ORION project: innovating water infrastructure monitoring
Funded by a Cascade Call for Companies for the Spoke 9 Models, Methods, Computing Technologies for Digital Twin of the Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem (iNEST) Consortium, the ORION project combines industry knowledge with cutting-edge research.
Fincons Group and EKSO Srl joined forces to develop this innovative solution, composed of three main pillars:
- A modular Digital Twin platform for real-time monitoring and simulation
- Sensor-equipped pipelines for data capture
- AI powered analytics for predictive maintenance
Fincons contributes its expertise in system integration, cloud, AI and smart analytics to develop and implement these components, ensuring the system efficiency, scalability, and impact. The result is an innovative framework for managing infrastructure more intelligently and sustainably.
AI and sensor integration unlock real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance
The core of ORION project is the creation of a smart Digital Twin for sensor-equipped water pipelines, provided by EKSO.
This digital replica continuously synchronises with its physical counterpart, enabling real-time leak analysis, fault detection, and effective maintenance scheduling.
Fincons developed AI algorithms that analyse data collected by smart pipelines, predicting potential anomalies, providing early warnings to assess risk and intervention strategies.
Fincons Group: cloud system integration and smart analytics for water networks
Fincons leads the cloud architecture and integration side of ORION, designing scalable platforms for seamless sensor data ingestion, advanced analytics, and intuitive dashboards.
The Group ensures the Digital Twin’s predictive features operate reliably across distributed infrastructure.
Leveraging in-depth industry expertise, Fincons enhances system intelligence with actionable insights, automated alerts, and user-friendly visualisations to support informed decision-making and enable predictive maintenance.
The introduction of advanced predictive models enables early detection of pipe failures and potential leaks, transforming reactive maintenance into data-driven, proactive action.
Predictive vs. reactive: shifting maintenance paradigms in critical infrastructure
Traditional water network inspections follow rigid schedules, often missing early signs of deterioration. This rigid approach can lead to delayed responses and more costly repairs once visible damage or failures occur, since by the time an issue is detected, it may have already escalated, causing service interruptions and increased operational expenses.
ORION’s AI-powered system enables continuous, data-driven monitoring. Maintenance becomes predictive rather than reactive, ensuring faster response times, reduced service interruptions, and long-term cost savings. Through the integration of field sensors, machine learning algorithms, and advanced analytics, the system detects subtle changes and patterns that signal potential problems, well before they become critical.
It’s a shift from guesswork to precision, where every decision is guided by real-time field data and intelligent insights.
Beyond water: applying ORION technology across industries
Beyond water infrastructure, the same monitoring framework, powered by AI and IoT, has promising applications in various sectors such as energy, utilities, manufacturing, and transportation—any domain where condition-based, real-time maintenance can outperform scheduled, statistical approaches.
The Digital Twin platform developed through ORION’s modular design allows adaptation across industries requiring predictive maintenance. From energy grids to manufacturing plants and transportation networks, the same principles—sensor integration, AI diagnostics, and real-time monitoring—can drastically improve operational efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimise resource allocation.
Ready to bring predictive intelligence to your operations?
Contact us today to discover how Fincons can help you design and deploy intelligent monitoring solutions tailored to your industry!
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