Learn Automation with MINATA #52: The Commissioning Checklist — Break the Risk Up Before Anyone Presses Auto

The Commissioning Checklist: Break the Risk Up Before Anyone Presses Auto

Automatic commissioning is where every assumption meets reality. The biggest risk is switching to Auto "to see where it goes wrong" before motor direction, travel, sensors and the safe zone have been confirmed. A good procedure breaks the risk into steps, each one confirming a single thing before the next is permitted.

The principle: one verifiable condition per step

Every commissioning step should have an entry condition, an action, an expected result, a time limit and a stop criterion. When a step goes wrong, whoever is testing knows exactly where to stop and why — rather than letting the whole machine run wild and then guessing.

Increasing energy, step by step

Check I/O from the HMI: confirm each input reads correctly and each output drives the right actuator, in a safe state.
Jog each actuator: move each axis or conveyor by hand at low speed, confirming direction and travel.
Test interlocks and safety: the emergency stop, doors, light curtains and travel limits must each cut correctly.
Test alarms and timeouts: create a controlled fault to confirm the machine reports and stops as intended.
Auto at low speed: run the cycle slowed down, and watch it before pushing for output.
Raise gradually to rate: increase only when the earlier steps are stable and somebody is watching.

Preconditions before Auto

Before Auto runs for the first time: motor direction confirmed, travel and homing checked, position sensors reading correctly, the safe zone clear and an observer ready to stop the machine. Skipping these is where mechanical collisions and damaged equipment come from.

A worked engineering situation

A machine has its I/O tested from the HMI, each actuator jogged to confirm direction, then the interlocks and alarms tested, and only then Auto at low speed with an observer present. Only once the cycle has run stably for several rounds does the team raise the speed towards the design rate, recording the parameters at each level.

The sequence, the criteria and the thresholds all follow the character of the machine, the risk assessment and the acceptance requirements.

Common mistakes

Switching to Auto "to see where it goes wrong" before the basics are confirmed.
Commissioning steps with no stop criterion and no time limit.
Skipping the interlock and safety tests, concentrating only on making it run.
Going straight to full rate without passing through low speed.
Not recording parameters at each level, leaving nothing to compare against later.

Commissioning checklist

[ ] Every step has an entry condition, an action, a result, a timeout and a stop criterion.
[ ] I/O has been tested and each actuator jogged before Auto.
[ ] Interlocks, emergency stop and safety functions cut correctly when tested.
[ ] Alarms and timeouts were tested with a controlled fault.
[ ] Auto ran at low speed under observation before the rate was raised.

Breaking the risk up turns commissioning into a controlled procedure. #53 moves to preventive maintenance, and how to turn a service schedule into useful data.

Read more automation knowledge at MINATA: https://minatavn.com/en/blog/industrial-automation

Previous — #51: Troubleshooting a 24VDC supply: https://minatavn.com/en/blog/automation-51-24vdc-troubleshooting

Next — #53: Preventive maintenance: https://minatavn.com/en/blog/automation-53-preventive-maintenance

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