Between the order and the point at which a customer can use the machine with confidence there are seven links. The machine itself is only one of them; if the others are not carried out properly, the machine is just as unusable when it arrives on site. Setting out the seven links clearly is not about making the process look tidy, it is about knowing where effort pays best, so that the limited time and the manpower are put where they matter most.
If the first two links are not settled correctly, the rest cannot be made good enough
The first link is the clarification of the requirement and the confirmation of the operating conditions. This is the link that is easiest to cut short and the one most likely to go wrong. A customer often only says that a machine is needed that can filter transformer oil, while the oil quantity, the type of oil, the present water content, the number of hours available each day and the power supply on site have not been established. If the confirmation is incomplete, the model chosen may not fit on site, or its processing rate may not meet the requirement. The deliverable of this link is a confirmed operating condition sheet covering the type of medium, the batch size, the target figures and the site conditions.
The second link is the technical solution and the confirmation of the configuration. Once the type of machine has been decided, how it is configured still has to be decided: the filtration accuracy, the number of element stages, the heating method, the vacuum configuration, the power supply specification and whether a mobile unit is needed on site. Each of these is settled item by item and written into the technical agreement. The trap in this link is that the configuration is agreed verbally and the mismatch with the site is only found after the machine has left the factory. The deliverable is the technical solution and the configuration list confirmed by both sides, and every link after this is based on them.
Three gates on the quality of the machine itself, from assembly to the factory test
The third link is production and assembly. Once the machine is in the workshop the effect of the assembly quality begins to accumulate. The direction of the pipework, the specification of the seals, the type of the electrical components: if any one of them does not match the drawing, the leak test and the test run later will expose it. The deliverables of this link are the assembled machine and a record of the physical check against the configuration list; checking item by item costs far less than rework afterwards.
The fourth link is the factory test, and what it has to verify is the function rather than the appearance. The work actually done includes: with no oil flowing, checking that the direction of the pipework and the action of the valves are correct; with the power on, checking the electrical circuits, the operation of the protections and the panel display; running the machine to observe the vacuum build-up, the heating and the temperature control, the filtration differential pressure and the running noise; and finally carrying out one treatment with oil in the agreed manner to verify the treatment result. The test record is delivered with the machine and is the common reference for the customer and for us.
Shipping and on-site commissioning are where the surprises happen
The fifth link is packing and shipping. Packing has a single purpose: the machine must not arrive on site damaged or rusted as a result of the transport. Damage to the vacuum parts, the oil pipe connections and the electrical components in transit is the most common case, and when a machine whose vacuum level will not come up is opened up, it often turns out that one pipe section was knocked during the transport. This is the link most easily regarded as a formality, and at the same time the one most likely to leave a hidden defect behind.
The sixth link is installation and commissioning on site. The first thing on arrival is a check against the installation conditions: is the supply three-phase 380V / 50Hz, and is the capacity of the incoming line sufficient; is the earth connection made; are the oil inlet and outlet pipes the right way round; and is working space left around the machine. Then the electrical check, a single-machine test run and a test run with oil. The traps in the on-site commissioning are wiring errors and protective functions that have never been verified; problems of this kind cannot be found in the factory.
Training and handover are the last link in the quality of the delivery
The seventh link is operating training and handover. Many deliveries stop at the point where the machine can be switched on, and that is not enough. The training has to cover three areas: the normal operating procedure, including the start-up sequence, the parameter settings and the shutdown steps; the routine maintenance, including when to change the filter element, the change interval for the vacuum pump oil and the points to watch when cleaning; and the handling of abnormal conditions, including what to check when the vacuum level does not come up, when the water content does not come down and when the pressure alarm operates. The handover material should be put in writing, so that somebody who did not attend the training can look it up.
| Link | Deliverable | Where it most easily goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement clarification | The confirmed operating condition sheet | The oil quantity and the power supply conditions are not established |
| Solution confirmation | The technical solution and the configuration list | The configuration is agreed verbally and does not match the site after delivery |
| Production and assembly | The machine and the physical check record | The components do not match the drawing and the problem is exposed later |
| Factory test | The test record | Only the electrical check is done and there is no verification with oil |
| Packing and shipping | The packing list and the securing record | The vacuum parts and the pipe connections are damaged in transit |
| On-site commissioning | The commissioning record | Wiring errors, and protective functions that are not verified item by item |
| Training and handover | The operating and maintenance material | Only the start-up is covered and the handling of abnormal conditions is not |
Of the seven links, the two at the front are the ones worth spending extra time on. If the operating conditions and the configuration are settled wrongly, it does not matter how well the other five links are done, because what comes out is a machine built to the wrong requirement. Conversely, if the front is settled correctly, what follows is execution, and doing the execution well is comparatively easy. This has been confirmed again and again in the project reviews.
The quality of the delivery is decided by the first link, not by the last one.