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What we do

Some processes are too hot, too small, too slow or simply too expensive to observe directly. Numerical simulation lets us look inside them, understand how they behave and test improvements before anything is built.

Ycoor Systems is a small engineering company in Sierre, Switzerland, specialised in scientific computing: numerical simulation of fluid dynamics (magnetohydrodynamics, complex free-surface flows), optimisation and visualisation of industrial processes and natural phenomena.

We either run our own simulation tools as a service, or develop applications tailored to a client’s problem. We do not sell generic software or licences.

Services

Numerical simulation. Fluid flows with free surfaces, thermal effects and electromagnetic forces, from lubricant droplets in watch movements to aluminium electrolysis cells and glaciers.

Scientific software. Development, maintenance and deployment of simulation codes, together with the tools around them: graphical interfaces, automated simulation campaigns, post-processing and reports.

Visualisation and applications. Desktop or web applications that let engineers explore results, set parameters and use a model without being simulation experts.

Optimisation and R&D. Parameter studies and optimisation of industrial processes, often within funded research projects with academic partners.

Technology transfer. Turning models developed in PhD theses at EPFL into robust software that industry can use daily.

The outcome depends on the project: a study and a report, a software tool, training for your engineers, long-term support — or a combination. We work on fixed-price mandates and on funded R&D projects (Innosuisse, formerly CTI).

Software

We do not use commercial multi-physics packages. Our work relies on three codes that originated at EPFL and that we develop and maintain:

alucell — numerical simulation of aluminium electrolysis cells: magnetohydrodynamics, thermal behaviour and solidification, alumina distribution, gas, cell stability. The project started in 1983 between EPFL and the Swiss aluminium industry, is backed by about ten PhD theses, and is now owned by EPFL and Rio Tinto. Since 2007 we work with Rio Tinto’s LRF research centre (Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, France) on its development, maintenance and deployment, support its users, and run industrial simulations that complement the work of their engineers.

cfsFlow++ — complex free-surface flows, including heat transfer, surface tension, sedimentation and non-Newtonian fluids. It builds on several EPFL theses and was re-implemented by Ycoor Systems.

geocurve — computation of geodesic trajectories on arbitrary smooth surfaces, also originating from an EPFL thesis.

For client-specific problems, we develop dedicated desktop applications, command-line tools or web applications.

Clients and partners

Companies and institutions we have worked for or with:

Rio Tinto
Bühler
Richemont
Alpiq
EnerTrans
Kugler Bimetal
Unitechnologies
Mimotec
IDEALP
État du Valais
EPFL
HEPIA

About

Ycoor Systems SA was founded in 2007 to bridge academic research and industrial software. We are a team of two:

Alexandre Masserey — founder and CEO. MSc in physics, PhD in applied mathematics.

Julien Hess — mathematical engineer (MSc in applied mathematics), with Ycoor Systems since 2014.

We keep close ties with the EPFL numerical analysis groups where most of our models were born.