An approach for the development and implementation of commissioning service configurators in engineer-to-order companies

The commissioning of newly developed, complex engineer-to-order (ETO) products, such as plants, buildings, and ships, entails the testing and validation of installed systems prior to operation. Challenges related to the delivery of such commissioning services are manifold, including high levels of uncertainty and challenging information management. In this paper, the question of how configurator technology can be developed and utilised for the specification of commissioning services is investigated. Specifically, while several studies have demonstrated the significant benefits of applying configurators to support product specification processes in ETO companies, none have explored their usefulness in relation to commissioning services. Thus, based on the literature pertaining to commissioning services and product configuration, a five-step approach to the development of commissioning service configurators is developed. The approach was tested in a case company, resulting in the creation of a commissioning configurator. The approach was well received by company employees. Moreover, its use resulted in a commissioning service configurator that reduced the service specification time by more than 70% and the number of people required for the specification by 40%. Other identified benefits included a reduction in planning efforts, improved utilisation of expert knowledge, and improved resource allocation.