At all times, industrial equipment was quite complicated from an engineering point of view. From the presses and mixers that are primitive from the point of view of a modern engineer to the completely automated production of the most complex parts for the space industry. In addition to the difficulties in the design of machines and assemblies, there is also the complexity of operation. In order to maximally facilitate the work of maintenance personnel, extend the life of the equipment, avoid the release of defective products and fulfill all safety requirements, commissioning is necessary before starting new machines.
Why commissioning
Commissioning is almost more important than the installation of equipment. Modern machines and units can be serviced by people without special education. “Outside”, it seems that it is worth pressing only two or three buttons, and the products will come out from under the machine by itself. However, in order for this statement to come true, it is necessary to take commissioning seriously.
The organization of commissioning should be planned in the project for the installation of equipment immediately after the installation of machines and units. Installation specialists are usually qualified to verify that the unit is configured correctly. Even before the start of production, commissioning will determine how correct the factory settings are, and will identify installation and assembly errors, if any.
Qualification of specialists
Typically, the manufacturer of machine tools and equipment provides training for specialists in setting up the work of mounted industrial equipment. Most often, installation does not require high qualifications, since any specialist with a secondary specialized education can conduct and connect cables. If you have some experience, you can generally talk about the lack of qualifications of specialists engaged in installation.
Commissioning of electrical equipment is a completely different matter. Here one can not do without special knowledge and ideas about the construction of units, the ability to handle special programs, etc. In addition, if some errors are detected, the installer will have to make a decision on eliminating the errors on the spot.
All this once again confirms the need for highly qualified specialists who carry out commissioning. Most often, different people install and launch equipment. If we are talking about complex industrial equipment, the manufacturing company sends its specialists who have passed the training course and know all the intricacies of the installed machines.
Warranty service
The cost of modern equipment is quite high. Therefore, firms that establish production lines seek to maximize the use of suppliers' warranty obligations . Often, one of the conditions for fulfilling a guarantee is commissioning by trained specialists. Only if the equipment was launched by certified specialists will the manufacturer sign the warranty. At the end of the adjustment work, warranty documentation is filled out, to which are attached the protocols for their implementation, diagrams of the studies performed and schemes of individual settings.
What does commissioning consist of?
The commissioning program consists of a set of measures for putting equipment into operation. In general terms, we can talk about several commissioning units: checking the correct installation and identifying factory defects; introduction of individual customer settings and equipment operation for the agreed time; customer training
If everything is relatively simple with the first and last paragraph of the program, the second requires special attention. The fact is that each manufacturer has its own nuances and features of output. Equipment comes from a supplier with so-called factory settings. However, the specifics of production usually requires changing the settings of the equipment and checking its operation in new conditions.
Commissioning just involves the control of new products or proper operation after installation. Most often, there is an agreement between representatives of the customer and the contractor on tracking the release of a small batch of products. It is possible that defects or malfunctions will not be detected at the very first moment, and then specialists will be able to quickly navigate and make the necessary adjustments.
Training as part of commissioning
When commissioning is carried out, training of personnel who will work on new equipment is of great importance. The quality of the finished product directly depends on the ability of workers to manage machines and assemblies. In addition, the faster the staff gets used to the new technical equipment, the more likely it is to win the competition, beating competitors with the release of modernized goods.
If we are talking about complex electrical equipment or gas boilers, then security literally depends on the ability of personnel to use new technology - both people's lives and the enterprise as a whole. Therefore, during commissioning, special attention is paid to instructing employees of the customer company. Most often, upon completion of such a training, installers issue a certificate confirming the primary skills of the workers.
How much is
Each type of work must be appreciated. But since commissioning necessarily accompanies the installation of equipment, the costs of it are not allocated in a separate column. The cost of commissioning is usually already included in the total cost of equipment and its installation, since these works are carried out by the equipment manufacturer. However, in some industries, however, there is a different practice. In particular, when it comes to installing gas boilers or conducting additional environmental and technological tests, the cost of commissioning can be prescribed separately.
Special cases of the cost of starting work
In addition, staff training may be a separate column in the price list. The usual practice is that all employees who will be faced with new equipment, are instructed. But there may be situations when, due to staff turnover or some other reasons, you have to constantly instruct new employees. In this case, the equipment seller company reserves the right to provide educational services for a fee.