Automating fabrication equipment is only part of building a more productive prefab operation. Contractors also need a reliable way to carry accurate information from the model and field to the machines and workers producing the work. We spoke with Adam Heon, VP of Product at EVOLVE, to learn how EVOLVE Fabrication creates that connection, supports both CNC and traditional bending workflows, and gives each piece of conduit a digital path through production. He also shared where the product is headed as EVOLVE expands its approach to prefab automation beyond conduit bending.

EVOLVE Fabrication is described as “closing the gap between machine automation and software.” How does it accomplish this, and why has that gap been such a persistent problem for large-scale commercial contractors?

EVOLVE Fabrication connects the model directly to the shop floor. It’s a digital workflow that provides the information needed to fabricate work using automated, semi-automated, or manual equipment.

Today, many contractors rely on paper and disconnected processes across VDC, prefab, and field teams. As contractors scale, those processes become harder to coordinate and create more opportunities for information loss and miscommunication. EVOLVE Fabrication was designed to solve this problem.

See the Future of Prefab at the EVOLVE FabLab Open House

On November 3rd, EVOLVE is opening the doors to our Atlanta FabLab for a hands-on look at the workflows connecting VDC and fabrication. Join us for a day of live demonstrations, informative sessions, elevated catering, and information sharing with industry peers.

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How does EVOLVE Fabrication fit into the broader EVOLVE ecosystem alongside, for example EVOLVE Electrical and Shop? Can a shop get value from it without already using those tools?

EVOLVE Fabrication can take bend data directly from an EVOLVE Electrical/Revit model and turn it into actionable work for the shop floor. It can also be used without EVOLVE Electrical to create field-requested bends that don’t originate from a model.

EVOLVE Shop complements Fabrication by managing the broader shop workflow, while Fabrication focuses on providing the information and instructions needed to actually produce the work.

Walk us through the model-to-machine process. How does a conduit bend go from a Revit/EVOLVE Electrical model to a machine-ready fabrication file on the shop floor?

The process starts with a coordinated design in Revit. EVOLVE Fabrication extracts the bend information along with spool, location, and other metadata, then converts it into either a CNC-ready bend file or traditional bender instructions. Users can validate and organize the bends into work packages, assign the appropriate machine, and send them to the shop floor. For CNC bending, the operator can simply scan the conduit label to automatically load the correct bend file.

EVOLVE Fabrication accounts for springback and elongation when converting bends into machine-ready files. Why does that matter, and what happens to shops that aren’t correcting for those factors today?

Springback causes conduit to move slightly back toward its original shape after the bending force is removed, so it must be accounted for to achieve the correct final angle.

Elongation is the stretching that occurs during bending and affects the finished length of the conduit.

By accounting for both, EVOLVE Fabrication helps ensure bends are produced to the correct angle and final dimensions.

"EVOLVE was able to handle what we needed to make us more efficient." 

See how Adams Electric used EVOLVE to reduce modeling, spooling, and detailing hours by 35% while improving standardization and getting accurate information to prefab faster.

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Tell us about EVOLVE’s partnership with Crippa. Why partner with them specifically, and what does direct integration with Crippa CNC benders unlock for electrical contractors?

Our partnership with Crippa brings together software and manufacturing technology to create a more connected, automated bending workflow. EVOLVE takes bend data from the model, generates the machine-ready bend file, and uses labels and barcodes to move the work through production. This eliminates manual bend setup, spreadsheets, and searching for information, while calibration settings help contractors produce consistent bends across different conduit types and sizes.

You mentioned field requests will soon be able to trigger bending jobs directly. What does that future state look like, and why is that a big deal for how fabrication shops operate?

Today, field-requested bends are often communicated to the prefab shop through email and may be missing information needed to actually produce the bend. EVOLVE allows the field to define the bend requirements upfront, validates that the bend can be built, and creates a machine-ready or manual bend file. The request can go directly to the prefab shop without VDC involvement, allowing a field request to become a ready-to-produce bend within minutes.

The Zebra printer integration for labeling and QR codes sounds simple yet powerful. How does that piece actually change the day-to-day experience for shop workers handling fabricated conduit?

The label creates a digital connection between each physical piece of conduit and the information needed to fabricate it. Once work is released for production, a label is generated with a unique barcode along with information like the project, work order, or spool.

From there, workers can scan the same label throughout the process. At a Crippa, it automatically loads the correct bend file. At a traditional bending station, it displays the bend instructions. At QA/QC, it displays the finished dimensions for verification. The label stays with the conduit and ultimately connects that piece back to the drawings used for assembly or field installation.

Where is EVOLVE Fabrication headed? What’s on the roadmap, and what does the next evolution of fabrication automation look like for MEP contractors?

EVOLVE Fabrication is headed beyond bending. The goal is to deliver accurate, actionable information directly to the shop floor, whether that information starts in Revit, comes from the field, or originates somewhere else within the project team.

Next, we’re expanding into equipment like positioning systems, CNC routing, and laser cutting. The broader vision is to connect more of the fabrication process through a consistent digital workflow, helping prefab teams work more efficiently, maintain quality, and ultimately meet or beat project schedules.

One Workflow for Every Bender: CNC, Traditional, and Everything In Between 

Learn how electrical contractors can use EVOLVE Fabrication to generate standardized bend instructions and keep information flowing from VDC to shop, no matter which benders their shop uses.

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