

VIRTUAL SYSTEMS TESTING LIFE-OF-FIELD / WORKSITE VISUALIZATION

Vortex provides a complete dynamics simulation of heavy

equipment and robotics. It provides engineering-quality

real-time simulations that can be integrated with controls

and systems design software to test and validate your

equipment and procedures. CM Labs supplies services

and software for ROV access studies, virtual systems

integration testing, and control systems development.

Vortex not only simulates mechanical equipment and

robotics; it also provides subsea hydrodynamics, cable

systems, sonar, and other critical systems simulations

and visualizations. The simulations run in a real-time

environment that allows you to consider the impact of

water currents, wind, and visual conditions. It provides a

comprehensive simulation of equipment operations in situ

and allows you to test in the virtual world what you can’t

in the real world. It provides unique engineering insight

to design and operations that saves time offshore and

reduces project risk.

From bid support to managing life-of-field operations,

Vortex can provide a 360° view of your project. Field

visualization allows engineers to better understand and

communicate the subsea engineering challenges. It

provides the ability to plan, design, and demonstrate

subsea layouts and systems. Bathymetry data, GIS

databases, and 3D CAD models from engineering design

can be utilized to visualize the complete field. Vortex can

also incorporate simulations and animations for project

operations planning.

In addition, Vortex can be deployed offshore, connected

to site telemetry from sonar and GPS systems to visualize

operations subsea. ROV operations, lifting, and ship

positions can all be monitored, both on-vessel and onshore

in the engineering office through network-based links to

navigational systems and Vortex 3D visualization. Field

visualizations can also be extended to manage as-built

and operational changes over the life-of-field.

FROM SOFTWARE TOOLS TO COMPLETE SOLUTIONS

CM Labs provides scalable products and services to fit with your project requirements. From software toolkits to turnkey software

and training solutions to bespoke software development, our solutions scale to your needs.

Vortex Dynamics — a software toolkit for real-time

dynamics simulation of heavy equipment, robotics,

vehicles, cable systems, sonar, and more.

Vortex Frameworks — a software application layer

for multi-channel visualization, distributed simulation,

network communication and software, and controls

integration.

Vortex Training Solutions — software and turnkey

simulators for heavy equipment, lifting, pipe

handling, and ROV operations.

Application Development — services that utilize

Vortex to build software components or complete

applications to your specific requirements.

CM Labs is an active member of the industry’s leading associations. We regularly participate in panel discussions, industry events, and technical presentations.

A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS

FMC SCHILLING ROBOTICS ROV PILOT TRAINING POWERED BY VORTEX DYNAMICS

The FMC Schilling Robotics ROV pilot training simulator

is powered by Vortex.

It provides the industry’s highest-fidelity simulation

of ROV hydrodynamics, propulsion system, tethers,

manipulators, and on-board sensors.

ROV pilot training instructors have full control of a

feature-rich training environment that allows them to

adjust environmental conditions, such as current and

visibility, as well as providing them with the ability to

create fault conditions and challenges for the student.

The simulator is fully integrated with the FMC Schilling

Robotics pilot console hardware and software to provide

the next best thing to piloting the actual ROV.

In addition to emulating precision operations with

manipulators, the ROV Simulator features sonar,

cameras, and tooling for the most realistic interactions

imaginable.

CM Labs is an active member of the industry’s leading associations. We regularly participate in panel discussions, industry events, and technical presentations.

A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS

ALLSEAS GROUP SELECTS VORTEX FOR VESSEL SIMULATION

The Swiss-based Allseas Group is a global leader in

offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction.

Allseas Group was looking to improve its engineering

processes through simulation for its $3-billion-dollar

Pioneering Spirit vessel. Due to the vessel’s complexity

— and to the continuous engineering required to build

it — no simulation model has ever been developed to

capture all the systems and physics of the $3-billion-

dollar megastructure.

But now, with Vortex, Allseas Group is building

extensible simulations that can be improved and

modified with the life of the vessel. “Vortex is very

impressive,” says Allseas R&D engineer Ad de Jong.

“Usability is one of the main things we like about it,

compared to other systems where you still have to build

your simulations in code —the Vortex desktop editor is

quite a breeze to use.”

PNI DELIVERS ADVANCED OFFSHORE LIFT CREW TRAINING WITH VORTEX

PNI Training Centre in Stavanger, Norway is a leading

provider of hands-on and classroom training solutions

for offshore drilling as well as crane & lifting operations.

PNI training leads to highly skilled operators and support

personnel.

To improve offshore safety, PNI was seeking an advanced

simulation-based training solution to simultaneously train

offshore crane operators, slingers, and banksmen.

CM Labs developed and installed an immersive training

solution that provides hyper-realistic role-playing exercises

for all members of offshore lift teams, in order to prepare

them for a wide range of routine and unexpected working

conditions.

The addition of Vortex to the PNI Training Centre has

allowed them to accelerate and improve skills acquisition,

lower the costs of training on actual equipment, and enjoy

a substantial return on investment.

CONTACT US NOW

ABOUT CM LABS SIMULATIONS INC.

For over 15 years, CM Labs has provided simulation

solutions and services to organizations around the world.

With a long history in the real-time visual-simulation

and gaming industries, CM Labs produces feature-rich

simulation capabilities that set the industry standard

for interactive 3D dynamics and simulated mechanical

equipment behavior.

With proven experience ranging from deep-sea to space

projects, the CM Labs team features experts with decades

of experience and wide-ranging backgrounds in training,

vehicle dynamics, heavy equipment and robotics.

Our engineers, scientists, and computing professionals

excel at all aspects of visual simulation, from initial concept

and R&D, to integration, training, and beyond.

All CM Labs technologies and services are backed by our

multidisciplinary staff, with PhDs and master’s degrees in

the fields of virtual reality, engineering, computing, physics,

and mathematics.

Through Vortex, CM Labs provides capabilities for training

simulators, mission rehearsal, serious games, virtual

prototyping, and testing.

Vortex customers include FMC Technologies, Allseas

Group, Subsea7, Oceaneering, Forum Energy, Marin Insti-

tute, and over 100 other leading organizations.