Review of InterDynamics, decision support and simulation software vendor

By Léon Levinas-Ménard

Last updated: April, 2025

InterDynamics, founded in 1992, has grown into a seasoned provider of simulation-based decision support and fatigue risk management solutions. With a core mission centered on visualizing the way organizations work, the company leverages its flagship Planimate simulation engine to create animated digital twins that model complex operational processes—from rail logistics and supply chain flows to port terminal operations. Its bespoke, consultative approach integrates legacy expertise with modern technologies such as .NET, Linux, and Azure Cloud, enabling tailored, iterative deployments that transform raw operational data into actionable insights. Although marketed with “intelligent” capabilities, the firm’s solutions are built on well-established discrete‐event simulation and rule‐based systems rather than autonomous machine learning. This blend of time‐proven simulation methodologies with contemporary integration techniques makes InterDynamics a robust partner for organizations seeking to optimize complex operational environments while remaining mindful of true AI capabilities.

1. Company Background and History

InterDynamics was established in 1992 with the vision of “visualising the way organisations work” through simulation modeling. Initially driven by an innovative desire to apply interactive software and human intelligence to complex operational challenges, the company has evolved into a specialized provider of both decision support systems and fatigue risk management solutions ¹².

2. Product Portfolio and Core Offerings

2.1 Decision Support Systems (DSS)

InterDynamics’ Decision Support Systems are designed to help organizations plan, schedule, and allocate resources effectively. Leveraging its Planimate simulation platform—a discrete-event simulation tool—the company delivers animated and interactive visualizations of complex operations such as rail logistics, supply chain flows, and port terminal operations. The system supports detailed what-if analyses, enabling users to assess the impact of operational changes in a dynamic digital twin environment ³⁴⁵.

2.2 Fatigue Risk Management Solutions

The firm’s fatigue risk management solution, FAID Quantum, applies scientifically derived fatigue scoring algorithms to predict alertness levels and mitigate work-related fatigue risks. By integrating biomathematical models—sourced from academic research and specialized institutes—with risk engineering methodologies, FAID Quantum provides a simulation-based approach that assists in scheduling and resource deployment, particularly within industries reliant on shift work ¹⁶.

3. Technical Implementation

3.1 The Simulation Engine: Planimate

At the heart of InterDynamics’ offerings is Planimate, a discrete-event simulation platform that converts business data into animated scenarios. Originally developed decades ago, Planimate has been continuously enhanced to meet modern simulation needs, enabling rapid prototyping and iterative refinement in close consultation with clients. This approach ensures that simulation models are highly customized to reflect the operational realities of each organization ⁷⁸.

3.2 Integration and Tech Stack Insights

InterDynamics combines legacy programming expertise—from languages like FORTRAN and BASIC—with modern development environments such as dotNET, Linux, and Azure Cloud. Its deployment model is bespoke, often involving on-premises installations integrated with legacy databases (for example, via Excel data imports) and contemporary API-based communications. This mix allows the company to modernize its core simulation engine while retaining the robustness of its historical methodologies ⁸⁹.

3.3 Questions on AI/ML Claims

While some marketing materials reference “intelligent” solutions, the actual implementation primarily relies on detailed discrete-event simulation and rule-based methodologies. Rather than employing advanced self-learning algorithms or real-time adaptive AI, InterDynamics’ decision support functions are derived from structured simulation models, meaning that claims of true AI are largely a matter of marketing rhetoric ³⁴.

4. Deployment and Industry Applications

InterDynamics’ solutions are deployed across a range of safety-critical industries. In transportation and rail, its simulation models support timetable management, train routing, and capacity planning – having been applied to major projects such as high-profile rail infrastructure initiatives. Similarly, detailed supply chain simulations assist in identifying bottlenecks and optimizing terminal operations in port and logistics environments. Additionally, the fatigue risk management system finds application in industries where managing alertness levels is critical, such as in healthcare and other continuous operations ⁵¹⁰¹¹.

5. Overall Assessment of State-of-the-Art Technology

InterDynamics leverages proven discrete-event simulation methodologies and risk modeling techniques to deliver actionable decision support. Despite its modern integration efforts and iterative deployment strategies, the firm’s use of “intelligent” technology is primarily grounded in simulation and rule-based analysis rather than cutting-edge, adaptive machine learning. This approach emphasizes customization and reliability, ensuring that solutions are tailored to the client’s specific operational challenges rather than offering a one-size-fits-all autonomous system.

InterDynamics vs Lokad

InterDynamics and Lokad represent two distinct paradigms in supply chain and operational decision support. InterDynamics is rooted in decades of simulation expertise, using its Planimate engine to generate interactive digital twins and facilitate bespoke, consultative modeling of operational processes. In contrast, Lokad employs a cloud-native, data-driven strategy that integrates probabilistic forecasting, deep learning, and differentiable programming to automate supply chain optimization. While InterDynamics emphasizes iterative, client-specific simulation and visual analysis, Lokad focuses on algorithmic automation and scalable predictive optimization. This divergence highlights a fundamental difference: one approach is based on structured simulation and manual model refinement, and the other on leveraging modern machine learning techniques for automated decision-making.

Conclusion

InterDynamics offers highly customized, simulation-driven decision support and fatigue risk management solutions built on its long-established Planimate platform. Its rigorous approach to discrete-event simulation and iterative model development delivers valuable operational insights across various industries. However, while the company effectively visualizes complex processes to aid strategic decision-making, potential clients should recognize that its touted “intelligence” largely stems from sophisticated simulation rather than autonomous, adaptive AI. In this light, InterDynamics remains a trusted partner for organizations seeking to optimize intricate operational systems through proven, well-engineered simulation methodologies.