A joint project involving the Institute of Production Management and Technology (IPMT) at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) is currently investigating how the digitalization of commissioning can be achieved in the maritime industry. The researchers are hoping for potential in the areas of productivity, quality and adherence to deadlines in complex shipbuilding projects.

Shipbuilding projects are characterized by their size, duration, complexity and individuality. Commissioning links the lifecycle phases of manufacturing and ship operation and is thus a key process. During this process, inspections and tests verify that every component is installed correctly, fully functional and fulfills the requirements set by the client and classification society. It forms the basis for successful quality management, harmonizes manufacturer and customer expectations, and ultimately secures cash flow.

Today's commissioning process is characterized by a multitude of manual steps as well as heterogeneous information and a lack of data consistency. To improve this situation, the researchers are developing a digital assistance system for the commissioning process. The digital assistance system addresses both the creation and scheduling of commissioning tests and the actual execution.