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Company Snapshot
Industry: Rail Transportation & Engineering
Headquarters: Germany
Use Case: Quality inspections and commissioning of rail vehicles during manufacturing
Team: Vehicle Technology Department
Tool Replaced: Paper-based checklists and manual documentation
Results: Digital inspection and commissioning workflows, secure data storage, streamlined reporting
About IGT
As a rare combination of engineering office and railway operating company, IGT (Inbetriebnahmegesellschaft Transporttechnik mbH) offers a unique set of services within the rail industry. From the development of inspection protocols to the approval, commissioning, testing, and transport of railway vehicles, IGT ensures that every train that hits the tracks meets the highest safety and quality standards.
To achieve this, the company works across multiple technical disciplines and regulatory frameworks—national and European. The team’s work spans the full lifecycle of railway vehicles, including quality control and commissioning from initial raw construction to final acceptance testing.
When the Vehicle Technology department began searching for a way to modernize its inspection and commissioning processes, it wasn’t about convenience. It was about building traceable, real-time confidence into a process where safety is non-negotiable.
The Challenge: Complex Inspections and Commissioning, Outdated Tools
Inspecting and commissioning a train is a job that leaves no room for error. With components ranging from structural frames to braking systems, each workflow involves dozens—sometimes hundreds—of individual checks, confirmations, and handovers.
Previously, IGT’s teams used paper checklists to perform and document inspections and commissioning steps throughout the manufacturing process. Technicians would fill out forms manually, capture photos separately, and compile reports only after returning to the office. The process worked—but just barely.
As workloads increased, so did the risk of misplaced forms, duplicate data entries, and outdated information being passed between teams. Transferring documentation to customers was a slow, error-prone task. There was no centralized place to store or retrieve checklists. And the volume of paperwork continued to grow.
“We knew the process was too fragile,” said one inspection lead. “If a folder was missing or a step wasn’t documented clearly, it created unnecessary delays and follow-ups. We needed something that brought everything together.”
Enter flowdit: A Purpose-Built App for Real-Time Commissioning and Inspections
After reviewing several digital solutions, the Vehicle Technology department chose flowdit (formerly firstaudit) to digitize both its inspection and commissioning processes. The app promised more than just paperless checklists—it offered structure, traceability, and secure data transfer in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.
The implementation focused on the company’s manufacturing inspections and commissioning routines—known internally as “accompanying quality checks”—which cover all stages from the raw build of a vehicle to the final customer handover.
Initially, the change felt unfamiliar. The team had to shift from handwritten notes to structured digital workflows. Familiar routines gave way to new templates and mobile interfaces. But the benefits became clear quickly.
From Paper to Platform: Reinventing the Workflow
flowdit allowed IGT’s inspectors to complete their inspection and commissioning routines directly on mobile devices—tablets or smartphones. Each checklist could be customized based on the vehicle type, inspection stage, and compliance requirements.
Photos were added instantly, notes were written on the spot, and checklists were saved directly to the company’s secure internal system. No more missing paperwork. No more back-office typing.
At the end of each inspection or commissioning step, the data could be reviewed and transferred immediately to the client, with full digital proof of completion.
“The biggest difference was the peace of mind,” one team member explained. “We didn’t have to worry about losing track of anything. It was all in the system, ready to go.”
The company’s own server architecture supported data storage and backup, ensuring that sensitive inspection and commissioning documentation was handled securely and in line with their IT policies.
Early Results: More Transparency, Less Waste
Although the rollout is still in its early stages, the improvements are already visible. The team no longer uses paper at all during inspections or commissioning. Data is transferred more efficiently, reports are complete and standardized, and the risk of human error during documentation has dropped significantly.
Customers receive reports faster, with a higher level of professionalism and consistency. The digital workflow also ensures full auditability—each step is time-stamped, complete, and backed up.
So far, five employees are using flowdit actively within the Vehicle Technology department. A growing number of internal stakeholders, including one of IGT’s clients, have expressed interest in expanding the platform’s use to additional teams and workflows.
Looking Ahead
While it’s too early to fully measure cost and time savings, the transition has laid the foundation for smarter collaboration. Teams are spending less time on administration and more time on the actual inspection and commissioning work. The ability to digitally track quality metrics opens the door for long-term insights and process improvement.
As the company continues to grow its footprint in the rail sector, flowdit is expected to play a key role in enabling faster, safer, and more scalable operations.
“Our work hasn’t changed,” said the department lead. “But the way we document it has—and that changes everything.”
Still relying on paper checklists to manage your inspections or commissioning steps?
