The modern legacy-simulator alternative
Everything legacy simulators do, without the desktop, the license servers, or the price tag.
MaximaLabs vs legacy desktop simulators
| Capability | MaximaLabs | Legacy desktop simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Thermodynamics & engineering | ||
| Thermodynamics | ✓ PR, SRK, PC-SAFT, CPA, SAFT-VR Mie, NRTL, UNIQUAC, Wilson, eNRTL, GERG-2008, steam, polymer & brine electrolyte — plus Ge mixing rules (PSRK, MHV1, Huron-Vidal) and selectable predictive UNIFAC / modified UNIFAC (Dortmund) for pairs with no fitted binary | Similar, but siloed apps |
| Unit-op library | ✓ 100+ unit ops in one canvas — reactive & dividing-wall columns, 3-phase decant, a solids train, biologics downstream (TFF, Protein A, viral clearance), batch recipes and API 520/521 relief | Comparable, desktop-bound |
| Transparency | ✓ Click any block → the equations it solves | Black box |
| Cost & sizing | ✓ Screening cost + HX rating in the flowsheet | Separate ACCE / EDR apps |
| Control & operations | ||
| Dynamics & control | ✓ MIMO DMC (MaximaLabs dynamic execution, feedforward, multi-rate, bad-sensor shedding) on one canvas | Separate dynamics license |
| Plant integration | ✓ Digital twin + data reconciliation | Bolt-on / none |
| Sustainability | ✓ Scope 1/2/3 + carbon-tax on any flowsheet | Add-on / none |
| Architecture & workflow | ||
| Access | ✓ Any browser, zero install | Desktop install + license server |
| Enterprise SSO | ✓ Self-serve SAML 2.0 (Okta/Azure AD/Ping) — configure it yourself in minutes | Bolted on via a paid professional-services integration |
| Deployment model | ✓ Hosted, or fully self-hosted on your own network — your choice | On-prem desktop only, per-seat license server |
| Interface | ✓ Modern, fast canvas | 2003-era Windows UI |
| Convergence errors | ✓ AI explains the cause + the fix Unique to MaximaLabs | Cryptic numeric codes |
| Collaboration | ✓ Live multiplayer + share links Unique to MaximaLabs | Email .hsc files around |
| Onboarding | ✓ ~30 minutes | ~3-day training course |
| Pricing | ✓ Usage-based, ~1/10th the cost | Six-figure seat licenses |
| Automation | ✓ Python SDK + Excel add-in (=FLOWSIM.RUN) | Bolt-on / COM automation |
Don't take our word for it
Open thermodynamic parity benchmarks
Every headline calculation — flash, bubble point, distillation — is checked against published VLE data with a stated tolerance, not a vibe. Review the pass/fail numbers yourself.
See the Validation DashboardTeam velocity
to a converged first flowsheet
vs ~3 days in a legacy training course
The switching-cost killer
Migration Engine — bring your existing flowsheets with you
The real barrier to switching isn't price, it's a decade of proprietary .hsc and .bkp files. Drop your existing Aspen Plus or HYSYS flowsheet straight into the MaximaLabs canvas and the migration engine maps unit ops, streams, and property packages onto native MaximaLabs blocks automatically.
Drop the file
Aspen Plus backups (.bkp / .apw) and HYSYS files (.hsc) drop directly onto the canvas — no export step, no conversion tool to install.
Automatic translation
Blocks, streams, components, and the property method map onto MaximaLabs's native schema through a deterministic translation layer — not an AI guess.
Graceful fallback
Anything without a direct equivalent lands as a configurable placeholder block with a diagnostic report, so nothing is silently dropped.