OEM supply · Configuration control
OEM Custom Elevator Configuration Checklist for Distributors
An OEM elevator program needs a technical definition that survives changes in artwork, suppliers and repeat orders. Start with an agreed equipment baseline, record each requested deviation, and identify the interfaces it affects. Approve the applicable design revision before manufacture, then retain the evidence needed for first-unit acceptance and subsequent production release.
- 01Define
A baseline and its deviations.
- 02Review
Interfaces and first-unit evidence.
- 03Release
The revision and affected orders.
In this guide
A logo, cabin finish or custom button layout is not a configuration by itself. The distributor needs to distinguish “same appearance” from “same approved equipment.” In this guide, OEM refers to a distributor or regional brand sourcing equipment from a manufacturing partner; legal manufacturer, labeling and approval responsibilities still follow the actual market and agreement.
JAFITA’s OEM and custom manufacturing overview makes the same starting point: define the technical platform before branding, then clarify the configuration, branding and documentation. The checklist below turns that principle into a working control sheet. It is a buyer’s planning tool, not a substitute for the responsible engineer’s design, code review or local approval.
This article turns the supplier’s configuration principles into a proposed buyer-side record: a controlled component list, a change review, a first-unit evidence pack and a repeat-order release check. The worked example follows an apparently identical replacement operating panel through that process. It is not a description of a proprietary JAFITA quality procedure.
Quick answer: what makes an OEM configuration controlled?
An OEM elevator configuration is controlled when the record names one baseline, describes every measurable deviation, maps the affected interfaces, defines the approval evidence, and releases one revision that production and later orders can reference. A logo, finish or catalogue name by itself is not a repeatable configuration.
Four terms to keep separate
| Term | Meaning in this checklist | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline | The product platform and revision from which the request starts | Product/configuration ID, source drawings, main parameters and retained equipment |
| Deviation | A requested change from that baseline, stated as a measurable difference | Changed dimension, material, connector, function, label, package or document requirement |
| Interface | The mechanical, electrical, control, safety, building or document boundary that the change can affect | Interface drawing, wiring/fixture information, clearance or fit review and open owner |
| Released revision | The configuration approved for a stated stage, quantity or batch | Revision ID, approval record, permitted use and affected unit/order IDs |
Do not combine requirement status with approval status. A requirement can be fixed by the buyer while its proposed implementation remains unapproved. Use separate columns for requirement: fixed / negotiable / open and disposition: proposed / under review / approved / rejected. An item marked not applicable needs a recorded reason.
1. Freeze the product baseline before discussing the label
Start one configuration record for each product series or project. Give it an identifier such as FREIGHT-REGION-A / Rev B; do not rely on a product nickname that could survive a technical change.
Record the fields below as fixed, negotiable or open, then record the proposed solution and its approval separately. If a value is unknown, leave it open and assign an owner. Do not silently copy a value from a different elevator model. COP and LOP mean car operating panel and landing operating panel.
| Baseline block | Minimum information to record | Why it controls the next decision |
|---|---|---|
| Market and application | Destination country, intended building/use, buyer role and product-series name | The market can change the electrical, language, labeling, documentation and approval package. |
| Elevator platform | Passenger, freight, hospital, home, dumbwaiter or another defined category | A cabin or fixture request cannot be reviewed independently of the platform and duty. |
| Performance | Rated load, rated speed, travel height, stops and operating modes | These parameters influence the structure, drive, controller, doors and safety system. |
| Building interfaces | Hoistway/shaft conditions, car dimensions, entrance arrangement, door dimensions and any retained equipment | A non-standard dimension can move clearances, mounting, mass, wiring or access. |
| System architecture | Traction or hydraulic arrangement, machine, drive/inverter, controller, door system, guide/suspension and safety components | The visible product is only one part of an integrated lift. |
| Cabin and fixtures | Wall, ceiling and floor materials, lighting, handrails, COP, LOP, display, buttons and language | Finish and fixture changes still have dimensional, electrical and accessibility interfaces. |
| Electrical basis | Supply voltage and frequency, motor/control architecture, feedback, connectors and relevant external interfaces | A visually identical component can be incompatible when its signals, revision or voltage differs. |
| Supply intent | Prototype or first order, expected repeat orders, variants and required spare-parts record | Repeat supply needs revision control, not just a first-unit approval. |
JAFITA’s OEM page lists product category, load and speed, travel and stops, entrance arrangement, hoistway conditions, drive and door systems, controller and safety, cabin specification, electrical requirements and destination market as inputs before branding. Those are useful baseline headings; the actual values still belong to the project record.
2. Separate the baseline from each requested deviation
Write every change as a difference from the baseline. “Make it suitable for our market” is a goal, not an engineering instruction. “Change the COP faceplate from the approved layout to drawing COP-A-04 Rev 2; retain the controller I/O and emergency functions” is a reviewable deviation.
Use this table for each change:
| Deviation record | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Baseline reference | Product/configuration ID, source drawing, part number, revision and any retained equipment |
| Requested change | Exact dimension, material, finish, connector, control function, label, packaging or document change |
| Reason | Market requirement, building constraint, obsolete part, application need or brand standard |
| Interfaces to review | Car/structure, doors, COP/LOP, controller/drive, safety, wiring, packaging or documentation |
| Functional requirement | What the changed item must still carry, move, display, connect, protect or match |
| Evidence for approval | Drawing inspection, material/finish sample, electrical or functional test, fit check, prototype installation, load/performance evidence or document review, as applicable |
| Owner and status | Responsible party, open questions and status: proposed, under review, approved or rejected |
The JAFITA custom-components page describes the same baseline-to-deviation logic. It calls for a baseline component, required deviation, interface drawings, function, quantity and approval criteria. It also warns that a custom part is not a controlled configuration merely because it fits a drawing.
A useful rule for dimensional changes
For a dimensional request, attach the existing drawing, proposed drawing, critical tolerances, mounting points, adjacent equipment, minimum clearances, installation sequence, service-access requirement and site photographs. A shorter bracket can change bolt access; a wider panel can interfere with a fixture; a deeper enclosure can collide with the hoistway wall. The changed dimension is only the beginning of the review.
3. Map the interfaces before approving the appearance
A distributor often starts with a brand board or cabin image. Put that material aside until the interfaces are visible. A different COP faceplate can affect the back box, button spacing, controller I/O, accessibility layout, wiring and repeat-order electronics. A cabin-panel change can affect the car frame, doors, handrails and car mass.
Use an interface matrix like this one:
| Requested element | Baseline to identify | Interfaces that may move | Confirmation needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car or cabin size | Car, frame, platform and entrance drawings | Structure, mass, doors, clearances, fixtures and suspension context | Revised drawing and engineering disposition |
| Door opening or entrance | Door type, panel arrangement and operator | Landing doors, car doors, operator, sensors, controller, clear opening and shaft space | Interface drawing and functional/fit review |
| COP/LOP appearance | Existing fixture model, back box, wiring and controller | Button logic, display, voltage, communication, emergency functions, accessibility and mounting | Fixture/electrical approval package |
| Drive, controller or feedback change | Motor, encoder, control architecture and software/revision | Brake, safety circuit, doors, fixtures, communication and retained machine | System compatibility review; do not infer from visual similarity |
| Cabin finish or branding | Approved cabin material and identification layout | Mass, fire/finish requirements where applicable, labels, packaging and documents | Finish sample, label proof and document sign-off |
| Custom component or adapter | Original part number, dimensions and retained system | Mechanical, electrical and safety interfaces | Baseline/deviation record and acceptance criteria |
The matrix does not approve a design. It makes the affected systems visible so the responsible technical party can decide what evidence is required.
4. Build a configuration bill of materials (BOM)
The baseline describes the platform; repeat orders need row-by-row identities. Use a buyer-facing configuration register linked to the manufacturer’s bill of materials (BOM), drawings and document list. A manufacturing BOM normally identifies physical items and quantities. Artwork, firmware and manuals may live in separate controlled records; link them rather than pretending this buyer’s table replaces the manufacturer’s production BOM.
| BOM field | What to record | Why it matters on a repeat order |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration ID | Product series, market/application, variant and revision | Prevents a product nickname from hiding a technical change |
| Item ID and function | Car, door, drive, controller, fixture, safety item, cabin finish, packaging or document | Ties the visible item to its system role |
| Manufacturer/source and exact model | Approved source, part number/model and hardware or software revision where relevant | A visually similar substitute may have different interfaces |
| Drawing/specification revision | Controlled drawing, data sheet, material/finish specification or artwork proof | Gives the buyer and supplier the same technical reference |
| Quantity and variant rule | Quantity per elevator, permitted alternatives and whether the row is optional | Stops a “possible option” from becoming an unreviewed substitution |
| Interfaces and critical attributes | Mounting, dimensions, mass, voltage, connector, communication, safety or document dependencies | Shows which changes require an impact review |
| Approval status and evidence | Proposed, under review, approved or rejected; link to applicable report or disposition | Separates a released item from a quotation assumption |
| Change owner and source date | Person/party responsible and date of last confirmation | Makes stale supplier or site information visible |
Keep the BOM with the approved drawings and the deviation log. If a later quotation uses the same configuration ID but a different BOM row, stop the release and open a change record.
5. Triage the impact of a requested change
Use these questions to assign a reviewer, not to grade a change as safe or minor. An apparently cosmetic, documentary or software change may affect a regulated function. These are suggested review routes, not standardized safety classes or a JAFITA approval system.
| Review route | Typical examples | Evidence to resolve before release |
|---|---|---|
| Identity/document review | Brand artwork, product name, carton mark or translation | Check mandatory markings, warning meaning, technical consistency and affected document versions; escalate any functional or compliance effect |
| Fit/material/interface review | Cabin finish, COP/LOP faceplate, connector or mounting dimension | Identify effects on mass, clearances, fire/accessibility requirements where applicable, electrical functions and service access; obtain the required engineering disposition |
| System and approval-basis review | Load/speed, machine, controller/drive, doors, suspension, safety devices, operating mode, relevant firmware or destination-market change | Identify the affected functions and approval basis before selecting tests or claiming interchangeability |
If the impact is unknown, keep the item under review. Do not rank firmware as a simple interface change merely because the hardware is unchanged. Equally, do not assume that every change requires a new product family; the responsible technical review should decide whether to keep the configuration, issue a revision or define a separate variant.
6. Prepare a first-article approval and release pack
For a first unit or materially changed variant, agree the evidence plan before manufacture. Then collect actual results at the relevant stage. A drawing approval can permit first-unit manufacture; it cannot demonstrate an assembly fit or functional test that has not yet happened. Separate design release, first-unit acceptance and repeat-production release.
| Release-pack item | Example evidence | Release question |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration summary | Approved baseline/deviation table and configuration ID | Does the pack state exactly what was reviewed? |
| Controlled BOM | Item IDs, sources, part/model, revisions, quantities and permitted variants | Can the same parts be ordered again without guessing? |
| General arrangement and interfaces | Car, shaft, entrance, door, COP/LOP, mounting and retained-equipment drawings | Do adjacent systems see the same dimensions and interfaces? |
| Electrical/software record | Supply, wiring, I/O/communication, controller/drive revision, parameter or firmware record where relevant | Is the electrical configuration traceable, not just the faceplate? |
| Material/finish/branding proof | Samples, material/finish statement, artwork and labels | Does the supplied appearance match the approved technical and identification record? |
| First-article evidence | Fit check, assembly/installation trial, functional test, inspection report or other project-defined evidence | Which question did the first article answer, and what remained open? |
| Documentation and packaging | Manuals, spare-parts reference, language, packaging marks and order identification | Can the product be installed, shipped and supported under the right revision? |
| Deviation disposition | Approved, rejected or open items with owner and due date; any bounded concession recorded separately | Are release-blocking issues closed, and is the permitted next stage explicit? |
For each evidence item, record the criterion, source/drawing revision, actual result, report identifier, reviewer and disposition. If a part is accepted under a concession, specify the affected quantity or unit IDs and expiry; do not make that one-off acceptance the default for later orders. The release pack does not itself certify the elevator or authorize it to enter service.
7. Release a repeat order against the approved revision
Before accepting a repeat order, compare it with the released configuration rather than assuming that the same customer name means the same elevator. Record the result in a short release check:
| Repeat-order check | Record |
|---|---|
| Configuration ID and revision requested | |
| Market, application, rated load/speed, travel and stops | |
| Approved variant or new deviation | |
| BOM changes since last release | |
| Component source/model/firmware or drawing changes | |
| Site/hoistway/entrance differences | |
| Branding, language, packaging and document changes | |
| Required new fit, functional, safety or inspection evidence | |
| Release owner and approval date |
If load, speed, entrance, machine, controller, door, safety, electrical basis or destination-market requirement changes, do not label the order “same as before” until the impact review decides whether it is a new configuration or an approved variant. Identify the order or serial number at which an accepted revision takes effect, and whether existing delivered units are affected. A change approved for the next batch is not automatically a retrofit instruction.
Carry the released identities into packing and receiving records. If the delivered item has the right quantity but the wrong revision or unit identity, record the discrepancy separately from physical damage. JAFITA’s elevator delivery checklist covers that receiving task; arrival alone is not configuration acceptance.
8. Worked example: the replacement panel looks identical
This is a hypothetical record-keeping example. The identifiers, supplier statements and decisions are invented to illustrate the method, not real JAFITA equipment or test results.
An approved freight-elevator configuration, FE-A / Rev B, uses operating panel P-01 / Rev 2. For a repeat order, a supplier proposes P-01 / Rev 3 with the same visible faceplate. The new version uses a changed connector assignment and firmware. The buyer wants to keep the controller unchanged.
| Change record field | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Change reference | CR-07, linked to repeat order PO-EXAMPLE-02 |
| Requirement status | Retain existing controller: fixed unless separately approved |
| Requested deviation | Substitute panel Rev 3 for the released Rev 2 |
| Evidence received | Same-faceplate drawing; connector change notice; firmware identifier |
| Missing evidence | Wiring mapping, supported controller version and affected operating functions |
| Initial disposition | Under review; not an approved substitute |
| Required reviewers | Responsible electrical/control engineer; documentation and procurement owners |
| Release boundary | Proposed next order only; existing units not yet assessed |
Three possible outcomes show how to use the record:
- Compatibility is documented without a technical change. The engineer confirms the interface and required functions using the applicable evidence. Record the approved substitution, component revisions and order effectivity. Keep the old identity in the service record for previously delivered units.
- The panel needs wiring, firmware or controller changes. Create a revised interface package and define the required verification. Review the resulting costs and responsibilities. Do not put a “compatible” label on the original substitution while hiding this extra work.
- Evidence is missing or a required function is unsupported. Keep the substitution open or reject it. Request the released part or another reviewed option. A photograph and nominal voltage cannot close the missing interface evidence.
Suppose outcome 2 applies and the design change is approved. That approval can release the defined first unit for manufacture; the later functional report determines whether its agreed acceptance criteria were met. Repeat production is released only for the specified revision and order scope. This separates permission to build from evidence that the built item performed as required.
Use this compact register for the next change:
| Change ID / baseline revision | Requirement and proposed deviation | Affected items / functions | Evidence and criterion reference | Reviewer / disposition | Effective units or orders / closure record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter references | Separate fixed requirement from proposed solution | Identify what remains and what changes | Link actual files, not just “tested” | Keep unknowns under review | Identify bounded release and proof of closure |
OEM configuration-control FAQ
What is an OEM elevator configuration ID?
It is a unique reference for one approved product platform or variant, including its market/application, technical baseline, deviations and released revision. A brand name or product nickname is not enough because it may survive a technical change.
Why does a distributor need a configuration BOM?
The BOM ties each component or document to an exact source/model, revision, quantity, interface and approval status. It lets the distributor compare a repeat order with the released product instead of assuming that a similar cabin or photograph means the same configuration.
When should a repeat order receive a new revision or configuration ID?
When a change can affect load, speed, entrance, machine, controller, drive, door, safety, electrical basis, mass, clearance, software, destination-market requirement or approved documentation. The impact review decides whether the change is a new product, an approved variant or a revision.
Does a logo or finish change require technical review?
It requires an impact check. A documentary label may only need artwork and marking review, while a finish may affect mass, clearances or material requirements. A translated warning can also change meaning. Identify the actual consequence before assigning the review route.
Does JAFITA’s public OEM page confirm a universal MOQ, lead time or certification?
No. The public material describes an OEM approach and the information needed for review. Quantity, schedule, certification scope, manufacturing route and document coverage must be confirmed for the selected product, destination market and technical configuration.
What this checklist cannot confirm by itself
An online service page can explain a supplier’s stated approach; it cannot confirm the engineering envelope or commercial terms for a particular OEM request. Do not infer a universal minimum order quantity, production capacity, lead time, certification, private-label promise, component origin or fixed document package from this article. JAFITA’s published materials say that customization depends on the selected product platform, quantity and technical requirements, and that certification scope must be checked for the selected product and destination market.
The remaining questions should be written into the enquiry rather than hidden in a marketing description:
- Which product platform and component architecture fit the intended market and duty?
- Which deviations are technically feasible, and what interfaces or tests do they affect?
- Which branding, packaging and documents are available for this selected configuration?
- What quantity, repeat-order and revision rules apply to this program?
- Which certification, inspection and local approval evidence is required in the destination market?
Prepare the next enquiry
Send the JAFITA OEM team one organized packet: destination market, application, product category, target load and speed, travel and stops, shaft and entrance drawings, the baseline revision, the deviation table, interface questions, expected quantity, branding artwork and the required document list. For a component-level change, add the custom-components information and the original part number, nameplate, dimensions, connectors and retained-system details.
Ask for each response against the configuration ID and revision. A written answer that identifies what is approved, what is proposed and what still needs engineering confirmation is more valuable than a generic statement that the product can be customized.
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