CRC Evans Gains a Competitive Edge in Specialty Welding Equipment Development

CRC Evans is a global, technology-enabled provider of specialty welding, coating, and equipment solutions for energy and infrastructure sectors, including oil and gas, renewable energy, hydrogen projects, nuclear, water security, and critical infrastructure. Originally established in 1933 and headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company was acquired by Pipeline Technique Ltd. from Stanley Black & Decker in 2022 and subsequently merged and rebranded into the unified CRC Evans identity. CRC Evans’ expertise in welding includes the development of advanced, automated internal and external pipeline welding systems, and the company’s proficiency in coatings includes proprietary field joint coating and anticorrosion systems.

A recognized international leader in specialty welding and coating solutions, CRC Evans has used SOLIDWORKS^® Design and SOLIDWORKS engineering solutions for nearly two decades to develop its advanced welding/coating machines and equipment, according to Production Director Nicholas Holland. In recent years, the company has used the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional product data management (PDM) system on a server to manage its large and growing volume of legacy design and engineering data. In 2026, company management sought a more efficient and accessible data management system in the cloud to overcome server issues.

CRC Evans worked with Thom Micro Systems and Dassault Systèmes Global Services (DSGS) to use the 3DEXPERIENCE Transition Assistant to transition the company’s large amount of legacy data from the server it had used to the cloud on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, moving data management to the cloud to improve performance and making access to the data more efficient and widespread. “Once the cloud-based solution was presented to us, our eyes lit up in terms of our engineering business strategy,” Slater says.

Transitioning From Server to Cloud-Based Data Management

Using the 3DEXPERIENCE Transition Assistant tool, the transition team migrated roughly 100 GB of legacy data from the company’s server to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform in the cloud. This data transition involved 1,522 SOLIDWORKS assembly files, 8,439 SOLIDWORKS part files, 1,955 SOLIDWORKS drawing files, and 9,381 non-CAD files.

“The migration process was smooth and efficient, with minimal disruption to our daily operations,” Holland points out. “DSGS managed everything from planning to execution, ensuring that the transition was seamless. They communicated throughout the project, addressing any issues quickly and professionally. The postmigration support was exceptional, with DSGS ensuring all systems were functional and providing continued assistance as needed.”

Streamlining Product Design and Manufacturing on the Cloud Platform

By moving its product design, engineering, and manufacturing data to the cloud on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, CRC Evans has not only streamlined access to data in the cloud but also is leveraging that data to improve design, engineering, and manufacturing processes. “For example, we can use the workshop personnel, and have them quickly be able to access and view models without actually having to have a local SOLIDWORKS installation, giving them immediate access to the information they need,” Slater says. “I think having the single platform for both the PDM side and the CAD side is a massive benefit compared to other CAD packages.”

“Using 3DEXPERIENCE and SOLIDWORKS definitely gives us a competitive edge,” Holland stresses. “We’re able to quickly mockup a prototype. We can come up with a design or an idea that we can go to the client with and say, ‘Is this design what you are looking for?’ It takes a lot of that uncertainty away and gives the customer a lot of confidence.”

Using Flow Simulation and Digital Twins to Overcome Challenges

In addition to storing and managing data in the cloud on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, CRC Evans taps powerful SOLIDWORKS flow and structural simulation tools to create digital twins of designs in the cloud for design validation. “We’ve got flow simulation and we’ve got the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, so everything that we do is simulated in SOLIDWORKS,” Holland points out. “We typically build a digital twin of the setup on site in SOLIDWORKS, so that we can understand if there are going to be any clashes, any issues, or anything that we need to consider. The simulation that we’ve done at the back end, this is invaluable.”

“We would typically perform a site visit for a vessel or a small base arrangement, and then be able to mockup that sort of facility using SOLIDWORKS,” Slater adds. “From there, we can then tailor equipment designs around specific station requirements or space constraints and can manipulate the models accordingly. The platform allows us to use real-time evaluation and the analysis behind it. We can simulate any real-time loadings that we might experience on-site when we get to the site.”

CEO Mauro Piasere says this capability differentiates CRC Evans from its competitors. “Our clients are asking us to deploy this technology in completely different sets of circumstances,” Piasere explains. “If you go to Saudi Arabia, you’re going to be welding and coating in +50 C [122 F]. If you go to Alaska, you’ll need to do the same in -20 C [-4 F] or -30 C [-22 F]. So, the fact that the same technology can operate in all different environments is something that is unique to CRC Evans.”