Many companies develop machinery and plant with a focus on commissioning – yet the vast majority of life-cycle costs arise only afterwards: during operation, maintenance, modifications and the supply of spare parts, often spanning decades. If the subsequent life cycle is not taken into account from the outset, there is a risk of high follow-on costs, obsolescence issues and costly retrofits.
The key difference is that ITQ considers systems not just up to the point of commissioning, but throughout their entire life cycle – from the initial concept through development and production to operation, maintenance, retrofitting and decommissioning. This results in systems that not only work, but also remain cost-effective and maintainable for years to come.
Harald Weigold, Graduate Engineer
Member of the Executive Board
„A system is not fully developed when it goes live, but when it can be operated, maintained and further developed cost-effectively over many years.“
In many companies, the planning process ends once the system goes live. Maintenance, the supply of spare parts and subsequent upgrades are only addressed once problems have already arisen. Components and software become obsolete, documentation is lost over the years, and knowledge of the system remains tied to individual staff members.
This is precisely where ITQ comes in: operation, maintenance, obsolescence and decommissioning are factored into the planning right from the start – not only once normal operations have already begun to falter. This ensures that systems remain cost-effective, maintainable and capable of further development throughout their entire service life.
Typical challenges within a company:
ITQ supports companies throughout the entire lifecycle of their systems – from the initial idea right through to decommissioning.
Life Cycle Engineering requires us to look beyond the development phase alone.
Design of systems and production processes with a view to subsequent operational phases.
The services described form part of ITQ’s comprehensive service portfolio. ITQ combines technological expertise, a methodical approach and a deep understanding of processes to deliver sustainable solutions throughout the entire life cycle.