Full Traceability in Complex Pressure Equipment Production with SOLIDWORKS PDM | Estanc x PLM Group

Estanc builds pressure vessels, heat exchangers and complex steel structures for the energy, oil and gas, chemical and carbon-capture sectors. This is work that has only become possible at scale once engineering, data and traceability were brought under one roof with SOLIDWORKS and SOLIDWORKS PDM. 

A story written in steel 

The company that handles such work today looks very different from the one founded in 1992. Estanc started with 10-20 employees on a 2,500 m² production site, building simple tanks.  

Today it employs more than 150 professionals across a production area of 10,500 m², delivering highly complex projects that demand advanced design, strict standards and close cooperation with global clients. 

The sectors Estanc works in leave little room for error: strict quality, safety and regulatory requirements mean every detail matters, from material selection to welding quality and documentation.   

When growing complexity outpaces old ways of working 

As projects scaled in size and complexity, the old way of working reached its limit.  

“In the past, engineering work was more separate, people focused mostly on their own tasks and didn’t need to work as closely with others. Today, projects are much more complex. Now, engineers need to work closely with different teams, like design, production, and project management, to make sure everything fits together,” shared Thermal Engineer Silvia Šults. 

In the pressure-equipment industry, every design must meet strict design and safety standards and sometimes a client’s initial design does not yet fulfil those requirements. On top of that, material traceability is critical: when manufacturing pressure equipment, it is vital to trace exactly what went where, from the first drawing through production to the finished unit. 

For Estanc, staying in constant contact with clients is crucial for product development.  Managing revisions, versions and collaboration across large assemblies without ever losing that thread was the real challenge. To solve it, they turned to SOLIDWORKS PDM. 

Turning to SOLIDWORKS and PDM for control 

Estanc adopted SOLIDWORKS in 2011, when a growing, increasingly complex product portfolio demanded a more capable CAD solution than standard tools could provide.  

In 2017, the company implemented SOLIDWORKS PDM to manage its engineering data. This meant bringing revision control and collaboration within a single assembly and solving the traceability challenge directly.  

“SOLIDWORKS PDM creates unique ID numbers that allow us to trace engineered parts from design through the production up to the end product,” said Lead Engineer Kert Kokamägi. 

Over time, Estanc integrated SOLIDWORKS PDM with its ERP system, importing data directly from the model into ERP. This has reduced human errors, saved engineers valuable time and ensured every party is working from the latest approved drawings. 

Traceability, continuity and greater accuracy 

A few years back, the clearest proof of the system’s value came under real pressure. When the company fell under a cyberattack, SOLIDWORKS PDM proved how crucial data security in a company truly is. 

“All our servers and even other backups were encrypted. Fortunately, the only server that was not affected was our SOLIDWORKS PDM backup,” explained Kert.  

Because that backup survived, Estanc was able to continue working through the attack without significant delays and without losing its data. 

That resilience was the dramatic proof. In daily work, the gains are quieter but just as decisive, bringing to the engineering workflows: 

• Full traceability: unique ID numbers link engineered parts from design through production to the final product, exactly what pressure-equipment work requires.  
• Greater accuracy and saved time: the PDM-ERP integration cuts manual re-entry and keeps everyone on the latest approved drawings.  
• More stability: upgrading to newer SOLIDWORKS versions has shown that the engineering department can take advantage of an even better software solution and thus work in a more comfortable and productive way. 
• Stronger collaboration: with a single source of engineering data, design, production and project management now work from the same up-to-date information, keeping teams aligned as projects evolve. 

Looking ahead together 

Estanc’s collaboration with PLM Group has run since the adoption of SOLIDWORKS in 2011. Beyond software licences, PLM Group has provided a knowledge base, technical support and training that helped engineers build the skills they use daily.  

The team also attends PLM Group’s annual Innovation Day, where they see new SOLIDWORKS versions and tools and learn how other engineering companies put them to work. 

Estanc’s vision is to grow from manufacturing company to engineering company or even technology provider. With this ambition in mind as well as their past experience with a cyberattack they are now exploring the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support the next stage in their company’s growth. 

CEO Priit Haldma’s advice to companies weighing the same step is refreshingly direct: “Don’t wait for perfect conditions: your future workflow depends on starting now.”